< Previouslike running the engine on this aircraft at various power settings. If you have ever seen the cover taken off a Bristol Centaurus it looks like the inner workings of a clock with lots of cogs and gears running at high speeds, so is quite complex. Richard thinks that rapidly changing power settings to stay in formation with a slow aircraft puts that system under more stress than it needs - as in its day it was consistently flown on a high power setting and left alone. He planned to try and formate at 160 knots using his minimum power setting (1800 rpm and 0 boost) and to see how things went. If it didn’t work, he would fly past a few times which we didn’t really want, but would have to wait and see. So, throughout the day we ran through the list of aeroplanes; the Fury was last and fortunately the speed worked for Richard as he flew around with us for 15 minutes. It was a very busy day and a very fortunate place to be. Many of these aircraft had been on my hit list for a while so it was especially good to nail them all in one day. Following a few days off flying, I managed to get 20 minutes up alongside Supermarine Spitfire Mk I N3200 which was as good as it gets. I just adore the first mark of the legend and it was so beautiful to see flying nice and close. As mentioned earlier I also flew with Keith Skilling in Hurricane P3717. It really was so good to fly with so many warbirds - but it didn’t end there; I will write about a very special day with the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight in the next KiwiFlyer issue! Gavin Conroy KiwiFlyer Magazine Issue 59 30 UK Warbirds Hispano Buchon ‘Yellow 7’ poses aggressively; in the scheme it wore for the 1960s movie The Battle of Britain. F K Email: info@compositesinternational.co.nz Gavin Conroy image31 2018 #4 Another unusual shot of ‘Yellow 7’, only possible from a fast high-wing aircraft. Supermarine Spitfire Mk.1 that operates from Duxford and is flown by Mo Overall who was one of the senior engineers who helped restore this very aircraft. Hawker Fury wearing their prototype paint scheme, flown here by Richard Grace. Tony Unwin gyfly@aol.com +64 (0)21 038 0760 Gyrate International Ltd. Operating Worldwide Dance the Skies Personal Gyro Selection and Instruction Any type Anywhere Gyro Sales - Niki Rotors Kallithea Propeller Sales - E-Props Helices For Magni Gyro Sales & Support call Leo Levine 021 0284 2049 FLY l with Style & Passion l for fun on Windy Days l the Original l Magni Gyro Produzione e Design Italiano Visit us at Parakai or online www.magnigyro.co.nz Magni Gyro Italy now celebrating 1000 gyros produced ! Gavin Conroy imageSome very popular fly-ins get held each year at Taumarunui. Whether coinciding with one of them or not, there are numerous interesting things to do in the town, particularly a little off the beaten track. Ruth Allanson has plenty of tips for touring aviators: Fly yourself to Taumarunui Taumarunui is located on the confluence of the Whanganui and Ongarue Rivers in the heart of the King Country. It was one of the last places that Europeans settled because they were prohibited to live there until a ban was lifted in 1884. Approaching Taumarunui KiwiFlyer Magazine Issue 59 32 It was popular to the Maori people because of its placement on the upper Whanganui river, providing canoe access with the isolated interior and the southern Whanganui settlements. The area was known for its large Totara trees and many canoes were built here. The river was the principle route in and out of Taumarunui and Maori canoe was the main traffic until Alexander Hatricks’s steam boats started operating in the late 1880s. The Entreprener had at one point 40 paddle boats fed by coal and he took tourists on the river as well as supplies, including livestock, stopping at multiple landings along the way. The river had over The Bridge to Nowhere Places to Go contributed by Ruth Allanson Forgotton World rail (golf) cart touring Jerry Chisum image33 2018 #4 F K 200 rapids through which to navigate at great difficulty for the paddle steamers, expecially when the river is low. The company were constantly working on the tough areas of the river to keep it passable and Taumarunui was the last stop on the scheduled service which continued until the late 1920s when it ceased due to the deterioration of the river. The tourist posters at the time boasted of the luxury of Pipiriki house which slept 100 guests who would promenade up and down the 130 foot long upstairs veranda. Mr Hatrick also purpose made and placed a house boat for guests on the second stopover of the scheduled trip. This literally brought civilisation to what was a very remote part of the world at the time. Taumarunui gained further importance with the completion of the North Island main trunk rail line in the year 1908. (Some may remember the ballad by Peter Cape ‘Taumarunui on the main trunk line’ from 1960.) South of the town, the terrain for this proved troublesome, resulting in the now famous Raurimu spiral being built. The rugged steep climb up to the volcanic plateau and the thick native forest prevented normal rail construction - vital at the time to open up the central North Island to important trading and employment opportunities. The spiral was designed by a civil engineer, Robert Holmes and was designed to avoid a long detour. The spiral took 10 years to complete, climbs 456 feet and consists of three horseshoe curves, a circle and two tunnels, rising in a gradient of 1 in 52. Legend tells of a train driver braking in a panic at night when he mistook the light on his last carriage on the spiral as a train directly in front. The earliest flight in to TM was recorded in 1934, the plane landing at the now dis-used racesourse, south of the township. The current airfield was built just over 50 years ago to extend commercial ventures, however the main planes that used the facility back then were DC-3s spreading super phosphate on to the surrounding farmland. Flying to Taumarunui takes some concentration because the King Country is a difficult place to navigate due to the surface below looking similar for miles - and it is unappealing for a land out. Mount Hikurangi sits above NZTM and is an excellent landmark to guide people from out of the area to the field. The flat top hill is 2500 feet and provides an interesting walk up of 4 hours to stunning views of volcanoes which are not far away to the east. NZTM is a gently sloping wide long grass field of 1250m. It gently slopes uphill to the north and has plenty of parking in front of the club which is open for toilets and a cuppa. The landing fee of $10 is paid at the field and the closest avgas is at Te Kuiti. Be aware that itinerate traffic often uses NZTM as a x/c stop and also top dressing Crescos can be operating from the field and flying low level to spread fertiliser to surrounding farms. Keep an eye out and listen on the local frequency of 119.10. There is no taxi to get into town but your accommodation can sort you out there and Gillard Motors (07 895 8169) do have a rental car. Taumarunui Holiday Park is a small but personable accommodation, owned and run by Phil and Helene. Helene grew up in the area and brought Phil back from the UK and they have extensive knowledge on how to get the best out of your stay. They have the Kiwi cottage from $90 that sleeps seven and other cabins plus camping. They are also pet friendly if you have a pooch in the back of the plane that would rather not sleep under the wing for the night. NZTM hosts a national fly away of the Tiger Club where all sorts of planes turn up the week before Labour weekend each year. In 2019 the rally will be celebrating its 50th year and a huge vairety of aircraft from Tiger Moths to Bird Dogs, Beavers and Piper Cubs will arrive to enjoy the now famous local hospitality. If you are thinking of popping in for this weekend, do organise your accommodation in advance, as there are also car rallies that enjoy Taumarunui during the same weekend. Another place to stay is the Forgotton World Motel which is also the base for Forgotton World Adventures. The motel has lovely rooms at good rates starting at a studio for $100. The adventure side of the business provides a variety of options, none which need a car, to explore the river itself and The Forgotton Highway, (SH43 is one of NZ’s remotest roads connecting TM with Stratford). Take a covered rail cart to explore this area, which goes through bush and tunnels or explore the mightly Whanganui River by jetboat. The jetboat is the only access (unless you walk for days) to the Bridge to Nowhere, a bridge left for nature to overtake when a farming settlement had to be abandoned due to the effects of weather on access and terrain in the early 1900s. The bridge is now an icon and popular tourist attraction for those that can reach it. The jetboat also allows easy access to Lauren’s Lavender farm, a beautiful place to explore, wander through lavender or sit in the quiet café enjoying the scenery and listening to bees. www. forgottenworldadventures.co.nz The local place to have lunch is the Copper Tree café. Great atmosphere and good hearty home cooked food. The Blue Cheese and Steak Pie makes it worth stopping there. For a tasty night time meal, try Jasmine’s Café and Thai restaurant. Consistently yummy and well sized portions. What I am learning from the years I have being visiting and writing about places to go is that with each place I go to I wish I had spent more time there - so I end up returning. Wherever you go in our beautiful New Zealand, make sure you allow enough time to explore and relax. Ruth Allanson Jerry Chisum image Contact us for all your freight requirements Email: operations@redfortgroup.com Phone: 09 445 9883 Website: www.redfortgroup.comWhen I planned this year’s trip to England it just happened that there was a July 1st air show at Old Warden on my first day there. Fortunately a friend picked me up from Duxford and we headed over for the day’s events. It was nice to not have KiwiFlyer Magazine Issue 59 34 to drive after such a long trip. On past trips there had been clashes with organised photo flights, so this was to be my first trip to the Shuttleworth Collection at Old Warden. What a fantastic place it is. So many rare aircraft in one place and most of them fly. Even though the show had a WWI theme a lot of other aircraft flew. The opening display was by Pete Kynsey in a P-47D Thunderbolt that only arrived in country a month earlier - and what a graceful display it was. His lines were A lovely SE.5a takes off for its display. The close proximity to the action makes these air shows a must-do if you are in England during the show season. contributed by Gavin Conroy Part two of Gavin Conroy’s overseas contibutions for this issue of KiwiFlyer is a visit to the Shuttleworth Collection and a Military Pageant focused on the WWI centenary. Gavin writes: smooth and you could see the respect Pete was giving this big, heavy, powerful aeroplane. It was the highlight my day. Keith Skilling was there flying Hurricane P3717 to his usual high standard and an English based BE.2 purchased from The Vintage Aviator a few years back flew as well. Lots of WWI era original and replica aircraft flew. It was nice to see types like the Sopwith Dove, Bristol M1C, Avro 504, and Bristol Scout. The Collection own and fly an original SE.5a that saw battle in WWI and shot down a Fokker D.VII, so it’s a real rarity. WWII era types on display were the Collection’s recently restored Mk V Spitfire, Hawker Hurricane, Westland Lysander, Avro Anson, and some magnificent passes by the BBMF Lancaster. I’ve never seen better passes by that machine; low, close, and loud! The airfield has a very relaxed feel and due to the number of aircraft in the hangars you would not be disappointed if you went for a visit when an air show was not on. There’s much to see there, as well as a good gift shop and excellent full English! Do look up www.shuttleworth.org Gavin Conroy F K The Shuttleworth Collection and a Military Pageant Gavin Conroy image35 2018 #4 Avro 504 fitted with a rotary engine.Bristol M1C.Sopwith Triplane. Sopwith Camel.Bristol Scout.Fokker Dr.1 Triplane. Bristol F.2b Fighter. Sopwith Dove.Avro Lancaster with some of the best Lancaster passes I have seen. It looked and sounded amazing. Kiwi Flyers Overseas Delivering Avionics expertise to the greater Waikato and beyond New installations, biennial inspections, faults and maintenance Fixed wing and Rotary aircraft Avionics and Aircraft LAME Authorised inspector Call us to discuss your Avionics requirements Contact: Adam (Sammy) Seumanutafa E: contact@primaryavionics.co.nz P: 022 636 6573 Steele Road, Hamilton Airport Smokefree Avionics Experts Gavin Conroy imageKiwiFlyer Magazine Issue 59 36 Supermarine Mk.V Spitfire AR501. Hawker Hurricane flown by Keith Skilling. Avro Anson.Fauval AV36 glider put on amazing aerobatic display!!Westland Lysander. Shuttleworth Republic P-47D Thunderbolt.37 2018 #4 Following a very busy three weeks of photo flights in England it was fitting to end the trip back at Duxford where I started the trip for Flying Legends 2018. I say it to everyone, but it really is one show all aviation fans need to try to get to at least once in their lifetime. There are a lot of warbirds at Duxford but the big formations like the Balbo are only flown at Legends and that alone is worth watching. There were so many highlights this year; the show began with an eleven ship Spitfire formation and that was just the opening act! Other memorable formations were the Bristol Blenheim leading two Mk I Spitfires and four Hurricanes. The Red Bull team were there with their DC-6, P-38 Lightning, Corsair, and B-25 Mitchell. The USAF Heritage Flight display was great. Led by an F-35 with a Mustang on one wing and Spitfire on the other, this was the first time ever that a non-American aircraft had flown as part of a Heritage Flight display. The highlight for many was the return of four Hispano Buchons that were all flown in the original Battle of Britain movie filmed at Duxford. These fighters were joined by a few of the Spitfires used in the filming. A dogfight took place over Duxford Flying Legends 2018 The huge balbo formation finale to Flying Legends 2018. USAF Heritage Flight led by an F-35. Line up of big radials. Not to be outclassed a line up of V12 inlines! The Flying Legends Air Show at Duxford in England during July is one of the biggest and best classic aviation events there are. There’s a very consistent New Zealand component to the show too, in that this year was Keith Skilling’s 24th annual display there. Another NZ connection is Gavin Conroy who regularly heads to Duxford and surrounds in our off-season to renew acquaintances and keep his camera busy. Gavin writes: contributed by Gavin Conroy Gavin Conroy imageKiwiFlyer Magazine Issue 59 38 Kiwi Flyers Overseas - Duxford complete with the stirring music from the movie and it really was shiver down the spine stuff to see that film playing out in front of us for real 50 years later! Some fantastic solo displays were flown which included the Avro Lancaster, Grumman Bearcat and Hawker Sea Fury flown by Nick Grey. He opens every display I have seen with the aircraft he is in flying as fast as possible. This year when he flew past in the Sea Fury the sound was similar to the Sea Furys flown at Reno - as he always starts up high and dives for the deck! He also flew the ‘Joker’ routine which is a long solo display flown as the aircraft in the Balbo join up. On the Saturday, 28 aircraft took part which was great; on the Sunday a couple dropped out with technical issues but it didn’t matter as where else do you see a massed close formation display like that? This year more than 31,000 people visited the show. I doubt anyone walked away disappointed, well maybe the one guy who was standing next to me complaining about the music being played during the Battle of Britain dogfight. He obviously didn’t get it but each to their own. On the Friday before Flying Legends we did get one photo flight in which was my last and favourite of the whole trip. Keith Skilling and I had talked a few times about getting some air to air photos of him flying a Hurricane at Duxford. You may not know this but Keith has now displayed at Flying Legends 24 times, and he always says that the next one might well be the last. Thus I thought we should make an extra effort this time. Following a discussion at Wanaka earlier this year and with a lot of help from pilot, maintainer, and restorer Matt Pettit, Keith, and the owner of Hurricane P3717, we were able to make and air to air flight happen as Keith made his way from Old Warden The highlight for many were the four Hispano Buchons, all of which flew in the 1960s Battle of Britain movie. A pair of Corsair’s coming in to land. There were three flying in the show. Manufacturers of Fun Dominator gyros are made here in New Zealand by Autoflight and provide the most cost-effective rotorcraft flight available. We produce parts, airframes, partial or fully completed single and tandem seat aircraft. We also manufacture Gear Reduction Drives to suit all Subaru engines and many other well-proven car engine aviation conversions. Contact Neil Hintz on 027 824 1978 or autoflightneil@gmail.com For all your engine overhauls Lycoming, Continental, Gipsy, Rotax... Part 145 approved Call Bill O’Neill or Graeme Daniell 03 489 6870 or 027 307 5850 Taieri Airport, Mosgiel. www.southair.co.nz39 2018 #4 Three Spitfires led by a newly restored Mk.XI flown by John Romain.Radial Classics by way of a DC-3 and three polished Beech 18s. Dan Friedkin taxis past in his Mustang.The Fighter Collection’s Curtiss P-40C Tomahawk.Hawker T.20 Sea Fury flown by Nick Grace.Next >