NZFF

by **chopper_nut** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 10:00 pm

I was going to wait until Gavin got on here as his photos will be far better than mine. Anyway, the Bristol Freighter that has been at OM for the last 20 years had its left engine fired up for the first time today. Quite a few people turned up to witness the smoke and the noise. Sorry about the quality, the sun was REALLY low in the sky!

by **Naki** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 10:54 pm

Wow awesome - must be many years since that fired up?

by **Gavin Conroy** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 10:55 pm

Will be a while before I download the photos from my camera.
I would think I will do that once we get the second engine running.
Al Marshall has done an awesome job with those engines and I was able to take the last two days or so off work to help him with all of the last minute things that needed to be done like fuel system checks etc.
On Wednesday we put 200 litres in the aircraft and I think thats when the nerves really set in as the beast was alive again.

Due to the work needed and there were six of us on it today, we couldnt get all of the work done to start the other engine but that should happen in the next few days.

Havent taken as many photos as I should have but my love for the old aircraft come first and the photos come second.
It was earth shattering and quite emotional when she fired into life.

A lot of hard work and its been 18 years since she last fired a shot and what was witnessed today can no longer be seen anywhere else in the world apart from Omaka. Pretty buggered so am going to hit the sack but still pretty pumped so wont sleep much, it truly was a great day.

by **Alex** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 11:08 pm

Wow, awesome stuff...

Alex

by **Gavin Conroy** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 8:15 am

The day started like this:

First Start:

Running a bit better:

Purring like a kitten:

Lastly, the man of the hour:

by **Daniel** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 8:31 am

Cool Picture Guys

Is this going to be made airworthy and flown again?

Cheers
Daniel

by **Gavin Conroy** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 8:51 am

It will be able to taxi but not fly as there is a lot to be done to get it flying.
No question it will attract a lot of people to Classic Fighters next year where it will put on a little performance.

I can tell you the sound is like standing alongside a pair of Sea Furies.

by **yak52dude** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 9:44 am

It's unlikely it'll fly again

I believe it got sandblasted really harshly and the airframe is probably to weak to fly unless someone spent a lot of $ redoing it.
Me an my friend Reece had a look inside during the summer the cockpit is like new.

by **SA227** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 10:26 am

Absolutely brilliant.
I have many fond memories of riding in Bristols across the Straits as a teenager and was lucky enough to fly CPT from the right hand seat one day VFR from NZWB to NZWN.

by **Ian Warren** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 11:18 am

I hope someone recorded the sound

... the most unique sound signature on start up , WICKED photos

Edit : [url=http://webmail.clear.net.nz/webmail.cgi?cmd=url&url=http!3A!2F!2Fwww.aerodynamika.com!2Fcgi-bin!2Fyabb!2FYaBB.cgi!3Fnum=1203533700]http://webmail.clear.net.nz/webmail.cgi?cm...Fnum=1203533700[/url]

updates for a WIP Bristol

Edit : http://nzff.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4839

by **Anthony** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 11:56 am

Wow this is pretty cool.
Thanks for posting the pics guys (chopper_nut and Gavin).

by **Ian Warren** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 12:07 pm

SA227 wrote:
QUOTE (SA227 @ Jun 14 2008, 10:26 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Absolutely brilliant.
I have many fond memories of riding in Bristols across the Straits as a teenager and was lucky enough to fly CPT from the right hand seat one day VFR from NZWB to NZWN.

I guess you can say the flight wasn't long enough

by **A185F** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 12:54 pm

wow amazing ! I hope somone got some video and would kindly post it

by **victor_alpha_charlie** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 3:05 pm

yak52dude wrote:
QUOTE (yak52dude @ Jun 14 2008, 09:44 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
It's unlikely it'll fly again I believe it got sandblasted really harshly and the airframe is probably to weak to fly unless someone spent a lot of $ redoing it.
Me an my friend Reece had a look inside during the summer the cockpit is like new.

Hey come on I was there too

Awesome that they're getting it going again, I've never heard a Bristol Centaurus running, but I've heard they're amazing. Can't wait until Omaka next year!

by **yak52dude** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 3:24 pm

victor_alpha_charlie wrote:
QUOTE (victor_alpha_charlie @ Jun 14 2008, 03:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Hey come on I was there too

Awesome that they're getting it going again, I've never heard a Bristol Centaurus running, but I've heard they're amazing. Can't wait until Omaka next year!

true you were to sorry l

an 1 more thing its a bristol hercules engine Tom.

by **ardypilot** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 3:34 pm

Amazing sunrise in that first shot there Gavin- and congrats on all your hard work paying off!

I wish someone could do something about the derelict airforce Bristol rusting away at Ardmore, although it has been stripped down of all its usable parts and will most likely never fly again.

by **victor_alpha_charlie** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 3:35 pm

s**t.

Trolly wrote:
QUOTE (Trolly @ Jun 14 2008, 03:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Amazing sunrise in that first shot there Gavin- and congrats on all your hard work paying off!

I wish someone could do something about the derelict airforce Bristol rusting away at Ardmore, although it has been stripped down of all its usable parts and will most likely never fly again.

Isn't that the one that got taken for a joyride by some unnamed drunk engineers one night?

by **yak52dude** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 3:39 pm

There's one at the nelson museum thats in really good nick also I believe there's one at wigram aswell.

by **Ian Warren** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 5:47 pm

yak52dude wrote:
QUOTE (yak52dude @ Jun 14 2008, 03:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
There's one at the nelson museum thats in really good nick also I believe there's one at wigram aswell.

Wigram indeed ,

by **ashton** » Sun Jun 15, 2008 10:49 pm

There was a nice one at Waihi beach airfield but has moved, to where I don't know?

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