Warbirds in New Zealand Barn Update ?

[Speeddemon651]

I came across this post years ago and recently ran into it again by accident. I was curious if anything has surfaced yet from this collection?
I would love to know the P-51's serial #?

Posted 2/2009
Below is from: http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/my-da ... -barn.html

"Not exactly a barn find.
These aircraft and many more are owned by a very private and reclusive guy and are stored in a barn not far from where i live.
I have visited on several occasions. The barn is stacked full and it is very hard to take photos as you have to
climb over stuff to get a shot. The Mosquito is the star of the barn and is totally complete, with a Rolls Royce
Merlin in each wing. It is pushed hard against the door, which he will not open so the only shot is from behind.
Son of Kiwijohn is flight checking before his next mission. Thats the front of a P-51 Mustang complete less propeller. There are a couple of P40 Kittyhawks, a Hudson bomber and several engines including this radial."

-Mosquito
-P-51
-P-40's
-Hudson

"Thank you all for your comments. I'm glad there are others that think these old birds are kinda special.
He bought them after the war from the NZ Air Force, because he liked them and wanted to save them
from being scrapped, as many were. They were stored for many years outside until he built the shed
about 30 years ago.
What's he going to do with them?....Like many collectors of stuff, he just likes having them preserved.
He does not seek publicity nor does he like their presence advertised too much. However he will not
turn anyone away who comes to look providing you are genuinely interested. He may not let you
in the shed though! Their existence is known among warbird collectors around the world and I believe
he has refused some serious offers for them. He lives a very simple and solitary life and money means
little compared to ownership of the things that he loves.
Sadly the Mosquito, while it looks airworthy, would not fly again without some serious structual work.
They are mostly wood and the fuselage is a laminate of balsa and ply. The glue used in the 40's has
degraded and lost strength. In fact while in service in North Africa during WW2, they had problems
with the glue. Wood was chosen not only for it's lightness, but for it's ease of supply when metal was
scarce, and the fact that they could be built by carpenters and cabinetmakers. A NZ company has made
the jigs for a new fuselage and I believe the first one has gone to Canada where a Mosquito is being restored.
Maybe there is hope for this old girl yet. "

[Zac Yates]

P-40E 41-36410/EV156/NZ3043
P-40N 43-22962/NZ3220
P-51D 45-11513/NZ2423
Mosquito FB.VI TE910/NZ2336
Hudson 41-36976/FH175/NZ2049 - now with Bill Reid of Avro Anson Mk.I fame
Vampire F.I (fuselage) TG443
Harvard Mk.II NZ909
Harvard Mk.III 41-33880/EX907/NZ1068

[Speeddemon651]

P-51D-30NT Mustang
Serial #: 45-11513
Construction #: 124-48266
Civil Registration: None
Name: None
Status: Stored
Last info: 2000

History:
Delivered to RNZAF as NZ2423.
- BOC: September 27, 1945.
- SOC: 1958.
- Stored dismantled, Ardmore AB, 1945-1952.
- Assembled 1952but not used.
- Stored, Rukuhia & Woodbourne, 1952-1958. ANAS Co, Nelson, NZ, 1958.
- Acquired for $140. W. Ruffell, Blenheim, New Zealand, May 1958-1964.
- Salvaged after wings had been cut off by torch.
- Stored. John Smith, Gardeners Valley, Mapua, NZ, 1964-2000.
- Stored dismantled.

[Sopwith]

What a fantastic collection. Great to have people like that around. Would make an interesting article in Classic Wings, Dave? j

[DaveM2]

What a fantastic collection. Great to have people like that around. Would make an interesting article in Classic Wings, Dave? j

Yeah, however John does not want such publicity, otherwise we would have done it years ago. I have had the privilege of sitting the Mossie. Hats off to the guy for saving these treasures when the RNZAF had no interest in doing so.

[Lynn Allen]

What a fantastic collection. Great to have people like that around. Would make an interesting article in Classic Wings, Dave? j

Yeah, however John does not want such publicity, otherwise we would have done it years ago. I have had the privilege of sitting the Mossie. Hats off to the guy for saving these treasures when the RNZAF had no interest in doing so.

Dave, is that the Mossie that the owner cut the tail off to get in his barn by chance??

Cheers,

Lynn

[Sopwith]

Fair comment Dave.

[Jesse C.]

Hats off to this gentleman for saving what he could. Wish there had been more folks around like him who wanted to preserve more of these birds.

[DaveM2]

What a fantastic collection. Great to have people like that around. Would make an interesting article in Classic Wings, Dave? j

Yeah, however John does not want such publicity, otherwise we would have done it years ago. I have had the privilege of sitting the Mossie. Hats off to the guy for saving these treasures when the RNZAF had no interest in doing so.

Dave, is that the Mossie that the owner cut the tail off to get in his barn by chance??

Cheers,

Lynn

Lynn

No, the new shed was basically built around it. The outer wings had to be removed when John towed the aircraft to his place post war, but these were later reattached.

Dave

[Lynn Allen]

Roger that and thanks...

[DB2]

Are there any plans to make the Hudson a flyer, given what Bill Reid accomplished with the Anson? IIRC it needs a new center section though to be a candidate?

[Dave Homewood]

Yeah, however John does not want such publicity

And he also gives clear instructions to anyone who visits that he kindly allows to take photos that they are not to publish them, including on the internet. A few idiots do not listen.