Mosquito status?

Zac Yates · **Posted:** Sun Aug 28, 2016 1:29 am

AvSpecs has posted a video of the maiden taxi on their Facebook page.

Zac Yates · **Posted:** Mon Aug 29, 2016 6:15 pm

Another video of the weekend's double run and taxi, this time from ace photographer from Gavin Conroy: https://youtu.be/HMAOMdCx4ro

And, from this morning, a radio interview with AvSpecs' Warren Denholm. In it he says they aim to have CAA certification and then begin test flying in the next couple of weeks...and for TV959 to fly in the Battle Of Britain flypast and be part of the public display on 18 September 2016. Great news!

Zac Yates · **Posted:** Tue Aug 30, 2016 4:13 pm

Happy to share the good news! I'm lucky in that my job gives me unlimited internet access and a boss who's based an hour away so she can't look over my shoulder :lol:

JohnTerrell wrote:

For the next one, PZ474 ... Avpsecs have it slated to fly as early as around Easter 2018 (which would seem to imply possibly having it flying in-time for Warbirds Over Wanaka(?)).

AvSpecs' Warren Denholm spoke about the various Mossie projects at a Wings Over New Zealand forum meet in early March this year. He told us Warbirds Over Wanaka 2018 is the target for PZ474's return to flight.

ErrolC · **Posted:** Tue Aug 30, 2016 6:45 pm

KiwiZac wrote:

Happy to share the good news! I'm lucky in that my job gives me unlimited internet access and a boss who's based an hour away so she can't look over my shoulder :lol:

JohnTerrell wrote:

For the next one, PZ474 ... Avpsecs have it slated to fly as early as around Easter 2018 (which would seem to imply possibly having it flying in-time for Warbirds Over Wanaka(?)).

AvSpecs' Warren Denholm spoke about the various Mossie projects at a Wings Over New Zealand forum meet in early March this year. He told us Warbirds Over Wanaka 2018 is the target for PZ474's return to flight.

I re-listened to that recently. They were expecting late 2017, and hoped to be able to keep it in the country until WOW.
There is a presumed Warbirds Open Day mid-November, but those struggle with big turn-outs. Tauranga show in January is a possibility, but no date has been announced as yet. So hoping to keep it until WOW seems a sensible approach to me.

JohnTerrell · **Posted:** Tue Aug 30, 2016 6:57 pm

Based on what has been shown online of the fuselage/wing for PZ474 as of late last year/early this year, both through Avspecs and Lewis (wood work completed, and awaiting fabric covering at that point - of which I assume has already been accomplished/finished since then), I get the feeling that it's really going to take shape fast just as soon as TV959 is out the door, with PZ474's wing/fuselage very likely ready to be mated just as soon as there is room for it.

Dave Homewood · **Posted:** Wed Sep 07, 2016 4:43 pm

Some photos I took in the past two days

And a load more shots on the Wings Over New Zealand Forum here
http://rnzaf.proboards.com/post/242396/thread

Zac Yates · **Posted:** Sat Sep 10, 2016 4:07 am

The C of A was issued today! And both spinners are black

DH82EH · **Posted:** Sat Sep 10, 2016 5:45 am

Thanks for all of the updates and pictures folks.
Exciting times for Mosquito fans indeed!

Andy

Zac Yates · **Posted:** Sat Sep 10, 2016 4:14 pm

The RNZAF's Mossies were painted silver and had black spinners, hence my enjoyment of this scheme!

Thomas_Mac · **Posted:** Thu Sep 15, 2016 8:40 am

Posted on the Avspecs Ltd. Facebook today

Quote:

The Mossie looks good. Can't say the same about the weather. Nice picture Colin Hunter.

https://www.facebook.com/Avspecs/

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7834

JohnTerrell wrote:

Under Weeks' ownership, the Mosquito will never fly again until the fabric is removed so that the wood and glue joints can be inspected and it can be proven to be safe to fly again. Potential issues could lie below the surface of the paint/fabric, no one really knows (there have been a lot of interesting surprises in the current rebuild of Week's all-wood Lockheed Vega). Even if no issues are found with the wood/glue joints, there is still a considerable amount of work to do to bring it back to flight readiness (after all, it has sat static for 26-years). According to Weeks, the Mosquito will continue to have to remain at Oshkosh until more of the hangars (as part of Act III) are built at Fantasy of Flight, so that there will be enough room to house it - according to Weeks, the aircraft will be disassembled and trucked to Fantasy of Flight, when the time is right, and while at FOF, a close inspection of the wood/glue joints will be made and a plan of action to make the aircraft ready to fly again will go from there.

Certainly wouldn't want something like this happening to Weeks machine.

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7834

C VEICH wrote:

JohnTerrell wrote:

Through the 70's and 80's these were the only three Mossies I'm aware of which flew, and I don't know if there was a single time where all three were actively flying at the same time.

Well, all three were flying for the movie "Mosquito Squadron" in 1969 so there is a chance all three were still airworthy into the early seventies. Both RR299 and RS712 were airworthy in '86 or '87 (by which time RS709 was already entombed at the NMUSAF) just prior to the latter coming to the US as they performed together a couple of times. Would be nice to see this picture duplicated some day.

A few more shots

ErrolC · **Posted:** Thu Sep 15, 2016 1:48 pm

TriangleP wrote:

...one Facebook post indicated a first flight this weekend, if the weather improves and everything is working well.

Or if everything goes just right, today (Friday). Weather for Saturday is very unlikely.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0kdiey_-OE

https://www.flickr.com/photos/errolgc/a ... 1508505100

Starboard singing by Errol Cavit, on Flickr

Team gets to work by Errol Cavit, on Flickr

Zac Yates · **Posted:** Thu Sep 15, 2016 3:33 pm

Errol's got a far better idea of the weather situation as he's up there, but I've heard if the weather holds then she could fly after 1300hr. Lots of Facebook, forum, blog and email/txt checking by me at work yesterday in anticipation of the news!

Thanks for sharing those, Mark! One day!

Photographers from NZ's two big spotter blogs were there with Errol yesterday - NZ Civil Aircraft and MRC Aviation, both of which I've been refreshing regularly for more news.

UPDATE: I hear the weather's looking better at Ardmore. Good luck to the Avspecs team and pilot Dave Phillips! :drink3:

DH82EH · **Posted:** Thu Sep 15, 2016 6:59 pm

Lord above!
The Mosquito is one FINE looking aircraft. Just magnificent.

Thanks for the updates and all the excellent images.

Andy

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