Omaka Freighter comes back to life

Following the recent news that Alistair Marshall has been working on the Bristol Hercules engines of the Bristol Freighter at Omaka in New Zealand, the port engine successfully run up on 13th June 2008. The Starboard engine was briefly run a few days later. Click below for video of the event.

A high resolution version of this video is available at www.aviationfilm.com.

Mk.I nose trial fitted to Duxford Blenheim

A significant moment in the restoration of the Duxford Blenheim took place in May 2008, when the Blenheim Mk.I nose was trial-fitted to the Blenheim fuselage. The aircraft, which had represented a 'long nose' Mk.IV Blenheim since its first post-rebuild flight in 1993, was damaged in a landing accident in 2003. This gave the team the opportunity to incorporate the short nose of a Mk.I Blenheim in the repairs. Other major components such as the centre wing section, rear fuselage and outer wings had been restored and mated previously. The addition of the Mk.I nose gives a shape that has not been seen for many decades.

The Mk.I nose is still just a shell, and there is much work to do in fitting it out with equipment and cabling. It will be detached from the fuselage soon so the rebuild work can continue.

Plans to bring Omaka Freighter back to life

A member of the Marlborough Aero Club at Omaka in New Zealand has started the huge task of bringing the clubs Bristol Freighter back to life. The aircraft, ZK-CPT, arrived at Omaka in 1986, and the engines were inhibited in the 1990's. The intention is to get the Bristol Hercules engines running, and it may even be possible to taxi the Freighter in the future. Progress is regularly reported on the
Wings Over New Zealand Aviation Forum.

Sycamore swap at Weston-super-Mare

The Helicopter Museum have recently acquired a VIP Sycamore HR.14, but have disposed of their existing Sycamore HC.14. The Sycamore HR.14, serial XJ829, had previously been not far away in the Bristol Industrial Museum, which has closed for major renovation. It was formerly with the RAF 32 VIP communications Squadron, and arrived on 17th October 2007, going on display on 12th January 2008. For details and photos of the delivery, see http://www.hmfriends.org.uk/sycamorexl829.htm.

The museum has taken the opportunity to exchange their existing Sycamore, XG547, with a type they don't have - an ex-Belgian Army Alouette II. A lowloader arrived at Weston-super-Mare with the Alouette on 19th February 2008, and returned to Belgium with the Sycamore on 21st. XG547 will go on display in the Royal Army and Military History Museum in Brussels in due course. The Belgian Army operated three Sycamores in the Belgian Congo, but none of these survive.

Click here for BBC news video.

Beaufighter found in Aegean sea

The remains of a Bristol Beaufighter were discovered in June 2007, near the Greek island of Naxos. A team of divers had been searching for the wreck for over a year, following stories that a Beaufighter had ditched in the area during World War 2. It was discovered off the coast of Cape Kouroupas, to the west of Naxos, at a depth of 34 metres. The aircraft, identified as a Beaufighter TF.X serial JM225, was part of a flight attacking enemy ships in Naxos Harbour on 30th October 1943. It was hit by ground fire, and the two crew - F/O W.E.Hayter and W/O T.J.Harper, both New Zealanders - baled out before the aircraft hit the water. They were rescued by locals, treated and later smuggled off the island. JM255 was based in Cyprus with No.47 Squadron RAF.

The aircraft is on its belly and surprisingly intact, apart from a broken back. Some smaller items, such as the nosecone, are unattached and resting on the sea bed nearby. The propeller from the starboard engine is missing, so it may have come off when the Beaufighter hit the water. Naxos Diving Centre can arrange visits for experienced divers, see naxosdiving.com.

Australian Boxkite replica for 2014 centenary

A small dedicated team in Australia have embarked on a project to build an airworthy Bristol Boxkite replica, in time for the centenary of the first military flight in Australia. On the morning of March 1st, 1914, Lieutenant Eric Harrison, an aviator instructor, took Bristol Military Biplane CFS-3 into the air at the newly acquired Army flying field at Point Cook, Victoria. This was the home of the Central Flying School (CFS). That historic flight is now recognised as the starting point of all military flying in Australia.

This Australian replica Boxkite will be built over a period of four to five years. This will ensure that the aeroplane is available in sufficient time to take part in celebrations that will occur in March 2014. With Project 2014 having started in 2006, ample time is available to allow for the resolution of unforeseen problems that may arise during the building of this machine, and the subsequent test flying.

The first wing ribs under construction. Courtesy of Project 2014

The Project Manager, Ron Gretton AM, was the driving force behind the RAAF Museum’s Supermarine Walrus (HD874) restoration. Assistant Project Manager Geoff Matthews joined Ron on the Walrus restoration, and they are both highly experienced ex-RAAF engineering officers with a wealth of the skills required in this project. They are already well into the organisational phase and have already started to cut wood and form shapes for the ribs, booms and undercarriage. Many of the metal fittings have been cut, welded and plated.

The engine will be an Australian seven cylinder 110hp (82kw) radial Rotec R2800, designed and manufactured by Rotec Engineering Pty Ltd at Moorabbin, Victoria. Rosebank Engineering has kindly supplied the engine and all the timber for the project. Mobile Network has supplied the wheels and structural metal, and Aerostructures, and Macdonald Technologies International have also provided significant support. The project is, of course, supported by both the RAAF Museum and the Air Force itself.

http://www.boxkite2014.org

Restoration of Finnish Blenheim starts

Restoration work on Blenheim Mk.IV BL-200, the sole surviving 'true' Bristol Blenheim, has started in Finland. The aircraft has been in storage at Tikkakoski in Finland, but spent many decades on display at the main gate there and in other museums. Work started on 18th May 2007, with a paint strip and preparation work. On completion, the aircraft will be housed in a dedicated building at Keski-Suomen Ilmailumuseo (Aviation Museum of Central Finland).

55 Blenheim Mk.Is and IVs were assembled in Finland by Valtion Lentokonetehdas at Tampere, using many components from Yugoslavia. BL-200 was built in 1944, and flew on in peace time doing survey work. It was withdrawn in 1956, making it one of the last 'true' Blenheims to fly. Several present-day aircraft have been painted up or structurally modified to become Blenheims, but these are infact Canadian-built Fairchild Bolingbrokes, a licence built Blenheim with a few home-grown differences.

Blenheim BL-200 under restoration - www.k-silmailumuseo.fi

The restoration project has its own internet Blog to show progress. It is in Finnish, but still worth a look even if you don't know the language! - http://www.ilmasotakoulunkilta.fi/IlmaSK/ilmaskmma.nsf/sp?Open&cid=Content9993D

Pima Bolingbroke unveiled

The Pima Air and Space Museum near Tucson, Arizona has unveiled is newly restored Bolingbroke. The aircraft, formerly stored in a compound at Chino, California, has been rebuilt and painted up as a Blenheim Mark IV, in a 1941-era desert camouflage. The Bolingbroke was one of three acquired by David Tallichet around 1973, and moved from Canada to California. For many years it was stored fully assembled in the MARC compound at Chino, stripped of paint. In 2004 the Pima Museum made a deal to acquire a number of unrestored airframes from David Tallichet, including a rare A-20 Havoc.

The Bolingbroke was rolled out on 15th May 2007 in North Africa Western Desert camouflage. It represents an RAF Bristol Blenheim Mark IV, serial Z9592, although structurally the aircraft is still a Canadian-built Bolingbroke. It is thought that this aircraft was originally RCAF 10076.