Sunday 27 April 2014

ANZAC weekend at Rangitata Island

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Along the poppy pathway to the Moth Manor at Russell at Lynda Brodie's Rangitata Island Airfield.
 The ANZAC Day Service was controlled by the Geraldine RSA with a very good address from Lt Cmdr Grant Findlayson RNZN  and the Rev John Hayhoe.
 Above we see the official party about to lay wreaths at the cairn that Russell and Lynda Brodie have built in a corner of the gardens at their Rangitata Island property.
 Saturday was more of an all family day with many activities and displays of interest.
 You could even experience "life in the trenches".
 The Ashburton Aviation Museum had a display including the Raspberry Ripple Canberra B2 nose section.
 Colin Hay trailered up a display of items from his Heritage and Sport Aviation North Otago Collection. (Above).
Although not an Aviation Event - some 40 aircraft were noted during the Saturday.
 The Goldwing ZK-FDE (c/n MAANZ/126) is the ex Neil France machine from Taupo and joined the Brodie collection in about 2005.
 Lurking in the grass was a squadron of model aircraft including this fine example of the RNZAF Vampire FB.5 NZ5757.
The real thing is suspended from the ceiling in the foyer of the RNZAF Museum at Wigram.
 Above - not a model - but the way of the future with many practical uses.
 Ray Eden's Rans S6S Coyote II ZK-SGS (c/n 01071793) taxi's in looking for a parking spot.
Grass roots aviation (almost) with the Piper PA-28R-200T 201T Turbo Arrow IV III ZK-TWM (c/n 28R-7803275) with a background of Chipmunk, Fokker, Flea and the multitude.
 Not one to miss a good rural event - Laurie Prouting dropped in with the Station Air Ltd's Hughes 369HS ZK-HQL3 (c/n 12204385S)
Transport was available down the flight line for weary aviators.
 
A special thanks to Allan Bowman for this report.
 
I'm thinking that this will have been the first of many more such occasions at this site.

8 comments:

  1. What a great day, way beyond what I expected, huge crowd and great weather. the first of many I suspect.

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  2. Awesome day. Only positive comments were heard

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  3. Wished I had visited the event. Great Day everywhere.

    Any other photos or from the "Drone" or on the net?

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  4. Minor amendment needed possibly - the aircraft in the shot of TWM doesn't look like a Turbo Arrow IV (which has a different cowl and a T tail among other features); appears to be a regular Cherokee 161 or similar?

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  5. ZK-TWM sure is a PA28R-201T according to all of the info that is on the internet. There are photos of her imported on 5 Feb 2008 on the blog site shipped to Rangiora.

    I thought it should look like ZK-TFD too but it does not.

    There should be a higher authority that will know the answer to the anomily.

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  6. Agh Leo !
    Firstly I have now changed ZK-TWM's designation to PA-28R-201T Turbo Arrow III (from the -200T Turbo Arrow IV that I originally posted).

    The PA-28R has the low tail.
    The PA-28RT has the "T" tail.

    I hope that's clears that up.
    Cheers.

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  7. No problem, I should get my eyes checked myself as I can now see the one in the photo does have retractable undercarriage which would rule it out being a Cherokee 161!

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  8. No worries Leo.
    You had me worried for a few minutes though.
    I had always thought it was a Turbo Arrow IV - but we now know it is only a III (Its written on the cowling)and its c/n is in the III production range.
    There is a better side on shot of it in the more recent post covering the Darfield wings and Wheels fly-in.
    Cheers.

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