Originally Posted by
bobward
The RNZAF Bristol Freighter in the colour pictures is now an exhibit in the museum at Wigram. I had the privilege of seeing it last week on their reserve collection tour, hosted by a former nav who had flown in it. A great hour and a half tour!
Also in the reserve collection are a Devon navigation trainer, a Beaver and a Catalina, plus various other gems.
If you're ever in NZ I recommend a visit.
There are two (!!) other Mk 31 Freighters on view on South Island New Zealand. One is at the Founders Museum in Nelson, with a second at the Omaka Aviation heritage museum. Both are former Pakistani Air Force machines that were used in NZ for civil freighting work. If you like WW 1 aircraft a visit to Omaka will blow your socks off.....
The Bristol Freighter at Omaka has two live engines and can be taxiied around the aerodrome. The starboard engine “sucked the kumura” about three years ago (it was still running, but ever larger pieces of metal were being discovered in the oil filter), so it was removed from the wing and replaced with an engine owned by Al Marshall, who had it mounted on a trailer on which he used to run it from time to time. I think the plan is to sort out the starboard engine (it may need a backyard overhaul), then replace it back onto the wing so Al can claim his Hercules back.
And if the WWI collection at Omaka impressed you, next time you are in NZ you need to take a look at what The Vintage Aviator have got in their hangers at Hood Aerodrome in Wairarapa. Virtually everything at Hood can take to the air and fly, including the genuine WWI machines, the amazing reproductions, and a few replicas.
BTW, I can remember the days when SAFE Air were operating an aerial trucking operation backwards and fowards across Cook Strait with their fleet of Bristol Freighters. My Mum's cousin owned an aviation radio business at Wellington Airport (he installed the nav beacons and radio installations at the airport when it opened in the late-1950s, as well as the original radar installation up on Hawkins Hill) and I used to occasionally stay at his place during school holidays in the early- and mid-1960s. His house was up on the hill in Strathmore Park overlooking Wellington Airport. You could always see at least three Bristol Freighters at any time, sometimes as many as four of them - one on approach, one climbing out, one taxiing and one unloading and loading at the traverser.