Radleigh Posted October 1, 2017 Share Posted October 1, 2017 No, not a Mosquito, a Sea Hornet. I had to take a double look too! Quote Avspecs wrote: The announcement in Classic Wings Downunder has caused quite a stir it seems there are a lot of people out there who are as excited as us about this. We have already had a lot of questions asked about all manner of details so hopefully my bullet points below will answer most of these. The project is currently owned by Pioneer Aero. It is located at our hangar at Ardmore, Auckland New Zealand and at this point is not available for public viewing. Yes the intention is to return it to flight. It is a DH 103 Sea Hornet, it is not a Mosquito There is still a lot of detail to be worked through so we have no firm idea of time frames at this stage. Yes we are a little crazy. It is appropriate at this stage to acknowledge and thank the following people. Corin McCrae , Aerowood. Mr Reg Field. David Collins, Project Hornet. U.K. Hugh Jones U.K. 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 1, 2017 Share Posted October 1, 2017 Oh. My. God! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted October 1, 2017 Share Posted October 1, 2017 Go Kiwis. If anyone can, these guys can. I've seen several of their restorations/rebuilds & they are simply bloody exquisite. Steve. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackem01 Posted October 1, 2017 Share Posted October 1, 2017 I didn't think there were any Hornets still extant - is it a full airframe? Pics anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted October 1, 2017 Share Posted October 1, 2017 I'm guessing it will be a collection of metal bits, reverse engineered where need be or made to drawings, incorporated into a new build airframe much as they're doing with Mosquitos, just a guess mind you, no inside info. Steve. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darby Posted October 1, 2017 Share Posted October 1, 2017 Somebody pinch me! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
upnorth Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 Were it anyone but Avspecs trying to do it, I'd not have believed such a thing possible. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12jaguar Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 Partly due to David Collins who haunts these here parts :). He also runs the Hornet Project here in the UK John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Headroom Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 Trevor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wyverns4 Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 NO, no, no, no, Yes, YYYYYEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! Quick check to make sure that it is not 01/04... Nope. YES!!!!!!!!!! IIRC The Mosquito Museum has some of the concrete moulds used to form the fuselage. Oh, boy, a REAL Hornet, (none of that vulgar sucking and blowing), in the air again! One happy man Christian 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drift Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 PICS, or it is not happening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meatbox8 Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 Really exciting news And it's October, not April 1st. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 A future Lidar project - perhaps? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bentwaters81tfw Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 That will be something to see. Imagine a Mossie and a Sea Hornet together in the air....in the UK! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 Very good news, wish this venture all the best of luck ! Watching a Hornet being reborn will be fantastic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old thumper Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 I would love to see a Hornet, what a beautiful aircraft it was. I am not worried how original the aircraft will be but assume it will be a recreation using the dna from one or two originals. I greatly look forward to seeing it built. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 I bought the latest Classic Wings mag today, a little more on the story behind this & so went looking on the net & found this article from Warbirdsnews.com which seems to have the whole story pretty well. It'll be a huge undertaking, I wouldn't expect this to come to fruition for quite a few years. I wonder who is behind it, there'll be several buckets full of shekels involved? Steve. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hairystick Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 20 hours ago, stevehnz said: I bought the latest Classic Wings mag today, a little more on the story behind this & so went looking on the net & found this article from Warbirdsnews.com which seems to have the whole story pretty well. I note that the warbirdsnews mentions Aerowood, but links to a UK site instead of the South Auckland company. With Glynn Powell's expertise with the Mossie fuselages and wings, hopefully a brighter future is assured with the "wooden wonders"! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 I hadn't noticed that, I'd guess a mistake made while compiling the article, a pointless link otherwise, as the DH Museum is linked to below with mention of a surviving fuselage mould. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davepb Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 I used to have a picture of 806 Sq FAA doing a 4 ship formation loop in New York on "Half Power". One aircraft with both engines turning, two with one engine stopped and feathered, and one with both engines stopped and feathered! Doubt if they would approve that for Duxford. Has anyone got a copy of that photo to post? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old thumper Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 Wouldn't finding engines be a problem? Were they not much different to standard Merlins? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 Back in the day it was engine problems that grounded TT193 while in Kenting Aviation's hands, and they supposedly couldn't persuade the Admiralty to sell them spares. Who knows what is squirrelled away nowadays or could even be manufactured from new with enough shekels. I'm sure this has been considered though. It may even be that some of the V-12 restorers have take off reverse gear casing from engines they've rebuilt for racers or other restored Merlin engined aircraft. AFAIK, it was all in the reduction gearing on the front of the motor, rather than actual reverse rotation engines. I believe some of the later Mosquitos had the same set up. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72modeler Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 1 hour ago, stevehnz said: Back in the day it was engine problems that grounded TT193 while in Kenting Aviation's hands, and they supposedly couldn't persuade the Admiralty to sell them spares. Who knows what is squirrelled away nowadays or could even be manufactured from new with enough shekels. I'm sure this has been considered though. It may even be that some of the V-12 restorers have take off reverse gear casing from engines they've rebuilt for racers or other restored Merlin engined aircraft. AFAIK, it was all in the reduction gearing on the front of the motor, rather than actual reverse rotation engines. I believe some of the later Mosquitos had the same set up. Steve. I think you're correct, as I seem to recall reading somewhere that one of the cowlings on Hornets and Sea Hornets was longer than the other due to the gearing necessary for reverse rotation on one of the Merlins. I think a lot of repositioning and changing of the engine-mounted accessories and drives was also done to fit them into those very slim and tight engine cowlings. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 On 01/10/2017 at 8:45 PM, mackem01 said: I didn't think there were any Hornets still extant - is it a full airframe? Pics anyone? It's a fairly complete wing centre section out to the nacelles they have, and a good amount of the metal fittings. The Hornet of course used a lot more metal than the Mosquito did, particularly in the wings. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Britman Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 Sea Hornet, F20 or NF 21? I don't mind, but I do like the 21! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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