Warbird Information Exchange

Hi all,
Former gate guardian* Spitfire TB252 came to New Zealand some years ago for Avspecs to restore to airworthy for Tony Banta, as per these scans from Classic Wings issues 38 and 43 respectively:
tb252-import-to-avspecs-clasic-wings-issue-38_49214164898_o by Zac Yates, on Flickr
tb252-progress-classic-wings-issue-43_49214189843_o by Zac Yates, on Flickr

My wife and I went to the Bay of Islands (north of Auckland) for a wedding on Saturday and, as it happened, I needed to go to Avspecs on Friday to drop off something for a UK-based project. After dropping off the part with Warren Denholm's son Jaiden one of the engineers, Dylan Stace, kindly took me on a guided tour of the facilities. He explained that TB252's new American owner wants the aircraft at Oshkosh this year so the Spitfire is front-and-centre at Avspecs. 

Untitled by Zac Yates, on Flickr
Untitled by Zac Yates, on Flickr
Untitled by Zac Yates, on Flickr
Untitled by Zac Yates, on Flickr
Untitled by Zac Yates, on Flickr
Untitled by Zac Yates, on Flickr
Untitled by Zac Yates, on Flickr
Untitled by Zac Yates, on Flickr
Untitled by Zac Yates, on Flickr
Untitled by Zac Yates, on Flickr
Untitled by Zac Yates, on Flickr
Untitled by Zac Yates, on Flickr
Untitled by Zac Yates, on Flickr
Untitled by Zac Yates, on Flickr

My helpful (and patient) guide explained the new owner wants the gun and cannon bays fitted out, so it should make for a sharp, detailed machine when complete. He said to make Oshkosh this year she needs to be on the water in May - exciting times!


* Goodall says she served in this role at Odiham, Acklington, Boulmer, Leuchars and finally Bentley Priory before being taken down as part of Tim Routsis' deal.

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Zac in NZ
#avgeek, modelbuilder, photographer, writer. Callsign: "HANDBAG".
https://linktr.ee/zacyates

"It's his plane, he spent the money to restore it, he can do with it what he wants. I will never understand what's hard to comprehend about this." - kalamazookid, 20/08/2013
"The more time you spend around warbirds the sooner you learn nothing, is simple." - JohnB, 24/02/22

For a moment there I thought they were fitting her out with floats! That would be a nice twist

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A Little VC10derness - A Tribute to the Vickers VC10 - www.VC10.net

Thank you Zac for the wonderful update! Great to hear that it should be completed/flying in just a few months if all goes well. If I recall correctly, the new owner is based on the east coast of the US.

Well the Kingfisher project across the airfield has a nice big float available!

Looks like I'll be taking my camera to work during April in hopes of getting a heads-up.

I never realized they riveted a Spitfire's wing skins right along the leading edge. That seems masochistic.

Happy to help you for a change, John! Unfortunately my guide couldn't remember the owner's name.

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Zac in NZ
#avgeek, modelbuilder, photographer, writer. Callsign: "HANDBAG".
https://linktr.ee/zacyates

"It's his plane, he spent the money to restore it, he can do with it what he wants. I will never understand what's hard to comprehend about this." - kalamazookid, 20/08/2013
"The more time you spend around warbirds the sooner you learn nothing, is simple." - JohnB, 24/02/22

Current registration:

https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquir ... rtxt=752TB

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It was a good idea, it just didn't work.

Thank you Dan! Same owner that has the gorgeous Midwest Aero-restored P-51D "Daddy's Girl", and I see now too that he is the one that acquired the former Olympic Flight Museum FG-1D (which I had forgotten was sold).

Anytime, John...enjoy tomorrow's cooldown!

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It was a good idea, it just didn't work.

Its British
.080" thick and English Wheeled these days..Think the later versions were screwed...

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If the CO ask,s you to be Tail End Charlie...Just Shoot Him..A Piece of Cake

It's not broken........
It's British!!

During the rebuild of our Tiger Moth, we were able to score several never used components.
Our elation would quickly vanish when we realized that whatever it attached to, would no longer fit.
Then we'd start filing and fitting

Just the way it is.

They take a life on of their own once you start building it..Drawings are just general guides,especially with drilling and fitting things up.

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If the CO ask,s you to be Tail End Charlie...Just Shoot Him..A Piece of Cake

Small update and photo - booked in the paintshop for July. Also, registered ZK-NLJ

http://nzcivair.blogspot.com/2020/06/sp ... cs-25.html

Well it was sent to the paintshop on July 16th, but presumably no-one being allowed to work on it due to a short-notice COVID lockdown for Auckland from August 12th to 26th (or longer) has disrupted things.
https://www.facebook.com/Avspecs/photos ... =3&theater

Engine run!
https://www.facebook.com/Avspecs/videos ... =3&theater

Hopefully they will wheel it around for Warbirds On Parade next Sunday.