New Zealand-John Smith Aircraft collection on the move.

[ErrolC]

You've heard of time zones?

As great as the photos are, they are slightly painful as most of the Kiwis here were planning to be at Omaka today to see her (and the Mossie) themselves.

Last edited by ErrolC on Thu Apr 01, 2021 1:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[junkman9096]

What day is this again?

I just wonder why that posting was made on the 31st?

Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2021 10:31 pm

Just "spitballing" here but wasn't it April 1 in the land of Hobbits and Kiwis?

[DaveM2]

Yeah, should have left it a day so you guys could catch up Over excited following the 'sortie'

A day after the success of Flashart, we had another roll out....it's all go here at little ole Omaka



[url=https://flic.kr/p/2kQxojA]

[bdk]

The United States is the center of the universe, Chino specifically. Please adjust your time zones accordingly. Thank you!

At least Dave got the joke. He gets 20 hour head start on me for everything.

What day is this again?

I just wonder why that posting was made on the 31st?

Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2021 10:31 pm

Just "spitballing" here but wasn't it April 1 in the land of Hobbits and Kiwis?

[StangStung]

There is a reference to a Blackburn Baffin being within this collection, and moving. Anyone here know anything about the Baffins referenced on Wikipedia below?

The wreck of RNZAF Baffin NZ160, which crashed in 1937, is being rebuilt by Don Subritzky at Dairy Flat.[5]

A second fuselage section was stored in Mapua, South Island, New Zealand as part of the late John Smith collection[6] and has since joined the Subritzky collection.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackburn_Baffin#cite_ref-6

[Zac Yates]

There is a reference to a Blackburn Baffin being within this collection, and moving. Anyone here know anything about the Baffins referenced on Wikipedia below?

Here are some photos of NZ160 I took at the Subritzky family facility in April 2016:
b0df0330-c76e-4224-ba43-abbddd58a7e6_zpsktbzq5tu_34875674763_o by Zac Yates, on Flickr
265ac463-d13e-47ca-8267-2f36f33b6c70_zpsives1xh3_35554518661_o by Zac Yates, on Flickr
ec85309a-ac3e-40f4-9c9d-1b32bff0d821_zpspkjcvtvr_34875681403_o by Zac Yates, on Flickr
70d2a848-8233-4bb3-bcba-f41a92d0ca22_zpsweatk2sk_34843806344_o by Zac Yates, on Flickr

I didn't realise what I was looking at until someone told me as I wasn't very familiar with the type. I never visited John Smith and I'm unsure what his Baffin consisted of, I think I saw photos taken last year of a part fuselage but I can't locate them right now.

A thread on the NZ160 project, including a photo from 2019, can be read here.

[Zac Yates]

The Mosquito had an engine run today, its first with two engines since 1952:
https://youtu.be/cgBV9SOO4Qw

[DH82EH]

Oh that's pretty sweet.
Even though she won't be flown, it is great to know that the old girl will still be able to make noise from time to time.
She's still alive!

[Chris Brame]

Also good to know that the old girl is still structurally sound enough to handle the runups after all these years. Kudos to the late Mr. Smith for keeping her so well protected!

[bdk]

Even though she won't be flown, it is great to know that the old girl will still be able to make noise from time to time.

Still owned by the family, right? Could get sold in the future and be made airworthy.

[Warbird Kid]

With this Mosquito now making music, I believe we now have four airworthy Mossies, and two ground runners.

[marine air]

I guess I will go on the record as saying " I hope Mr. Weeks will run the engines on his Mossie at Oshkosh 2022! " I think it's still listed as "FLYABLE" .

[Zac Yates]

Still owned by the family, right? Could get sold in the future and be made airworthy.

Still owned by the family. A return to flight is unlikely given the thing was very expertly cut into five large pieces for transport to the owner's home and, despite him splicing it back together so well it's apparently very hard to see the joins, would probably need new wood anyway. Could? Yes, in that any Mossie could fly again. Should? I'd say no. WIXer DaveM2 is involved in the project and could speak to this aspect if he sees this post.

Here's a new, longer video of the run:
https://youtu.be/L6engpjSfzE

[Brenden S]

A, huge congrats to the team for getting the aircraft to static ground running condition. A huge achievement.

[JohnH]

Kermit’s Mosquito last flew in 1991. It’s not flyable. Those lists that state an aircraft that has been parked for decades as “flyable” or “ airworthy” are a joke. Sure , just pull it out of the hangar , put fuel and oil in it and take off!