Saturday, September 29, 2012

Mosquito Fly By - Ardmore Airshow Auckland NZ

Mosquito FB.26 KA114 debut at Airshow at Ardmore, New Zealand.

My friend Stew in New Zealand made the trip to Admore for the air show featuring the Mosquito debut to the air show scene. He took his son along and was understandably excited by the occasion. Clearly NZ was the place to be!!!

From Stew:

Back home just over an hour ago – what a trip!

Great to meet up with a few fellow Kiwi diecast collectors & there were big crowds at Ardmore (near Auckland in the North Island & about 1hr 20 in an A320 from my place).

Today’s flying programme was great & finally seeing a real DH98 Mosquito fly was an incredible experience & one I’m thrilled to have experienced first hand. In fact hearing those two big beautiful Merlins roaring overhead for the first time was pretty emotional. The world’s only airworthy Mk.1 Avro Anson was also there, the first time I’ve seen her fly too.

The Mossie was a 7 year project, the Anson was a 10 year project and was carried out by its owner down in the South Island.

Oh & Nick’s & my flight in the very rare De Havilland Dragon this afternoon was the icing on the cake for this trip, only £30 a person!!

Cheers all,

Stew.

Friday, September 28, 2012

The Mosquito Flys - KA114 first flights

Just to prove it's real, and that the folks at AvSpeces (Warbird Restorations) have pulled the proverbial rabbit out of a hat, here's some of the first footage of newly restored de Havilland Mosquito KA114 flying in Auckland, New Zealand. This footage was shot as the aircraft returned to Ardmore Aerodrome after having a couple of previous test flights in the Auckland region.

This is the first time that a Mosquito has flown, anywhere in the world in at least 15 years. Once the test flying is completed, the aircraft will join Jerry Yagen's collection at Virginia Beach in the USA.

The new VW Golf GTI shown at the Paris Motor Show.

Volkswagen’s new Golf GTI has been shown for the first time at the Paris motor show. The new GTI, based on the same MQB platform as the Audi A3, will be offered with the option of two power outputs: the standard 217bhp and an upgraded 227bhp.

http://www.evo.co.uk/news/evonews/286729/updated_vw_golf_gti_revealed_at_the_paris_motor_show.html?CMP=NLC-Newsletters&uid=5d1ff47754fa0243b1ebf38ff2d11887

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Update on DH Mosquito FB.26 KA114.

From Gavin Conroy’s (Aviation Photographer) Facebook page:

Mossie Update: For those keen on this aeroplane it flew three times today with Dave Phillips and Keith Skilling both flying the aeroplane with Warren as the second crew member.

Apart from a couple of issues the Mossie performed well and is back at Ardmore. Cowlings are being painted tonight. Was an amazing day and seeing it land this evening was awesome. Well done to Jerry, Warren, Glynn, and everyone who has built this incredible aircraft.

Still cant believe that today happened and if you can come to the show at Ardmore on Saturday as you are in for a real treat.

Mosquito Test Pilot POV.wmv

Cockpit view of Dave Phillips giving Mosquito KA114 a ground taxi test at Ardmore. Passenger is Warren Denholm from AvSpecs.

25 September 2012

de Havilland Mosquito DH.98 FB26 KA114 Engine run before first flight

At the end of September 2012 this plane will be the worlds only current flying example. Beautifully crafted airframe constructon led by Glyn Powell & fitted out by Warren Denholm and his crew at Avspecs.

Video taken at Ardmore Airfield, Auckland, New Zealand on 21/9/2012 when starboard engine was first fired up - a bit reluctant at first but after some adjustment, ran clean on second attempt. Later both Port & Starboard engine run with a decent amount of RPM.

A real treat to see this piece of history being reborn. I really did not expect to be this lucky to witness this sight and sound, so all I had at the time was a Galaxy phone. There is a bit of camera shake and some annoying wind noise in some places (no wind cut on these things), so have reduced volume and/or removed the sound on some clips - but not the engine runs !! 24 cylinder Rolls Royce Orchestra !!

Comments by Neville Williams.

DH Mosquito FB.26 KA114 takes to the air!!!

A picture paints a a thousand words...

Photo courtesy of Colin Hunter

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Pre-production photos, HA3706, F-101B Voodoo, Minnesota ANG.

Hobby Master 1/72 Air Power Series, HA3706, F-101B Voodoo, 148 FG, Minnesota ANG, Duluth, MN 1970s.

Pre-production photos, HA1057, F-104D Starfighter, Puerto Rico ANG.

Hobby Master 1/72 Air Power Series, HA1057, F-104D Starfighter 57-1320, 198th TFS, Puerto Rico ANG, 1974.

Pre-production photos, HA3705, F-101B Voodoo New York ANG.

Hobby Master 1/72 Air Power Series, HA3705, F-101B Voodoo, 136th FIS, New York ANG, Niagara Falls 1970s.

Pre-production photos, HA7507, P-26A Peashooter, 34th Pursuit Sqn.

Hobby Master 1/48 Air Power Series, HA7507, Boeing P-26A Peashooter 33-63 34th Pursuit Sqn., 17th Pursuit Group, March Field, CA.

Pre-production photos, HA8303, Spitfire HF.VIII, Grey Nurse.

Hobby Master 1/48 Air Power Series, HA8303, Spitfire HF.VIII A48-502 "Grey Nurse", flown by Wing Commander R.H.Gibbes, 457 Sqn., RAAF, 1945.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Lancaster Bomber crew found after nearly 70 years.

Nearly 70 years after the end of WWII I'm amazed that so many airmen in particular, remain MIA over Europe. It will come as some small comfort to the families of these men that their remains have at last been recovered.

Amateur historians in Germany were in large part responsible for the recovery along with an eyewitness who saw the aircraft crash in April 1943. Locals did question the motivation for the dig.

The fact remains that 70 years on, military personnel from all sides in that conflict are still missing.

The lost Lancaster Bomber crew members (L-R): Pilot FO Alex Bone, PO Bruce Watt, Sgt Cyril Yellandm, Sgt Norman Foster, Sgt Raymond White and Sgt Ronald Cope

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/world-war-two/9557610/Bodies-of-five-British-airmen-from-Second-World-War-found.html

Published release dates for the Corgi January/June 2013 catalogue.

AA34605 De Havilland Mosquito FBVI, NS850 ‘The Black Rufe’, 418 City of Edmonton Sqn RCAF, June 1944 Mar-13

AA27101 Messerschmitt Bf109G6, Erich Hartmann Kommandeur I./JG 53, Hungary, 1945 NEW TOOLING Apr-13

AA27002 Westland Puma HC1, XW214, 33 Sqn RAF, March 1973 Jan-13

AA35312 North American B-25 Mitchell 40-2261, 'Ruptured Duck’, Doolittle Raid 1942 Apr-13

AA38805 Dornier 17Z-1 ‘Horst Wessel’, Zg26, Libya, Western Desert 1941-42 May-13

AA32619 Avro Lancaster BI (Special) W4964 9 Sqn RAF 'Johnny Walker' Apr-13

AA38905 Fokker DVII, Oblt Erich Lowenhardt, Puisieux-Ferme, August 1918 Feb-13

AA39005 Westland Lynx HMA8, Black Cats Display Scheme, 702 NAS, Yeovilton, 2011 Mar-13

AA39404 Vickers Valiant B(PR) Mk.1 WZ3199, 543 Sqn, RAF Wyton, Cambridgeshire, January 1957 May-13

AA39207 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.I P9374, Duxford 2012 SPECIAL EDITION Apr-13

AA39503 Short Stirling 218 Mk.III 218 Sqn RAF,Arthur Aaron VC 1943 Feb-13

AA39802 Panavia Tornado F3, ZG757, 43 (F) Sqn, RAF Leuchars, Scotland, 2006 Jan-13

AA39604 Hawker Hart, J9941, 54 Sqn, RAF Museum, Hendon Feb-13

Monday, September 24, 2012

Corgi Catalogue 2013 January/June Cover.

F1 Cars new to the Corgi Lotus Collection.

Corgi has announced an F1 car in their latest catalogue, the 2012 Lotus F1 Team E20 of Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean in 1/43. It is a new tooling along with the Lotus Evora S / GT4. Expect more Lotus F1 cars as the range expands.

New Corgi Catalogue, Aviation Archive, January to June 2013!!!

It's new Corgi Catalogue time once again!!! The eagerly anticipated, highly secret catalogue is out!!! Just when you start thinking you cannot be surprised, you are. That said, I'm sure there are those that expected a little more.

New is the Bf109G in 1/72, there's a B-25 which is really great news, a desert Dornier Do17, although some may have been expecting a Bf110, another Lancaster, Stirling, Puma, Tornado F3 and 1/32 Mosquito close on the heels of models still to be released.

The Fokker DVII makes a welcome return, there's a naval Lynx, a Valiant, Spitfire and Hart round out the Aviation Archive.