This is the place where the majority of the warbird (aircraft that have survived military service) discussions will take place. Specialized forums may be added in the new future
Thu Jul 18, 2013 6:34 am
Dave,
Yes, Jan Bullock was the lady I was thinking of. I found the article online, it was very informative, must have been the NZ Wings Site. Wasn't the FHC Ki-43-I with the Sid Marshall collection at Bankstown(Sydney) before passing to Col Pay? I've emailed 4 pics to you that are all Ki-43-I, reasonably certain that they are the FHC aircraft prior to Col purchasing it. I've never been able to fathom where the Ki-43-II that RG sold to SG(TFC) and now Nobuo Harada. RG said it was part of a war bond tour and was on display at the Sydney Town Hall late in the war. It could be one of the Ki-43-II restored at Hollandia, one of these came to Australia(Racoon Special) and I have never been able to trace it's ultimate disposition.
I am particularly interested in photographs of individual parts and sub assemblies, not more pics of a restored aircraft on display. For example; the often shown wartime USAAF pic of the fuel gauges have been altered for US operation(Perspex over the gauges with English writing), I would like to see an original configuration pic of these gauges, I would like to know/see more of the fuel tank pressurisation selector(prevents fuel line vapour lock when hot and/or high), and the wing fillet at the leading edge is a fillet, but at the trailing edge is actually the fuselage(no fillet), I would like to see more detail on that.
I believe the Wanaka team and the TAF crew know a lot more about the Ki-43 than is currently available to the public in any published work. That's why Their photos interest me.