Classic Fighters Omaka New Zealand Easter 2011

[Baz62]

I'm a long time member of a forum in New Zealand called Wings over New Zealand. (Clever name huh?)
We manged to organise a really good meeting of forum members and apart from the airshow it was really good to meet online friends in the flesh and put faces to usernames.
I've copied the thread I posted complete with my witty comments just to give you a taste of what we get up to. (And when you visit us for Classic Fighters 2013 )
The reason for the Bristol comment regarding my Mondeo? See the Bristol Hercules mounted on the trailer? I was the test pilot the weekend before the show! Sure made my clutch know it wasn't there for show!! Al (who got the engine running and built the trailer) estimated it was around 4 or 5 tonnes!
And in the last photo they didn't waste anytime getting the damaged prop off the FW190 the Monday after the show!

From my original thread:
Ok after chatting with Dave (and Shorty!) about the pain of dialup I am not going to post my usual 1 million photos in one post! ;D

Here we are ready to hop in the Bristol towing vehicle and head off.


Next here we are revitalising ourselves after driving up from Christchurch.
From the left we have Obiwan27(Ken and my brother), Av8rsm8(Teresa my wife) and ErrolC (Errol Cavit and no relation of any kind ;D) and a few bottles of vino to keep us windswept and interesting!


Errol displaying the badge which helped us find some members.


First aircraft photo taken by myself at Classic Fighters is the FW190. Marty Nicholl on the left.




And Al was working on his engine nearby. (Note he has a nice Bristol blue Honda to tow it. ;D)


Doesn't the engine look fantastic in the daylight?


And caught striding in a "airshow organiser on a mission" way is one Graham Orphan with suitable backdrop!


The Bristol was in good company, a fighter escort you might say.


And lastly a picture of probably the most photographed P40C Tomahawk in New Zealand!!


Thats all for now! More to follow!

And just like that here's more!:

I don't think I can match any of the photos here but thought some of my more interesting ones from Al's engine runs and the awards dinner might be the go. All of these were taken by Teresa.
Now what has us with cameras at the ready and a Dave Homewood looking thoughtful?


Yep its Al and the Bristol again. I think Dave is going, "Let me guess............tomorrow?" And its raining here too. This was taken the evening of the first run.


Teresa thought she was taking a picture of ONE DC3.................


A shot of Al getting his award.


And a few close up shots of it




I got to hold it!!


Jay got an award for the work on the Yak3. He humbly tried to say he didn't deserve it because it didn't fly.


Last one for now.
Now with a new fuel pump the carb is getting all the fuel it needs but the slow running mixture needs a tweak. Cough cough! Over 1300RPM the smoke goes away. He even got it up to 2000!!

[Xplumberlives]

Thanks Baz, love the BUTCHER BIRD pics!

[Baz62]

And lucky me I got to ground run this V12 Allison once fitted to a P40. Was a mess when recovered and was rebuilt to this awesome sounding standard. It would never be good enough to be used in an aircraft due to corrosion but ok for this application. I'm the geek in the hat with the owner helping me (Laurie Gudsell). The next day she started first time with no problems but was a bit tricky here as an injector was playing up but was replaced the next day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7wFYU3N-EQ

[Mayfly]

Thanks for posting.

Baz how is the Mozzie getting on at Avspecs, I heard they stopped work on her in favour of the [short term memory loss] Kittyhawk?

And do you know the state of play with TV959 and time scales?

[RLN]

Thanks for posting Baz. Like the DC3 pic.

[Hihonyr8811]

Oooo what a lovely pair of Daks

[Baz62]

Thanks for posting.

Baz how is the Mozzie getting on at Avspecs, I heard they stopped work on her in favour of the [short term memory loss] Kittyhawk?

And do you know the state of play with TV959 and time scales?

Its coming along although the reason she didn't make Omaka(apparently) was a list of missing parts turned up that they weren't aware were missing!). There is a possible September date being talked about as well but restorations don't really listen when you tell them you will fly on such and such a date!
No word on TV959 (that one took me by surprise and it was a P40C Tomahawk which took the lads away from the Mossie.

[Mayfly]

Thanks for posting.

Baz how is the Mozzie getting on at Avspecs, I heard they stopped work on her in favour of the [short term memory loss] Kittyhawk?

And do you know the state of play with TV959 and time scales?

Its coming along although the reason she didn't make Omaka(apparently) was a list of missing parts turned up that they weren't aware were missing!). There is a possible September date being talked about as well but restorations don't really listen when you tell them you will fly on such and such a date!

No word on TV959 (that one took me by surprise and it was a P40C Tomahawk which took the lads away from the Mossie.

I had an inkling but this is where I picked the first 'proof'
http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=108815

Thanks to Flypast forum.