Documentary: Peter Jackson's Military Treasures

[k5054nz]

Hi all,
Apparently filmed in 2019, this Forces News documentary on Sir Peter Jackson and his passion for all things Great War with a lot of footage shot in the highly secretive The Vintage Aviator Limited factory - see what types you can spot - and of TVAL's airworthy aircraft doing their thing. Plus a look at his memorabilia collection, the Knights of the Sky display at the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre and, kinda bittersweet, a section on Wingnut Wings.

Enjoy. I really, really did!

 

https://youtu.be/7gmZ9X9Aplk

[hairystick]

I have to agree Zac, that's a great documentary covering a multitude of topics.

A shame they couldn't spend more time on the kitsets, but interesting regardless.

 

Interesting to see John Lanham involved now. Ex air force test pilot.

 

Thanks for posting this up!

[spruecutter96]

An excellent documentary of a very evocative subject. The section on Wingnut Wings was particularly intertesting - no mention that the whole company would be "frozen" a few years after this was shot (so, no surprise there!). 

 

I shudder to think what his collection of real aircraft would have cost to build. The mentioned "hundred of thousands" sounds WAY too low to me - was there some creative accounting going on here? 

 

Chris. 

[spitfire]

That was very interesting and I enjoyed it thoroughly, thank you for posting it.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[Don149]

Thank you for posting Zac , just great ! ,

                                                              Don .

[sinnerboy]

I don't normally do jealous, but I will make an exception in this case.

Thanks for posting

[k5054nz]

On 11/9/2021 at 10:40 PM, hairystick said:

Interesting to see John Lanham involved now. Ex air force test pilot.

John's been involved since the beginning. He and the late Stuart Tantrum built Redfern Dr.I ZK-FOK which Sir Peter bought around the same time as the replica Camel (1999?) and I believe is the primary pilot for it to this day. I'm not sure he was ever accredited as a test pilot but he's had a fascinating career.

 

For anyone wondering exactly what aircraft TVAL/Sir Peter own, from the top of my head:

- seven replica Fokker Dr.I

- one original and one replica Camel

- two reproduction FE.2

- two reproduction BE.2, reproduction BE.12, original BE.2f

- two reproduction Fokker E.V/D.VIII

- one repro and one replica Fokker D.VII

- original F2B

- original Hanriot HD.1

- repro RE.8

- two repro Pups

- repro Snipe

- repro DH.4 (American)

- three repro SE.5a

- replica Nieport XI

- replica Pfalz D.III

- replica Sopwith Triplane

- repro Albatros D.II

- two repro Albatros D.Va

- replica DH.5

- repro LVG C.VI

 

And that's the aircraft currently airworthy, not including "resting" replicas in the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre (I can think of at least ten), unairworthy originals (more than five), or anything spotted in the workshop in the documentary!

[hairystick]

On 11/11/2021 at 2:55 PM, k5054nz said:

I'm not sure he was ever accredited as a test pilot but he's had a fascinating career.

I was informed he went down that pathway amd ended up doung the Kahu testing?

 

Tval: I believe one of the exhibits at Hendon's WW1 hangar is a product from Masterton.

[Swamp Donkey]

What a marvellous documentary. I’ve got a very big grin across my ugly mug! Would love to go and see that collection - maybe one day?
 

SD

[k5054nz]

19 hours ago, hairystick said:

I was informed he went down that pathway amd ended up doung the Kahu testing?

Steve Moore was the Kahu testing guy and I think remains the only accredited test pilot we've had since WW2. He featured in the BBC documentary series Test Pilot. John was CO of 75Sqn at one point.

 

Quote

Tval: I believe one of the exhibits at Hendon's WW1 hangar is a product from Masterton.

Two! The RE.8 (according to the RAFM website it has some original components) and the Albatros D.Va.