Brendon Deere is the nephew of New Zealand fighter ace Wg Cdr Alan Deere and has amassed a small collection of aircraft, which he shares with the Royal New Zealand Air Force for display purposes. His hangar is located at RNZAF Base Ohakea and following the recent completion of his P-51 Mustang restoration, I popped by to chat to him and take a look at the aircraft. Some data from a local website:
Shipped from the US on the "Dominion Park".
Received at the Aircraft Assembly Depot Hobsonville on 27 August 1945.
Placed in rubberised storage at Hobsonville in early 1946.
Transferred to Ardmore by barge and road in February 1947.
Remained cocooned until early 1952.
Flown to storage at No.1 Repair Depot, Rukuhia in August 1952.
With No.2 (Wellington) TAF Squadron 12 July 1954-25 October 1955.
To No.42 Squadron, Ohakea in October 1955 for fighter affiliation, drogue towing, communications and continuation flying.
Withdrawn from service in early 1957.
This aircraft made the last RNZAF Mustang flight from Ohakea to Woodbourne on 30 May 1957 prior to being stored at Woodbourne from 30 July 1957.
Sold by GSB Tender Number 5926 to W. Ruffell, Blenheim in May 1958.
To J. Smith, Mapua 1964.
To Brendon Deere, Ohakea, 2020
The Mustang is one of the most original surviving flying P-51s as almost all of it has been reused. The wing was rebuilt with new spars but the rest was refurbished as it was substantially complete when Deere and his team received it.
More to come.
Shipped from the US on the "Dominion Park".
Received at the Aircraft Assembly Depot Hobsonville on 27 August 1945.
Placed in rubberised storage at Hobsonville in early 1946.
Transferred to Ardmore by barge and road in February 1947.
Remained cocooned until early 1952.
Flown to storage at No.1 Repair Depot, Rukuhia in August 1952.
With No.2 (Wellington) TAF Squadron 12 July 1954-25 October 1955.
To No.42 Squadron, Ohakea in October 1955 for fighter affiliation, drogue towing, communications and continuation flying.
Withdrawn from service in early 1957.
This aircraft made the last RNZAF Mustang flight from Ohakea to Woodbourne on 30 May 1957 prior to being stored at Woodbourne from 30 July 1957.
Sold by GSB Tender Number 5926 to W. Ruffell, Blenheim in May 1958.
To J. Smith, Mapua 1964.
To Brendon Deere, Ohakea, 2020
The Mustang is one of the most original surviving flying P-51s as almost all of it has been reused. The wing was rebuilt with new spars but the rest was refurbished as it was substantially complete when Deere and his team received it.
More to come.
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