forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com
The WW1 modelers' reference library => Aircraft => Topic started by: Jamo on February 10, 2016, 05:48:24 PM
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(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/P1000969b.jpg)
As usual, click on the images to see a larger version
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/P1030185.jpg)
This Avro was one of a batch of six new Avro 504s ordered by the NZ Government in 1925 to replace the WW1 British Government Gift aircraft that had been in use in NZ since 1920.
It was operated by the New Zealand Permanent Air Force.
Despite some reports on the internet, this Avro is not a WW1 survivor, as the NZ Government ordered new machines at the time
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/P1030220b.jpg)
The Avros were eventually replaced with DH-60 Moths and the four survivors were sold into the civil market in 1931.
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/P1030187.jpg)
Five years later it crashed in and its registration cancelled on 05 August 1938. Airframe went to E R Brewster, who used some of the timber to construct a Flying Flea (which is now at the Taranaki Transport Museum). The remains of the Avro then went to the Taranaki Aviation Marine & Transport Museum & then to The Vintage Aero Club in Levin in 1987 where Stuart Tantrum intended to restore it. Stuart relocated to Omaka and took the Avro bits with him, where he formed Antique Aero Engineering Ltd with his son Wayne. Antique Aero Engineering restored several excellent examples of antique aircraft including Rob Mackley's Stearman ZK-BWR and Tiger Moth ZK-BMY.
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/Avro504k5.jpg)
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/Avro504k6.jpg)
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/20160131_132629.jpg)
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/20160131_132635.jpg)
This newspaper report of the restoration from 2002 is interesting:
"An aviation buff has found the logbooks of a World War 1 biplane after a nine-year search.
Stuart Tantrum couldn't believe his eyes when he found the little brown books tucked away in a North Shore second-hand store.
He has been collecting parts to rebuild an Avro 504k plane at Omaka Aerodrome in Blenheim since the mid-1980s.
The logbooks, covering the years 1925 to 1938, contain the names of many early aviation pioneers who flew that plane.
Covering the years 1925 to 1938, the entries include two New Zealand airmen, Lieutenant John Moncrief and Captain George Hood, who went missing in January 1928, attempting to be the first to fly from Australia to New Zealand. Aviator Charles Ulm had his first solo flight in the Avro on October 3, 1928, just three weeks after completing the first transtasman flight with Charles Kingsford-Smith.
Mr Tantrum said the logbooks were sitting in a box of other books.
"It was of no value whatsoever to other people but when you have the other parts of the aircraft it is absolutely priceless."
When Mr Tantrum has found a piece of an Avro 504k it has often been from the 504k with the machine number A202.
"It has been very exciting and challenging. I have got so many pieces through sheer coincidence, it is almost scary, like there is a ghost who wants the aircraft to be rebuilt," he said.
He estimates he has about 70 per cent of a complete Avro 504k, 60 per cent from the A202. When complete it will be one of only 11 original 504ks left in the world and the only one in New Zealand.
The hunt has taken him all over the North Island and Australia. He has managed to procure parts from the Queensland Museum in Brisbane and others from friends in England and Canada."
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/20160131_132613.jpg)
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/Avro504%20100.jpg)
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/P1060442.jpg)
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/P1030266.jpg)
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/P1030262.jpg)
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/Avro195.jpg)
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/Avro196.jpg)
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/Avro197.jpg)
Lack of a suitable engine delayed this plan however a Gnome Monosoupape was eventually located and it transpired that this engine had actually come from ZK-ACU! The rebuild accelerated markedly after it was purchased by the 1914 -18 Heritage Trust (connected to TVAL via Sir Peter Jackson). Stuart and Wayne Tantrum completed the restoration that Stuart had started 26 years earlier. It returned to the civil aviation register on 13-Oct 2008 owned by TVAL.
ZK-ACU had its first flight from Omaka Aerodrome at Blenheim at the Classic Fighters airshow on 2-April 2009, piloted by Gene DeMarco.
Three weeks later it flew at TVAL's ANZAC Day airshow at Hood Aerodrome.
Here are a couple of my photos from that occasion taken with my first digital camera, a crappy Sony compact
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/Avro504k1.jpg)
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/AvroApr09037.jpg)
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/Avro504k4.jpg)
Sadly, Stuart Tantrum died in 2011 aged 63. ZK-ACU is a very special aircraft in the TVAL collection as it is NZ's oldest airworthy aircraft
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/Avro504k11.jpg)
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/IMG_5645.jpg)
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/IMG_5644.jpg)
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/Avroproplogo.jpg)
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/AvroJan10008.jpg)
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/AvroJan10001.jpg)
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/IMG_5638.jpg)
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/IMG_5641.jpg)
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/Avro504k13.jpg)
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/Avro504k14.jpg)
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/Avro504k15.jpg)
Notice the drain holes in the wing and aileron
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/Nov2010117.jpg)
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/Avro504k20.jpg)
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/P1030290.jpg)
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/P1060441.jpg)
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/P1060441b.jpg)
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/P1060117b.jpg)
Thanks for looking in
Cheers
James
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Artwork by Peter Green. This is a hi-res image
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/Avro_504_big_a.jpg)
Plans by Peter Green
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/Avro_504_plans.jpg)
Article from Scale Models, May 1975. I think the author may be Ray Rimell
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/Avro%20p1sm.jpg)
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/Avro%20p3sm.jpg)
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/Avro%20p4sm.jpg)
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/Avro%20p5sm.jpg)
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/Avro%20p6sm.jpg)
Plans drawn and traced by A.A.P. Lloyd from the same Scale Models article
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/Avro%20p2.jpg)
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James,
thank you so much for posting all this - especially the pix of all those stains, lubricant, petrol and everything else are marvellous.
Maybe, someday, there will be something from WNW to put your photos to good use...
S.
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Great spread as always Jamo, and the aircraft history as well. Thanks for this!
Cheers,
Lance
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James,
Thank You for posting the photos and drawings/article. I must say the 504 wasn't on my WNW wish list but seeing the photos has changed my mind!
RAGIII
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James, Big Thanks for posting, great pictures !
Yes, a WNW kit would be nice, a Dolphin even better.
Ed
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Yes, a WNW kit would be nice, a Dolphin even better.
Ed
I agree with you on the Dolphin Amigo!
RAGIII
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James,
Thank You for posting the photos and drawings/article. I must say the 504 wasn't on my WNW wish list but seeing the photos has changed my mind!
RAGIII
Yes, I feel the same way. I never thought about the Avro much, but now I see it's charm. Thanks, James!
George
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I adore the 504 ;)
Thank you, James
vB
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Same here. Thanks, James. I've got a couple of the Blue Max kits and these photos will sure come in handy.
Cheers,
Bud
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Thanks James for the wonderful photos and the history of this plane, I've been waiting a long time for Wingnuts to releases this as a kit.
Des.
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Here is my version of the logo ;)
Yes, the B is for Bob ;D
(http://i1263.photobucket.com/albums/ii626/d4rkgimp/Avro_zpssmb4iidd.jpg)
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thanks james again for your tirelessly bringing us modellers photos we can use to make our projects more realistic.
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(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/P1000969b.jpg)
As usual, click on the images to see a larger version
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Avro%20504K/P1030185.jpg)
Hi James,
Is there any chance you’d be able to reinstate these photos? Your walkarounds are fantastic and I’m doing some Avro-related research and would love to see your photos of ACU...as you know, she’s a favourite of mine and I recently discovered she spent a few years in my hometown of Wanganui!
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That would be awesome if you could Jamo, especially with the new Roden kit on it's way. Regards, Pete in RI
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Yes I can do that but it will have to wait until Sunday when I get home from a week holiday in The Catlins and Central Otago
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The photos have been uploaded (all in hi-res) to this folder over at Smugmug.com:
https://jamesfahey.smugmug.com/Avro-504K-ZK-ACU/
To download, don't use a right mouse button click, use the small download icon, otherwise you won't get full size images.
Quality of images varies over the years as my camera and skills have improved. If there are areas of particular interest for anyone, let me know and can take some more pics ;-)
Cheers
James
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Thank you, Jamo
They are a great set of resources for an Avro 504 modeller.
I've downloaded them all at one using the website facility to receive a link and download a zip comprised of all the pictures...
I think this can be helpful also for other fellow modellers.
Thanks again
er me
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Thank you James, this is very much appreciated!
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What a great set of pictures! Thank you James for making them accessible again.
This will be a great help while building my BlueMax kit one day ...
Cheers,
Frank
PS: The picture on which the German Shepherd dog defends his plane is funny!