Air Force Museum NZ Vickers Vildebeest restoration

[ErrolC]

15 minute video overview of the project from the Museum.

Typical of the large, all-metal bi-planes manufactured in Britain during the 1930s, the Vickers Vildebeest represented New Zealand’s first ever fleet of newly purchased aircraft for the fledgling Royal New Zealand Air Force. NZ102 was one of those first 12 aircraft and its remains now represent the only significant collection of Vildebeest structure to have survived globally.

In mid-2020, the Air Force Museum of New Zealand embarked on a project to restore and rebuild this important aircraft. With no engineering drawings and precious few other technical references available, this project represents a major challenge. A reverse engineering approach has been adopted where the existing structure is painstakingly disassembled to learn how to re-assemble the airframe.

This interview, with Collections Manager Darren Hammond, looks at the engineering challenges involved in progressing this project and the reasons behind the Museum’s decision to embark on such a complex task when there are no guarantees that it will result in a completed aircraft. It will also look at the benefits of a new multi-disciplinary team approach to the planning and execution of the project, with Research Curator Simon Moody sharing some of the findings from his research into the aircraft's service history.

[Sopwith]

That’s great thank you for posting it.

[StangStung]

Yes, thanks again for posting. This will be a fun one to watch develop over the coming years.

[Archer]

Haven't watched the video yet... but is there a link between this restoration and Don Subritzky's Vickers Vincent restoration? I don't know how similar the designs are, but I would think that some cross-pollination would be possible.

[DH82EH]

I was just thinking the same thing Archer.
I like your term better though. "cross polination"
There has to be some similarities in engineering for sure.

Thanks for the link. I really enjoy obscure stuff like this.

[StangStung]

Haven't watched the video yet... but is there a link between this restoration and Don Subritzky's Vickers Vincent restoration? I don't know how similar the designs are, but I would think that some cross-pollination would be possible.

I honestly thought they were one in the same before I read your post. Apparently NZ is the Land of the Lost as far between war Brit aviation goes. Very cool.

In that regard, there's a note on the Blackburn Baffin wiki page as follows:

The wreck of RNZAF Baffin NZ160, which crashed in 1937, is being rebuilt by Don Subritzky at Dairy Flat.[5]

A second fuselage section was stored in Mapua, South Island, New Zealand as part of the late John Smith collection[6] and has since joined the Subritzky collection.

Any word on this rare bird's status from the land where the kiwi roam?

[Archer]

I honestly thought they were one in the same before I read your post.

I had to dig out the Putnam but the Vildebeest is the Torpedo Bomber and the Vincent is the General Purpose version of the same airframe.

[StangStung]

I honestly thought they were one in the same before I read your post.

I had to dig out the Putnam but the Vildebeest is the Torpedo Bomber and the Vincent is the General Purpose version of the same airframe.

Yes, wiki has the same info.

Yet I was so hoping you were responding to my Blackburn Baffin inquiry. ; )

[Zac Yates]

Here are some photos of Baffin NZ160 I took at the Subritzky family facility in April 2016:
b0df0330-c76e-4224-ba43-abbddd58a7e6_zpsktbzq5tu_34875674763_o by Zac Yates, on Flickr
265ac463-d13e-47ca-8267-2f36f33b6c70_zpsives1xh3_35554518661_o by Zac Yates, on Flickr
ec85309a-ac3e-40f4-9c9d-1b32bff0d821_zpspkjcvtvr_34875681403_o by Zac Yates, on Flickr
70d2a848-8233-4bb3-bcba-f41a92d0ca22_zpsweatk2sk_34843806344_o by Zac Yates, on Flickr

I didn't realise what I was looking at until someone told me as I wasn't very familiar with the type. I never visited John Smith and I'm unsure what his Baffin consisted of, I think I saw photos taken last year of a part fuselage but I can't locate them right now.

And, from the same visit, Vickers Vincent NZ311 (it's so hard to convey the size of this thing without a human in frame...in person it's downright intimidating!):
84301987-29cf-4efc-8ef4-1ddb9a87cd98_zpsx6ukpwda_35515735202_o by Zac Yates, on Flickr
89cc5e10-4f81-43bf-acbf-3a9361795cd0_zpscu2hvqip_35554517751_o by Zac Yates, on Flickr
348ebe19-38ce-4262-b5c6-9e4bfe1f6d52_zpsxitcvkad_34875668923_o by Zac Yates, on Flickr

[StangStung]

Here are some photos of Baffin NZ160 I took at the Subritzky family facility in April 2016:
b0df0330-c76e-4224-ba43-abbddd58a7e6_zpsktbzq5tu_34875674763_o by Zac Yates, on Flickr
265ac463-d13e-47ca-8267-2f36f33b6c70_zpsives1xh3_35554518661_o by Zac Yates, on Flickr
ec85309a-ac3e-40f4-9c9d-1b32bff0d821_zpspkjcvtvr_34875681403_o by Zac Yates, on Flickr
70d2a848-8233-4bb3-bcba-f41a92d0ca22_zpsweatk2sk_34843806344_o by Zac Yates, on Flickr

I didn't realise what I was looking at until someone told me as I wasn't very familiar with the type. I never visited John Smith and I'm unsure what his Baffin consisted of, I think I saw photos taken last year of a part fuselage but I can't locate them right now.

And, from the same visit, Vickers Vincent NZ311 (it's so hard to convey the size of this thing without a human in frame...in person it's downright intimidating!):
84301987-29cf-4efc-8ef4-1ddb9a87cd98_zpsx6ukpwda_35515735202_o by Zac Yates, on Flickr
89cc5e10-4f81-43bf-acbf-3a9361795cd0_zpscu2hvqip_35554517751_o by Zac Yates, on Flickr
348ebe19-38ce-4262-b5c6-9e4bfe1f6d52_zpsxitcvkad_34875668923_o by Zac Yates, on Flickr

Thanks so much Zac! Wonderful pics and good to know that at least some progress was being made...at least 5 years ago! ; )

The interwar era is fascinating to me on all fronts. But the Brits really extended WWI tech - especially single engined biplanes - out to the edges. For example, the Swordfish is a direct descendent of this line of engineering, and it served well into 1945! I suppose you could say the An-2 and it's progeny have carried the torch on this branch of the aviation tree into modern times. In any case I'm glad to see such progress in NZ on these types. Thanks for all who've shared in this thread.