WWI breaks out in New Zealand

[India Four Two]

A friend sent me this link with absolutely wonderful pictures of the Remembrance Day airshow at Hood Aerodrome, Masterton:

Plane Talking - HyperScale's Aircraft Scale Model Discussion Forum: Photos from The Vintage Aviator Ltd's Remembrance Day airshow (http://www.network54.com/Forum/149674/message/1385149639/Photos+from+The+Vintage+Aviator+Ltd%27s+Remembrance+Day+airs how)

How many different types are there?

More about The Vintage Aviator here:

The Vintage Aviator Fighter Collection | The Vintage Aviator (http://thevintageaviator.co.nz/vintage-aviator/vintage-aviator-fighter-collection-display)

A two-hour flight from my future home! :ok:

[Kiwithrottlejockey]

I was there.

I'm fortunate enough to live in Masterton, only about 2km from Hood Aerodrome so get to attend most of TVAL's wonderful WWI airshows, as well as the bi-annual Wings Over Wairarapa.

[Kiwithrottlejockey]

An early Christmas at The Vintage Aviator…

http://i378.photobucket.com/albums/oo227/Kiwithrottlejockey/TVAL%202016/TVAL_ChristmasTour_zpsg3hc3uda.jpg~original (https://www.facebook.com/events/740330516122438/)

(click on the picture)

[noflynomore]

Unfortunately the "link" above is not a proper link, it directs to some private site called facebook that I cannot access.

Can we have a link to a bona fide public website please?

[India Four Two]

Here are the details. Shame I'm not in Enzed.

The tour doesn't appear to be advertised on their website, but lots of other interesting things to view:

http://thevintageaviator.co.nz/

I like the Snipe timelapse and the Bentley engine build.

[Kiwithrottlejockey]

I've booked in for the tour.


Unfortunately, that workshop is full of secret stuff, so no cameras allowed.


It should be a fascinating morning though.

[India Four Two]

so no cameras allowed.


You'll just have to give us a verbal picture then!

[Kiwithrottlejockey]

http://i378.photobucket.com/albums/oo227/Kiwithrottlejockey/TVAL%202016/20161217_1618_img3828_zpsb0eazavi.jpg~original


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http://i378.photobucket.com/albums/oo227/Kiwithrottlejockey/TVAL%202016/20161217_1634_img7119_zpsswiqhdqu.jpg~original

http://i378.photobucket.com/albums/oo227/Kiwithrottlejockey/TVAL%202016/20161217_1636_img7137_zpstref9fz4.jpg~original

http://i378.photobucket.com/albums/oo227/Kiwithrottlejockey/TVAL%202016/20161217_1636_img7143_zpsdkptqjry.jpg~original

http://i378.photobucket.com/albums/oo227/Kiwithrottlejockey/TVAL%202016/20161217_1637_img7175_zps5j94n31o.jpg~original

http://i378.photobucket.com/albums/oo227/Kiwithrottlejockey/TVAL%202016/20161217_1639_img7197_zpsddzxc6c4.jpg~original


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[India Four Two]

Great photos. Lovely to see a Hucks' starter in action.

How was the factory tour or are you sworn to complete secrecy?

[Kiwithrottlejockey]

The factory tour was amazing, but the five of us who were shown through there had to sign confidentiality agreements, so I cannot tell you specifically what they are up to as far as projects go. But I can say that they are restoring genuine WWI aircraft (both for static display, and to join their flying collection) that will blow people's minds when they eventually appear in public. Plus their new-build reproductions are also absolutely mind-blowing, as is their engine shop where they are reverse-engineering engines and hand-building brand new working examples. If you are ever in NZ and get the chance to tour The Vintage Aviator's facility, most definitely go for it. I guarantee you won't be disappointed.


BTW....those photographs (and video clips) of the Huck Starter and the DH4 were taken yesterday (NZ-time), Saturday, 17th December. It's now Sunday morning in NZ and in an hour-and-a-half I'll be heading down the road to Hood Aerodrome for day two of the December flying-weekend. It's great living local only five minute's drive down the road from that amazing WWI aviation collection.

[Kiwithrottlejockey]

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[Kiwithrottlejockey]

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[Kiwithrottlejockey]

The Vintage Aviator Ltd's R.E.8 in action at Hood Aerodrome in Wairarapa this morning…


https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1111x741/20190427_1058_img2243_6dii_1111x741_d1e6b0337f0c41d9c6e2c7aa 619582cdb4616834.jpg

[India Four Two]

Kiwithrottlejockey, lovely photo of the 'Harry Tate".

It prompted me to post these two great photos by Gavin Conroy of Classic Aircraft Photography.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1300x867/56301828_10156783874399713_6262979177121579008_o_0ad33158218 b24840dc1fef1bf23d96b979afb95.jpg
The last photo flight we flew last weekend was with three rotary powered Sopwith Pup reproductions operated by The Vintage Aviator.
In this shot we are getting everyone lined up, will save the good shots for another day


https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1300x867/58724810_10156829350014713_6434935915168137216_o_1cadd44cbd1 8c5a198080658c3993820d3bd25ca.jpg
Here is a photo taken a few weeks back of three Albatros fighters operated by The Vintage Aviator Limited.
Due to the thermal activity and wind it was a challenging flight but everyone flew well and the results are good.
Andrew Vincent is leading in the D.II along with Dave Horrell, and Dan Pezaro flying the D.Va pair.
Camera plane was a Tiger Moth flown by Bevan Dewes.
I really am a fan of the Albatros so was great to get all three up together and is something that can only be done in New Zealand.

https://www.classicaircraftphotography.com/#/page/home/

[Kiwithrottlejockey]

I was there last month when Gavin Conroy went up to take photographs of the three Sopwith Pups in formation. I took these two photographs when they returned to the aerodrome…


https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1111x741/20190331_1422_img0083_6dii_1111x741_1958748bfd9b60aa640c9b53 dcec62aa03dcda4c.jpg


https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1111x741/20190331_1423_img0106_6dii_1111x741_04989554fe3c922083067c62 8fe3ceb5f1a375f6.jpg

[Kiwithrottlejockey]

Before the Pups went up, Gavin did an air-to-air photo-shoot of TVAL's airworthy Hanriot HD-1. I got some photos of that too, although the lighting was less than optimal and I was using a brand new camera body (these Hanriot photos were the very first taken with that camera), so was still experimenting with settings, but here it is above Hood Aerodrome following the photo-shoot, landing back on the aerodrome, and taxiing past…


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1111x741/20190330_1405_img0001_6dii_1111x741_37e38845d3699653ae8e55b1 87f398273a643e23.jpg

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1111x741/20190330_1405_img0002_6dii_1111x741_95ee8e75275b37cffc6eebe3 542168623b700c86.jpg

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1111x741/20190330_1408_img0006_6dii_1111x741_4262bf5f32ce787c731ae991 aa7474a9b948fe00.jpg

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1111x741/20190330_1411_img0011_6dii_1111x741_27575cb9784bfb58fe1be8d4 076af1a87b4646ae.jpg

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1111x741/20190330_1417_img0026_6dii_1111x741_4350d79e9f732b4ca41e69d9 e2b6c399e518eb5a.jpg

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1111x741/20190330_1417_img0029_6dii_1111x741_0549f5f9bde86aa551e9675b 1ea38d9db49dd520.jpg


BTW … that Hanriot is neither a replica nor a reproduction. It is the real thing restored to airworthy status again. TVAL obtained it from the RAF museum as part of a swap deal.

[treadigraph]

Fantastic! Wearied by the continual bombardment of rubbish news, it brings me a fillip of joy to see the continuous craftspersonship emerging from workshops around the world and ready to take flight. New Zealand seems particularly blessed with the necessary expertise.

Never thought I'd see that Hanriot airborne - well perhaps I won't in person - but to my mind a far better existence than a dusty relic in a dark museum. And I say that despite the sad event with the Northrop N-9M last weekend.

[Kiwithrottlejockey]

Because that Hanriot is such a priceless rare aeroplane, they only fly it when weather conditions are absolutely perfect.

Last month was the fourth time I've seen it in the air since they returned it to airworthy status.

I always feel very privileged when I see it flying.

[Planemike]

Great pictures.....!!!

What did the RAF Museum receive in exchange for the Hanriot HD-1.....???

[Kiwithrottlejockey]

From memory, a R.E.8 and an Albatros, as well as one additional aeroplane I cannot recall off the top of my head (all were new-builds and airworthy).

In return, TVAL received the Hanriot and two other airframes (both of which are being restored to airworthy status; I've been in their factory at Rontotai and seen them being worked on, but had to sign a confidentiality agreement as a condition of gaining access, so cannot disclose what they are at present), plus some engines and other parts they can use in various projects.

Here is one of the photographs Gavin Conroy took of the Hanriot HD-1 for The Vintage Aviator Ltd last month…


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1111x741/hanriot_hd1_ccd67bf1f970456099708855b49e8c7517db7c06.jpg

[Kiwithrottlejockey]

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[India Four Two]

You just beat me to it. What a marvelous video, particularly the sound.

I read that they could have flown more aircraft but there weren’t enough pilots!

[treadigraph]

You just beat me to it.
And me! Just found it on Flypast...

Bloody marvellous! :ok:

[Kiwithrottlejockey]

I took some photographs of that formation early last Sunday morning, but I wasn't entirely happy with the results, so I never posted any of them to this group.

However, the video is way better than my photos.

I'm really fortunate in that I live only five minute's drive from that magnificent collection.