Warbird Information Exchange

In 1979 I started working as a volunteer in weekends on the RNZAF Museum's TBF-1 Avenger. One of the men working on it was Peter Tolheok. now 30years later(gulp) he actually works with me (having left the Air Force in 1988.
He recently lent me some photos he took back then. Although I have a lot of photos of NZ2504 I only have one poor one of her in '79 prior to being paintstripped.
Here are a couple of photos of her being ground run and taxied at RNZAF Base Wigram in Christchurch. (Yes I know how do you tell she is moving Clue: ones without wheel chocks means she is moving.)
The engine had only recently been brought back to life after 20 years silence. The prop was overhauled by the Air New Zealand propshop (for free......don't tell anyone!). She was restored back into the silver,yellow and black target tug markings but now(complete with turret) sits on display in the Museum as NZ2521 which was an Avenger shot down over Rabaul. NZ2504 didn't have a combat history The first 6 of the 48 Avengers were TBF-1 models and lacked self-sealing fuel so were relegated to home duties, the other 42 were the TBF-1C and operated from Island bases. Interestingly the TBF-1 had no wing guns and only a forward facing nose gun. The TBF-1C had the nose gun position deleted but a gun in each wing fitted.
NZ2504 has both the nose gun AND the wing gun positions.

And as she is today here sharing the ramp with the Museums Lockheed Hudson and the Auckland based airworthy Catalina.

And a picture taken after her first restoration in 1980 with myself in the cockpit. One lucky 18 yearold!!

Does the Hudson still fly?


PJ
PV-2 Harpoon "Hot Stuff"
www.amhf.org

No both the Avenger and the Hudson are Museum exhibits although next door in Australia there is an airworthy Hudson.
And also Wigram is no longer an operational airfield sadly and most of it will be built on (housing) although the Museum and 3 or 4 hangars and the Main HQ building(complete with control tower) will be preserved.