Diemert Val

[mexchiwa]

Just wondering if anyone has any pics of the Diemer Val when he had it. Did it ever fly? And if it did, does anyone have any pictures of it in the air?

[HarvardIV]

I don't have the picture anymore, but saw one in b/w of the Val flying over Canadian farmland. I think it was flown with an R-2600.

Chris

[Jack Cook]

I saw his Zero yuk!!! The freaking thing had large drop tanks (F-86?) and I believe a R-2600 for power. Must have been pure joy to fly!
Anyone have a tape of "The Defender" I can get a copy of?????

[HarvardIV]

My guess is, he probably didn't have enough parts to build another Zero, and made it as a joke..I think he rebuilt 2 of them 1 for static, and one in the Naval Museum. What happened to the thing?

[Jack Cook]

Don't think it was a joke. The first Zero went to a buyer in Japan. The second he flew to the Marine Corps museum in Quantico. As I remember the Val flight to the Canadian museum was without a airworthiness certificate. I understand the pressure was on due to justify the free C-130 flights from Ballee to Canada. The CAF Zero is a story unto itself.

[stumac]

I have a copy of "Defender". Give me a couple of days to find it and I will gladly send it to you. That tape was the source of many good laughs and stories when I was still out in Chino. If you have ever seen the actual work that was done on that Val you would be horrified. (Electrical conduit for aileron pushrods, Masking tape 1/2" thick for rib/skin shims etc.) Really cool stuff.
Anyway the "Defender" tape is legendary and just the very mention of it makes me laugh.
When i find it I will post a message on the board to you (Jack Cook) for where to send it.

[HarvardIV]

Where is the legendary bird now?

[stumac]

Planes of fame

[HELLDIVERS]

HI: YA THIS GUY DID SOME FINE WORK! HE CREATED WAY MORE WORK FOR ANYONE THAT WOULD TRY TO MAKE IT AIRWORTHY.IT WAS ASSEMBLED USING POP RIVETS,AUTO WIRING,T-6 TAIL,R-2600,LOTS OF BONDO,ECT.HE DID THE SAME THING TO A HAWKER HURRICANE,2OR 3 ZEROS,A 5 SEAT MUSTANG COMPLETE WITH A T-33 CANOPY!ONE OF THE ZEROS WAS ALSO POWERED BY A R-2600(BOTH REMOVED FROM A B-25 THAT HE HACKED UP)IT WAS SO OUT OF C.G. THAT HE WAS LUCKY TO MAKE IT BACK TO THE AIRPORT WERE IT CRASHED TEARING OF THE LANDING GEAR AND CAUSING LOTS OF DAMAGE TO THE A/C.HE ALSO HAD A FAIRY FIREFLY.I WOULD LOVE TO GET A COPY OF THE DEFENDER TAPE IF POSSIBLE ,IVE HEARED ALOT ABOUT IT AND WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT I HEAR ITS A REAL CLASSIC!!LETS HOPE SOMEDAY THE DAMAGE DONE TO THE VAL BY THE FAILED RESTORATION ATTEMPT CAN BE REVERSED AND IT CAN RETURN TO THE AIR.THANKS MIKE

[norman malayney]

Gentlemen,

Regarding the Hurricane aircraft, it was the exception, being an excellent rebuild. The late Ormond Haydon-Baillie, when stationed at RCAF station Gimli, Manitoba, often visited the Hurricane rebuild and assisted with this work.

It was the only Hurricane used in the film, Battle of Britain, that performed the aerial aerobatic scenes. The RAF placed limits on their Hurricanes, therfore, the Diemert Hurricane filled this role.

When Dick Richardson of the Strathallan Collelction, Scotland, visited Manitoba for Fairey Battle parts, I asked him about the rebuild performed by the workers at his organization. He replied that except for one piece of questionable tubing that was replaced, the Hurricane was in excellent condition. They replaced the engine, a Merlin 224 from an Avro York, with a more orignal model Merlin engine, and added a wooden prop in place of the metal prop. Except for these minor items, Dick said the aircraft was in excellent condition.

By the way, I managed to help Dick obtain the cockpit canopy for a Fairey Battle to help with their rebuild, and also some hydraluic hand-pumps for this aircraft.

The P&W engines Diemert bought in Calgary, Alberta. The RCAF sold their B-25s surplus and a company was scrapping numerous B-25s at Vulcan. Diemert bought four of the engines and hauled them back to Manitoba.

The Fairey Firefly, arrived in Canada from Australia with no engine. Diemert installed a Merlin 224 obtained from a scrapped Avro York and flew the aircraft on numerous occasions. He traded it to a fellow in Massachusets for a Sikorsky S-51 helicopter. He later sold this via Trade-A-Plane, and an American arrived to retrieve it. He fired up the engine and took off, flying low over the ground across the US border to an unknown destination.

Diemert sold the remains of one Zero to a local Carman company. They used the parts as templates and began manufacturing brand new Zero aircraft. One airframe went to North Dakota for engine and instrument installation, and is currently flying, I believe?

Yours very truly,
Norman Malayney

[JohnH]

Reading this thread and thinking about some of the funerals I've been to of very skilled pilots....and others I cried many tears over, but this guy lived....Life aint fair is it?

John

[Ollie]

You have to remember that without good ole Bob, there wouldn't be as much Zeros in the skies now.

[Tim Savage]

Gentlemen,

Diemert sold the remains of one Zero to a local Carman company. They used the parts as templates and began manufacturing brand new Zero aircraft. One airframe went to North Dakota for engine and instrument installation, and is currently flying, I believe?

Yours very truly,
Norman Malayney

See Issue 2 of Warbird Digest for the full story of this Zero...which is now flying.

[Jack Cook]

Jeff Ethell did a flight report and history of the CAF's Zero that appeared in Warbirds Worldwide (not sure which one but a early edition). His graphic detailed description of the poor rebuild lead to his being sued by Deimert. I don't know if this was resolved before his death.

Last edited by Jack Cook on Wed Nov 24, 2004 11:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Al Moore]

The Defender on video can still be purchased from the National Film Board of Canada.


http://cmm.onf.ca/E/titleinfo/index.epl?id=17667