Greetings from down under. This time next week will be Classic Fighters 15 at Omaka Airfield in New Zealand. One of the stars is due to fly any day now namely Spitfire XIV NH799. For those who don't know this aircraft came to NZ in 1994. I went to the Warbirds over Wanaka airshow that year and watched Mark Hannah put her through her paces. Sadly Tim Wallis then owner of the Alpine Fighter collection was severely injured taking off in this Spitfire in 1996. Currently Avspecs (they of Mosquito rebuild fame) are finishing off the cowlings and we should see a first flight next week. This will be the third Spitfire flying here so I think the sound of cameras going off will be loud! As well as this the Bristol Freighter will hopefully taxi again. She has been down with a sick engine but Al Marshall who originally brought her back to life in 2008 has removed the engine and put his own trailer mounted engine in its place! (Obviously without the trailer lol.)
The sick engine had been making metal and he was trying to see if it was repairable (As it seemed to be piston material) . However during an internal inspection he saw the Master rod had a crack in it!
Plan is to get another spare engine out of storage after the show and see if it can be made live as a replacement.
here's a photo of the trailer mounted donor engine:
And the recipient:
Black bands on the port prop blades were painted for a funeral for a local who used to be involved with Safe Air and the Freighters. The aircraft was taxied at the funeral on the airlfield.
EDIT: She RUNS! Go to last page on this thread for photos:
http://rnzaf.proboards.com/thread/21030/classic-fighters-2015-anzac-pioneers?page=15&scrollTo=224783
