New Zealand-John Smith Aircraft collection on the move.

mike furline · **Joined:** Wed May 05, 2004 3:45 pm **Posts:** 2530

What are the Pro's and Con's of starting a V-12 engine after 50 years without tearing it down first? Was this just a novelty "start" to see if it runs?

In the beginning of the video when they were cranking it with the valve covers removed I couldn't tell if there was any oil on the moving parts? The top of the heads looked dry.

DaveM2 · **Posted:** Wed Mar 10, 2021 2:41 pm

The engine was well inhibited over that time and had oil cycled through it over several days prior to the start. (It was full of oil when initially drained as well) The run was to see if it could start and given there was no prop, was low revs.

Starboard engine will be tried next

ErrolC · **Posted:** Wed Mar 10, 2021 2:44 pm

The Facebook group mentioned earlier may have more detail.

DH82EH · **Posted:** Wed Mar 10, 2021 6:26 pm

One of the pro's, is that it is as cool as he!!
:supz:

I am so grateful for people like John Smith and Walter Soplata.
The sharing of this collection by Mr. Smiths family is really wonderful.

I have no doubt that this collection will be treated with the highest respect.

Zac Yates · **Posted:** Wed Mar 10, 2021 11:02 pm

What an incredibly welcome and awesome surprise!

DaveM2 wrote:

The engine was well inhibited over that time and had oil cycled through it over several days prior to the start. (It was full of oil when initially drained as well) The run was to see if it could start and given there was no prop, was low revs.

Starboard engine will be tried next

Thank you Dave, it's nice to have info from someone on the ground.

ErrolC · **Posted:** Fri Mar 12, 2021 2:59 pm

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php? ... &__tn__=-R

Below is a video of the engine run from the Maputo John Smith Mosquito now at Omaka John Smith Mosquito Project

None of us are really sure how long it has been since the starboard engine on our Mosquito had run. Hopefully we will one day be able to put a date to it. If not, maybe a year or perhaps a decade. In the meantime, I’m sure that it is an awfully long time.
Today, this Merlin astonished everyone present by starting and running smoothly on the very first start attempt. It is actually difficult to write a great deal about this engine. She has 27 hours flight time in her log, was impeccably preserved and after sleeping for possibly sixty or seventy years, she seemed delighted to be woken up.
We have a bunch of photos of our condition assessment and the level of preservation before we decided it was safe or sensible to attach her to the run-up trailer. We’ll post them when we get the chance. The video shows the hot oil priming process as we watch and wait for oil to flow from the cam followers. Preservative oil is quickly burnt and ejected from the cylinders and exhausts as she fires into life.
In the next few days, both engines and the port radiator will be hoisted up and reattached to the airframe.

Alternative angles from Gavin Conroy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQ_iPmYY8ms

DH82EH · **Posted:** Fri Mar 12, 2021 5:28 pm

Do any of you folks know if there are plans to run the engines after the airframe gets reassembled?
I would think the fuel tanks would need to be inspected for integrity.
Probably need to change some fluid hoses and such.
Certainly would make an impressive sight.

Great to see the activity.
Thanks for sharing.

Andy

ErrolC · **Posted:** Fri Mar 12, 2021 5:57 pm

DH82EH wrote:

Do any of you folks know if there are plans to run the engines after the airframe gets reassembled?
I would think the fuel tanks would need to be inspected for integrity.
Probably need to change some fluid hoses and such.
Certainly would make an impressive sight.

Word is 'Watch this space".
The museum has multiple aircraft that fly either fairly often or every couple of years for the airshow, so wheeling it outside occasionally isn't a particular issue - the rear wall is sliding doors. Running Merlins would go nicely with the Griffon, Allison, Cheetahs, Gnome etc on airshows/open days.

DaveM2 · **Posted:** Fri Mar 12, 2021 9:12 pm

Internal systems could not be used. Fuel would have to come from an external source as seen in this picture when John ran the port engine, the last time believed to be in the 1980s.

There has been a list of pros and cons drawn up, but no decision either way to date.

ErrolC · **Posted:** Wed Mar 31, 2021 3:27 am

And the Mossie is on display at OAHC for Easter. Well done team!
https://www.facebook.com/OmakaAHC/photo ... =3&theater

DaveM2 · **Posted:** Thu Apr 01, 2021 1:31 am

A few days ago another of the late John Smith’s treasures, combat veteran P-40 Gloria Lyons, was rolled out here at Omaka. The fighter had been undergoing months of prep work in order to be ready for a top secret and (very) low level sortie. Needless to say mission details remain scarce and may well be classified for the next 50 years. However, we can tell you that humble pilot Flying Officer Flashart returned tired but jubilant and was thankfully unscathed. Upon exiting the aircraft he was greeted with a warm welcome by squadron mascot ‘Doggo’ McDoggo and thereafter whisked off for debrief.

LysanderUK · **Joined:** Sun Feb 21, 2010 2:01 pm **Posts:** 270

Amazing sight, absolute time capsule.

Chris Brame · **Posted:** Thu Apr 01, 2021 7:15 am

DaveM2 wrote:

A few days ago another of the late John Smith’s treasures, combat veteran P-40 Gloria Lyons, was rolled out here at Omaka. The fighter had been undergoing months of prep work in order to be ready for a top secret and (very) low level sortie. Needless to say mission details remain scarce and may well be classified for the next 50 years. However, we can tell you that humble pilot Flying Officer Flashart returned tired but jubilant and was thankfully unscathed. Upon exiting the aircraft he was greeted with a warm welcome by squadron mascot ‘Doggo’ McDoggo and thereafter whisked off for debrief.

Mmm hmm. What day is this again?

bdk · **Joined:** Sun May 02, 2004 1:16 am **Posts:** 11280

Chris Brame wrote:

What day is this again?

I just wonder why that posting was made on the 31st?

Quote:

Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2021 10:31 pm

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New Zealand-John Smith Aircraft collection on the move.

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