Warbird Information Exchange

Kinda off topic, but close. Last year at Osh. I had a long chat with a fellow while we were watching some aluminium getting hammered/bent/wheeled shrunk etc. that said he had worked on the restoration of one of the Boomerangs. He handed me my first copy of Classic Wings then we walked to the exhibit hall so he could fill his pack back up with more CW.
I know its a long shot but with nice people I really try to remember their names, anyway he is an older tall gent (over 6') with a bit of a problem with one side of his landing gear. I think he was from that other Island (NZ).

Its not a big deal just that nice people I try to remember, not so nice people I remember also but thats a different list

Cheers
Tony

Hi Tony

Classic Wings is a New Zealand based publication and if you met someone from NZ promoting the Mag I would have thought it was one of the Editorial Staff and as there are only two of them as I understand it it was probably either Graeme Orphan or Dave McDonald?

Best I can do for you- As you will have noticed the banner above this post is their site so perhaps you could email them? at admin@classicwings.com <admin@classicwings.com>

Regards
John P

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Air Vice Marshall
Sunshine State Air Farce

Tony

As John mentioned we had a stall at Oshkosh, but unfortunately I didn't make the trip. Grant Wahlick is your man. He is 'Mr. English wheel' in Aus/NZ and roams between the hangars of Murray Griffiths, Matt Denning, Garth Hogan, Bill Reid etc etc. doing his magic with their cowlings etc. Usually based in New Plymouth, N.Z. I think.
I hope you subscribed

Dave

How much is the fuselage modified to accomodate the 1830?

And thanks very much for all the interesting information. Who here has actually worked on them and could advise me on building a replica Wirraway or Boomerang?

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REMEMBER THE SERGEANT PILOTS!

I know some people, but I never did hear from you regarding that door latch. DO you have a p/n for it?

Thanks

Forgotten Field

In Australia try
Matt Denning
Ralph Cussack
Matt on this site
Greg Batts
Murray Griffiths
Sandora aviation
Moorabin air museum
Zuccoli collection

There are others - this is just off the top of my head - email me if you want details and others.

parkerj@launch.net.au

_________________
Air Vice Marshall
Sunshine State Air Farce

You forgot me Setter!!!

Forgotten Field-

Are you thinking about using a Harvard as a basis? If so, you could talk to the builder or owner of the Harvard / Boomerang as mentioned earlier in the thread.
Another way of doing it, would be to obtain an original Boomerang fuselage, and build it up from there using a large amount of modified Harvard parts.
Drawings are available for the wooden shell which covers the rear fuselage, or an aluminium version could be built as has the Zuccoli Boomerang.
Building a replica in this way isn't the purist's way of doing it, but at least it gets the shape back in the sky, along with giving lots of pleasure to the owner in flying it.
Nick

Hi Nick

I didn't forget you I had you in mind while I was typing the quick response and I really thought I put you at the top seeing as it was your thread !!!

Sorry mate

Regards
John

_________________
Air Vice Marshall
Sunshine State Air Farce

John S.

Don't forget the Zuccoli Boomerang was rebuilt to flyable shape in Chino by Dennis Sanders. I was always under the impression that Texan/Harvard parts were incorporated in that effort, but I could be very wrong.

I don't know of Mr. Sanders current whereabouts--someone here must, though.

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It was a good idea, it just didn't work.

Hi Dan

A lot of the Zuccoli machine is I believe original with a few departures to modern methods I am sure that Nick and Matt will let you know whats what with this but I am led to believe that it is mostly Boomerang now that the wings are corrected.

The other Boomerang replica still in the US is another matter and was I believe largely made out of Harvard/T6 stuff - although it looks OK it is a real bitsa.

Regards
John P

_________________
Air Vice Marshall
Sunshine State Air Farce

As for the NAA-built fighter like the Boomer---its the P-64/NA-50/NA-68. One is at EAA, two are in France (see Salis collection)

Wolverine--

There have been at least two (more, I think) replica NA-50s built up based on the related trainers; one genuine NA-68/P-64 survives, being N840 at Oshkosh (a very different machine from the replica NA-50s); and one genuine NA-50 exists as well, on a pylon in Peru, where the type was used in combat. (Not always noted re the NA-16-based single-seaters is that while the NA-50 had "Boomerang-like" wings with swept leading edge and more or less straight trailing edge, the NA-68/P-64 had wings nearer a P-40ish planform, with the leading edge almost straight and the trailing edge swept forward)...

S.

Who, me?

http://www.sandersaircraft.com/

Something kind of curious:

I wonder how Mr. Sanders got those smokewinders approved? I wonder what the process is to make those kind of things legal (STC)?

Chris

Hi Dan / John,

I'm not an expert on what has gone into the Zuccoli Boomerang, but from looking at photo's I can say that there are some Hudson or Beaufort parts, such as the nose ring and cooling gills. The rest of the engine cowling is probably from the same source, or scratch built.
The instrument panels are roughly the same shape, with modern instrumentation.
I also believe that the centre section is based on Harvard, and most likely the whole empenage would be based on Harvard.
Nick