Current aircraft being restored to flight

Discussions regarding historic aircraft, restoration and preservation etc
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GeorgeP
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Re: Current aircraft being restored to flight

Post by GeorgeP »

… and this one in Queensland, Australia.

http://warbirdsnews.com/warbird-restora ... ralia.html
Cheers,

George

Melbourne, Australia.

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Mike
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Re: Current aircraft being restored to flight

Post by Mike »

Test flown by Richard Grace a couple of days ago. Apparently this one needed quite a bit of work as it had been bastardised during previous rebuilds in the US by replacing a lot of the hardware with American AN stuff, which needed changing out during the latest rebuild. :roll:
Last edited by Mike on Fri 17 Jan 2020, 9:48 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Blackbird
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Re: Current aircraft being restored to flight

Post by Blackbird »

To my untrained eye, the Indian one has quite some way to go before it's able to take to the air. FWIW when I saw it in October there was no evidence of work being carried out.

Andy

DOUGHNUT
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Re: Current aircraft being restored to flight

Post by DOUGHNUT »

Can you explain what was test flown by Richard Grace and from where ?

Mike
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Re: Current aircraft being restored to flight

Post by Mike »

DOUGHNUT wrote:Can you explain what was test flown by Richard Grace and from where ?

The ex-Lone Star Spitfire XVI in Australia referred to in the post above mine

DOUGHNUT
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Re: Current aircraft being restored to flight

Post by DOUGHNUT »

OK Mike, thanks thought something had flown from Sywell.

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K5054NZ
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Re: Current aircraft being restored to flight

Post by K5054NZ »

DOUGHNUT wrote:Can you explain what was test flown by Richard Grace and from where ?

Spitfire XVI TE392/VH-XWF at Archerfield Airport, Brisbane, Australia.
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Mark V
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Re: Current aircraft being restored to flight

Post by Mark V »

It was hardly 'a short period of refurbishment' as described in the magazine link. It was a very in-depth structural re-build to return TE392 to stock condition
and much credit should be given to Performance Aero at Archerfield for their excellent work over the past few years.

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AMB
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Re: Current aircraft being restored to flight

Post by AMB »

I don't think the AAHF Skeeter at Middle Wallop will fly again. Since the fleet was put on the civil register, I think the CAA grounded all Skeeters on safely grounds?
Adrian

Mike
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Re: Current aircraft being restored to flight

Post by Mike »

They are currently looking at re-lifing or remanufacturing Skeeter blades. Guy Black (never one to shy away from an engineering challenge) is involved I believe.

baz1962
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Re: Current aircraft being restored to flight

Post by baz1962 »

In 1971 the RNZAF sold to our two major airlines ,NAC (National Airways Corporation) and Air New Zealand (the two merged in 78) a Harvard each. NZ1041(NAC) and NZ1044(ANZ). Both of these airframes survive with NZ1041 now owned by John Saunders based at Omaka. 44 was sold too but just recently has been sold to Bevan Dewes a well known local pilot who flies his own Chipmunk (one the Prince of Wales trained on)but also holds ratings on the Harvard and most if not all the TVAL WW1 fleet. He has also flown a P40 in Australia so is well on the way to flying the heavy metal!
Here's a link to the Wings over New Zealand thread about his purchase: https://rnzaf.proboards.com/thread/17601/harvard-pile?page=2
Both Harvards are currently in need of restoration but as they both were training aids they have been looked after.

Typhoon Legacy
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Re: Current aircraft being restored to flight

Post by Typhoon Legacy »

It would be silly for me to not add Hawker Typhoon JP843 here in British Columbia!

https://www.youtube.com/c/TyphoonLegacyCoLtd/videos

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cgwilson
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Re: Current aircraft being restored to flight

Post by cgwilson »


Wbirdnut
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Re: Current aircraft being restored to flight

Post by Wbirdnut »

Looking forward to seeing this one down the track.

https://www.warbirdsonline.com.au/2021/ ... australia/

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K5054NZ
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Re: Current aircraft being restored to flight

Post by K5054NZ »

Bruce Winter's Messerschmitt Bf.109G-6 WkNr.410077, recovered from a Russian lake in 1990, has had engine runs and taxi trials in the last few weeks. The work has been done by Midwest Aero Restorations


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K5054NZ
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Re: Current aircraft being restored to flight

Post by K5054NZ »

K5054NZ wrote:
Sat 11 Jan 2020, 9:13 am
Looking at Spitfires Vintage Fighter Restorations at Scone, NSW, currently has the following underway:
- LF.IXb MH415
- F.Mk.IX MH603
- F.Vc MA353/A58-232
- F.Vc BS164/A58-63
- Seafire F Mk.XV SW800
Details of the latter three can be found here.
According to John Terrell in this WIX post MH603 has flown for the first time after restoration today.
Zac in NZ
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K5054NZ
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Re: Current aircraft being restored to flight

Post by K5054NZ »

Zac in NZ
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ozplane
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Re: Current aircraft being restored to flight

Post by ozplane »

Any updates on the two ex-Swedish Fireflies that were at Duxford for some years? I believe one went to Scandanavia in part exchange for another airframe, a Spitfire perhaps? The other one may have gone to ARCO in which case is it progressing?

DeanW
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Re: Current aircraft being restored to flight

Post by DeanW »

Before Xmas I was reading a Facebook post about another (as in not HB-RDF) Swiss Mirage twin stick being returned to flight. The jet is somewhere in France and typically I can no longer locate the Facebook post to dig out the details.

Mike
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Re: Current aircraft being restored to flight

Post by Mike »

Yes, a friend of mine was working on it and he showed me some photos of it on his phone the last time I saw him. Tragically he didn’t survive the first wave of Covid.

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K5054NZ
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Re: Current aircraft being restored to flight

Post by K5054NZ »

ozplane wrote:
Fri 07 Jan 2022, 4:17 pm
Any updates on the two ex-Swedish Fireflies that were at Duxford for some years? I believe one went to Scandanavia in part exchange for another airframe, a Spitfire perhaps? The other one may have gone to ARCO in which case is it progressing?
In 2011 DT989/SE-BRG was registered to Propshop Ltd as G-CGYD, and I know I've seen photos of her lurking about Duxford. I don't know what priority she has for John and the team though?
Mike wrote:
Sat 08 Jan 2022, 12:36 pm
Yes, a friend of mine was working on it and he showed me some photos of it on his phone the last time I saw him. Tragically he didn’t survive the first wave of Covid.
I'm so sorry to hear that Mike, my condolences.
Zac in NZ
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ozplane
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Re: Current aircraft being restored to flight

Post by ozplane »

Thanks Zac, I'll have to have a word with my Duxford contacts about the Firefly.

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K5054NZ
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Re: Current aircraft being restored to flight

Post by K5054NZ »

ozplane wrote:
Mon 10 Jan 2022, 11:01 am
Thanks Zac, I'll have to have a word with my Duxford contacts about the Firefly.
I'm eager to hear any news :slight_smile:
Zac in NZ
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Mike
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Re: Current aircraft being restored to flight

Post by Mike »

One of the Firefly wings was visible in one of the side buildings (the old 'Blenheim Palace') when I was visiting Duxford over the Christmas break.

Brian Lloyd
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Re: Current aircraft being restored to flight

Post by Brian Lloyd »

Last time that ARCO had an open day (2019), Smudge Smith was just building the bomb stub-wings for the Lysander, and was starting work on the Firefly next, but it was an in-house project so paying work would always take precedence.