P-40 and Mosquito on display

[nuuumannn]

Hi Guys, headed over to look at the latest displays of the Aviation Heritage Centre. This is where Aaron (GumbyK) sometimes goes and tinkers about, and although I'd seen these aeroplanes before they were assembled, this was the first time I got to see them in their new display habitat. A Yak and Nanchang outside.

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P-40 time capsule. This aircraft was hidden away in the private collection of an eccentric fella who lives not far from where I live, but following his passing, his family kindly allowed the P-40 to go on display here. It's been left in as original condition as possible, with a few additions to make it a bit more complete. It looks stunning.

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The aircraft is named after Gloria Lyons, a 19 year old in hospital suffering from tuberculosis who answered an ad in a newspaper placed by lonely airmen looking for a pen pal. She was subsequently 'adopted' as an unofficial mascot by an RNZAF unit and as a result, three P-40s and a Corsair were named after her. This was the last "Gloria Lyons" and so is a significant survivor from the war.

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Spitfire XIV devoid of a prop.

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Big Griffon 65.

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FW 190. The lighting in this building is tricky.

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The Mosquito, an FB.VI variant formerly of the RNZAF as NZ2336 but built as TE910 and sat decrepit in the same guy's shed next to the P-40 for over 60 years. The airframe is complete and restoration work was not an entire stripdown and rebuild, but parts of the fabric outer covering was replaced. It looks terrific.

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The props have just returned from the prop shop after servicing, with the hub domes requiring fitting. They are fully functional.

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The engines are runnable and the plan is to get it to taxiing condition.

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Four .303s and four 20mm typical armament of the FB.VI variant.

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The aircraft wears the squadron codes of a 487 (New Zealand) Sqn, RAF example, HX966 which crashed in the Netherlands in late 1943 following a strafing operation out of RAF Sculthorpe.

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That reproduction Stuka.

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Hitler's buzzsaw...

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This Hudson is also a former RNZAF example that was a part of the old fella's collection, now set in this crash diorama.

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Note the Boulton Paul Type C turret and the lower gun position.

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Finally, this Yak-3 was basking in the sun outside.

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Thanks for looking.

 

[rochie]

great stuff Grant, do like that P-40 too !

 

[Jeff Hunt]

Great way to enhance the second cup of coffee this morning. Thanks Grant... really fine stuff, nicely captured too!

Cheers

Jeff

 

[Wurger]

 

[Crimea_River]

Thanks for the post. I sure hope they leave the P-40 as is and not try to repaint it.

 

[special ed]

Great shots of the Hudson. Although I've read of a belly gun position, I had not seen one until now.

 

[Gnomey]

Excellent shots Grant!

 

[nuuumannn]

I sure hope they leave the P-40 as is and not try to repaint it.

They're gonna leave it as is. It was decided early on that reassembly of the P-40 would be sympathetic to its original state. The family of the guy who rescued it was on board with this decision too, from what I can gather.

I went and had a look at it while it was undergoing assembly.

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The Allison is zero-timed and wasn't fitted to the aircraft before the work done on it, the old fella had it sitting in a proper Allison engine box in his shed, which he intended on fitting to the aircraft, but never got round to it.

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Its original RNZAF markings.

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Although I've read of a belly gun position, I had not seen one until now.

Here's a better view.

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A couple of (not very good) images of the RNZAF Museum's Hudson's ventral position. Note that it's off-set to the right.

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[Wurger]

 

[special ed]

Thanks for the gun shots. The offset position would have been missed also.

 

[Micdrow]

Awesome shots Grant, thanks for sharing

 

[Gnomey]

Lovely shots Grant!