NZFF

by **kiwibarguy** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 1:39 pm

Hi there all, i was at the Chelsea sugar factory yesterday with my family at the opening of Heritage park. I heard these big cylinder engines in the skies and with my terrible eyesight not helping me much i decided to take a photo of this plane. I could just make out that it was some kind of seaplane. I immediately began to think Short S.30 then i thought, No! long gone and far to small. It appeared to fly over the Auckland Harbour Bridge then come around for another fly over then dissapeared from view.

I presume it's a Grumman Goose, does anyone know otherwise and/or what they were up to?....or maybe, just maybe it is a ....DUM DUM DUMMMM.. A GHOST PLANE!!!!!

Also no plane was reported flying over Auckland at that time and 60 years ago to that day a ....ok too far.

by **Naki** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 2:02 pm

Its the Catalina which flys over Auckland regularly - no Goose (Geese?) left in NZ. http://www.catalina.org.nz/ZKPBY.htm

by **kiwibarguy** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 2:12 pm

I had no idea that we had a PBY here in New Zealand. Now i want to know where i could find these famous historical WW2 piece of wonder!

Thanks Naki!

by **Naki** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 2:14 pm

Its parked outside at Ardmore when its not flying.........it will be off to Omaka in a few weeks I presume and maybe to Whenuapai on the 21st March.

by **kiwibarguy** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 2:55 pm

Great! I'd already planned to go to Whenuapai so i'll be taking a few photos. Thanks for the heads up.

by **cambridgedan** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 3:14 pm

there is also a display body at the Tauranga Classic Flyers Museam. they just put it up

by **CDTDAN** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 4:43 pm

One time we were at parade night at ATC and a Catalina was sitting on the tarmac

it was pretty cool.

by **creator2003** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 5:21 pm

Heres a shot i got while ago out at Hamilton AP ,as you can see it was getting a service outside aeromotive hanger

PS whats on at NZWP on the 21st?? what event

by **Naki** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 5:50 pm

The Air Force Open day - warbirds are suppose to be there - not sure about the Catalina though.

by **creator2003** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 5:53 pm

Ah rgr that ive been trying to con the misses into letting me come upto Auckland so i can attend and get some photos etc ..if i do ill try and arrange with you guys to meet up ...

by **Naki** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 7:06 pm

creator2003 wrote:
QUOTE (creator2003 @ Mar 9 2009, 06:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Ah rgr that ive been trying to con the misses into letting me come upto Auckland so i can attend and get some photos etc ..if i do ill try and arrange with you guys to meet up ...

Ditto!

by **kiwibarguy** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 10:46 pm

Sounds good Mike, i will definitely be there with some mates. It would be good to put a face to the name! thanks for the photo, great shot!

by **Ian Warren** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 12:24 am

creator2003 wrote:
QUOTE (creator2003 @ Mar 9 2009, 06:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Ah rgr that ive been trying to con the misses into letting me come .....

Just say your going down to the dairy for a packet of cigarettes

by **creator2003** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 8:25 am

Yeah and two days later turn up with just goodies from a airshow 160km away ,,yeah Ian that would go down a treat ,"need a black eye emotion "

we will see closer to the date if i can get there ,mite have to try grab some guys from down here to take up and cut the cost a bit .. now i just gotta find maybe 3 aircraft freaks like me to come from Hams to Auckland and back same day ...

by **squirrel350** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 10:22 am

Would love to join ya mate but I start work at 4pm that day so unfortunately Im out.

SQ350

by **HardCorePawn** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 2:20 pm

If you want to see the Catalina, just head out to Ardmore and go down to the Warbirds/South East Apron... it is parked there most of the time it is not away visiting airshows/open days etc...

I have to go and park 'underneath' it everytime I taxi over to the SE apron to fill up at the BP pumps

That sucker sits so high up...

managed to snap a fairly decent pic heading through the Waihi Gap late last year (click for bigger pic)

by **Naki** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 8:25 pm

Paul, the Catalina will be at Whenuapai so you can catch it there

by **cambridgedan** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 10:31 am

that last pic there the Cat must of been pretty low

well it looks it at least

by **HardCorePawn** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 10:19 am

From memory... I think I was around 2000-2500'.... the Cat was coming through the Waihi Gap at around 1700 or 1800'...

by **Peppermint** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 8:26 pm

cambridgedan wrote:
QUOTE (cambridgedan @ Apr 14 2009, 10:31 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
that last pic there the Cat must of been pretty low

well it looks it at least

That's where these warbirds belong, low and scaring the s*** out of the livestock!

NZFF

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