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Biggin Hill hangar extension

NOTE: Ohakea access - as the Spitfire is now located at RNZAF Ohakea, public access to the Spitfire is limited. Organised groups who may wish to visit the ITL Aviation hangar at Ohakea where the Spitfire is now located, should in the first instance write to:  'Spitfire Visit Request', Commanding Officer, Operational Support Wing, RNZAF Base Ohakea, Private Bag 11033, Palmerston North. Such access is at the operational discretion of the RNZAF.
The Biggin Hill hangar has had its floor area increased by 50% (another 300m2) to provide a bit more room for the aircraft housed there. Total floor area now is 980m2. 
Spitfire PV270 made its bi annual pilgrimage to the Classic Fighters airshow at Omaka near Blenheim over Easter to complete the summer flying season. 

 

Gavin Conroy photo
Spitfire PV270 completed four flights at the airshow including the formation finale each day with the Mosquito and other WW2 fighters.  Good weather on both days made it a very successful show to attend. Thanks to Dion Buchanan who let us use his hangar at Masterton to keep the Spitfire secure.

 

Gavin Conroy photo
As 2012 comes to an end, we look back on a successful year for PV270 and look forward to 2013. You can click on the photo to download a full resolution version - right click to save.

Special thanks to the many who have assisted us during the year and followed our Spitfire on line. Special thanks to Joe Deere, Pete Burgess and the team at Fieldair Engineering who have kept the Spitfire in top condition.

PV270's last public appearance for 2012 will be at the Marton Christmas Parade on Saturday 15th December at 3-30pm followed by a full display at RNZAF Ohakea.
Battle of Britain weekend 2012

We are able to complete all planned flying despite initial bad weather forecasts - the fine weather stayed long enough on Sunday to complete both Spitfire and Avenger flying. Here on the right the Spitfire passes down the runway at Wellington Airport before heading back to Ohakea (Phil Craig photo). On Sunday at Ohakea, the Spitfire and Avenger were able to formate for the first time with the Avenger's first flight after the issue of its New Zealand Certificate of Airworthiness

 

 
BIGGIN HILL Historic Aircraft Centre

An 8 page colour booklet featuring the photographic work of Gavin Conroy and New Zealand Defence Forces photographers is now available for free download. It tells the story of the Biggin Hill Historic Aircraft Centre and the aircraft there. 

Note that the download is a reduced quality version for bandwidth reasons. Click on any image to the right to go to the link for the whole booklet - right click if you want to save the PDF file.

Spitfire PV270 and Grumman Avenger are back in the Biggin Hill hangar after a successful visit to Wanaka and with a good quantity of Wanaka dust on board. We were able to operate both aircraft direct to Wanaka and return non stop on two spectacularly fine days - here passing by the Gino Watkins glacier on the way south and the photo to the left is PV270 taxiing in after the finale on Sunday to end a great weekend. Thanks to Sean Perrett (Spitfire) and Guy Stevenson (Avenger) for some great flying.
Grumman TBM-3 Avenger has arrived at Ohakea and is currently being prepared for its appearances at the RNZAF 75th Anniversary airshow and Warbirds over Wanaka. Here seen passing the rail viaduct at Mangaweka shortly before arriving at Ohakea

The ferry of the Grumman Avenger is scheduled now for Wednesday/Thursday 22nd/23rd February. Departure from Toowoomba will be at 0800 local time. The planned flight time to Lord Howe Island is 2 hours 40 minutes and from Lord Howe to Norfolk Island 2 hours 50 minutes. The aircraft will overnight at Norfolk and depart the next morning at 0800. Flight time to Kerikeri is 2 hours 50 minutes and then to Ohakea a further 1 hour 50 minutes. Estimated time of arrival at Ohakea is just after 3pm on the Thursday.

Thanks to the good people at TracPlus (www.tracplus.com), the progress of the flight can be followed on line at: http://public.daestra.com/public/nz2518.aspx by anyone who is interested. The system updates every three minutes and is obviously a great peace of mind for our families who can see where we are at any time. Will try and provide some updates on Facebook and the website (www.spitfirepv270.co.nz) before departure, from Norfolk and after our arrival at Ohakea.

Jim Rankin is unable to make the trip because of a clash of commitments and experienced ferry pilot Guy Stevensen from KiwiAir will now be in charge of the journey.

Avenger now departing Toowoomba 0600 Queensland time (0900 New Zealand time) - Thursday 23rd February; arrive Ohakea 1500 Friday

Public Open Day at Biggin Hill Hangar - Sunday 25th March 2012 from 10am to 4pm. As part of the RNZAF 75th Anniversary celebrations, an art exhibition is to be hosted in the Biggin Hill hangar with the theme "RNZAF Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow". There will be original artworks by artists on display in the hangar and Spitfire PV270, Harvard NZ1037 and the Grumman Avenger TBM-3E will be on display.

RNZAF Force Protection will be providing security and access (at this stage) will be via the old Museum gates with parking behind the hangar on the grass. Please note there will be no flying of the aircraft as this will be the following Saturday of the actual airshow. There is no charge for entry.

Joining PV270 in the Biggin Hill hangar in February is a Grumman TBM-3E Avenger which is currently being prepared in Australia for its ferry to New Zealand
PV270 is dwarfed by the Antonov 124 which bought the first of the RNZAF's NH90 helicopters from France.
PV270 has been signed off its annual maintenance and a check flight performed. It is seen here just before the check flight sharing the apron with one of the new Agusta Westland 109 Light Utility Helicopters.
Engineers from Fieldair are currently working on the annual inspections for PV270. This is a comprehensive sets of inspections and maintenance required every year. PV270 receives around 15 hours of maintenance for every hour it flies!
Recent visitors to the Biggin Hill hangar were the Manawatu Jets National Basketball League team who came for some team photos with the Spitfire. For more information on the Jets see: http://www.thejets.co.nz/cms/page.php?view=home-page
Air Vice Marshal Peter Stockwell visited the Biggin Hill hangar this week as part of a visit to Ohakea. AVM Stockwell takes over from AVM Graham Lintott as the Chief of the Royal New Zealand Air Force. AVM Lintott is to become the Defence Attache at the New Zealand Embassy in Washington.

AVM Stockwell has been Commander Joint Forces New Zealand since 1 May 2009, having been Deputy Chief of Air Force, Air Component Commander, and Assistant Chief Strategic Commitments and Intelligence in the five years previous.

AVM Stockwell enlisted into the Royal New Zealand Air Force in January 1973 as a Navigator under training and was promoted to the rank of Pilot Officer in March 1974. During his career he has posted to Canada, where he was the NZ Defence Air Advisor; as well as being the Defence Force’s Senior National Representative at the USCENTCOM, in Tampa Florida. In 1995, he was awarded the Air Force Cross for his outstanding leadership as Commanding Officer of 40 Squadron at a high-tempo period for the squadron.

Sean Perrett climbs into PV270 for another flight at Omaka, surrounded by German aircraft. The first much anticipated match up between PV270 and the FW190 on Friday afternoon didn't happen as the FW190 suffered propeller damage on its previous flight. Although the weather at Omaka over the weekend wasn't ideal, it still allowed the organizers to stage a fairly full show. PV270 didn't fly only once because of threatening rain. Unfortunately a decision had to be made on the Friday to cancel the ANZAC Day fly pasts for PV270. PV270 will remain at RNZAF Woodbourne for a few days to allow the current bad weather to pass before returning home to RNZAF Ohakea.

Sir Peter Jackson took the time away from the filming of "The Hobbit" to have a close up look at PV270 at Omaka. See his post on his Facebook page here. PV270 was judged the Reserve Grand Champion at the awards dinner on the Sunday evening.

Spitfire PV270 at Wellington Airport on Battle of Britain Day 2010 - Sean Singleton photo

 Spitfire PV270 will transit to Omaka on Thursday morning and will fly on both show days weather permitting. On its return flight on Monday 25th, it will undertake its now annual ANZAC Day flyovers around the Wanganui/Manawatu region. Because of its starting point, this year we have included Wellington and other points north as per the following schedule:

Supermarine Spitfire PV270 2011 ANZAC Day schedule

Location

Time

Wellington

1100

Porirua

1103

Paraparaumu

1108

Waikanae

1109

Otaki

1112

Levin

1115

Waitarere

1118

Foxton Beach

1119

Palmerston North

1126

Feilding

1130

Marton

1135

Aramoho Cemetery

1142

Wanganui

1144

Wanganui Airport (land)

1146

Wanganui Airport (depart)

1245

On Friday 18th March 2011, PV270 will celebrate the second anniversary of its first post restoration flight in 2009 with Keith Skilling at the controls for that first flight. On Saturday 12th March PV270 (Squadron Leader Sean Perrett) was accompanied by our Harvard NZ1037 (Squadron Leader Jim Rankin/Brendon Deere) on a photo flight with photographer Gavin Conroy in a Nanchang piloted by Jay McIntyre. 

The route included Ohakea, Marton and Wanganui. Wanganui will be the landing point for PV270 on ANZAC Day and the arrival is planned to be broadcast live as part of Maori TV's ANZAC Day coverage. It was the first time Harvard 37 and Spitfire PV270 had flown together. Because PV270 will be departing from Omaka on April 25, we will be taking the opportunity to overfly a number of centres on the journey north before the usual Manawatu/Wanganui circuit.

 

Photo: Gavin Conroy
 PV270 joined Doug Brookers TR IX and Graham Bethell's P51D Mustang at RNZAF Whenuapai to celebrate the 70th gathering of 485 Squadron pilots and families.
Spitfire PV270 is refuelled in preparation for its trip to RNZAF Whenuapai  for the 485 Squadron reunion on the weekend of 26/27 February. The reunion is being hosted by the Whenuapai 485 Wing of the RNZAF and here staff of the RNZAF Historic Flight are assisting with the refuelling for this RNZAF event. 

PV270 has six fuel tanks - two in each wing filled from a single filling position on each wing and two fuselage tanks filled via the top tank. The wing tanks feed automatically into the fuselage tanks during flight and will empty first. PV270's fuel capacity is 50 gallons in the wings in addition to the normal fuselage capacity of 87 gallons and thus reducing the number of stops required for long transits such as Wanaka - a single refuelling stop at Ashburton was used on the way to Wanaka in 2010 and in fact PV270 could have made it non stop with the weather conditions on the day.

The new hangar signage has also been put up now with the large Spitfire sign visible to traffic travelling on SH1.

Spitfire PV270 has been moved to its new hangar at Ohakea after 22 months in Hangar 1, the home of the Central Flying School, Pilot Training Squadron, RNZAF Historic Flight and Air Movements section. The new purpose built hangar is located on the eastern side of the base near the hangar facility built to house the new RNZAF Augusta 109 and NH90 helicopter fleet. The 680m2 hangar built by ITL Aviation now houses Spitfire PV270, Harvard NZ1037 as well as our Grumman Cheetah ZK-DLI. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More photos from the move here
Annual maintenance on the Spitfire is nearly complete with the new oil radiator in place and most of the checks completed. The RNZAF Historic Flight Harvard NZ1015 is also having a major check alongside in Hangar 1 at Ohakea. 
Spitfire PV270 has begun its annual maintenance which is expected to be completed by late August. The Merlin engine top end has already been inspected as part of an Airworthiness Directive for Merlin engines with the carbide faced cam lifters and no problems were found. The annual is a series of inspections and maintenance procedures and is also an opportunity to look for any gremlins that may have crept in since last year. We have the task of fitting the new oil cooler radiator to replace the unit which has had a small leak since new. Once completed, the Spitfire should be all set for another 12 months flying.

First advance copies of SPITFIRE Return to Flight have arrived from the printers and gone out to the reviewers. I'm pretty happy with the result but we'll wait and see what the reviewers write. 

For those in Wellington a preview copy is at Capital Books with Tim Skinner and those in Palmerston North a copy is at Paper Plus and at RNZAF Ohakea at the Hot Shots store. Pre orders are available from this website as well as through booksellers. 
PV270 visited Napier on Saturday 19th June as part of the RNZAF Open held during Exercise Wiseowl. On the way in to Napier, it flew over Bridge Pa aerodrome at Hastings. The Spitfire was on static display during the day at the Wisewowl camp and performed a display before heading back to Ohakea. A large crowd was in attendance to see the Spitfire and the RNZAF Airtrainers, Iriquois and Sioux helicopters.

Amongst those getting up close to PV270 were six former Spitfire/Seafire pilots from the Hawkes Bay. From left to right: 

Sean Perrett RNZAF PV270 pilot on the day, David Fail, Charles Bowley, Max Collett, Geoff White, John Caulton, Tony Armstrong

Photo: Napier Mail 

*David Fail flew Spitfires at 58 OTU, Grangemouth.  He then went on to fly Typhoons with 486(NZ) Sqn.

*Charles Bowley is an Aussie who has lived in NZ since 1948.  Originally he flew Kittyhawks with 75 Sqn RAAF in New Guinea - in fact he several times flew, on operations, the P 40N that is based at Ardmore.  In early 1945 he responded to a call for volunteers, dropped rank and transferred to the Royal Australian Navy Volunteer Reserve (Fleet Air Arm) as a Sub Lt.  He flew Seafires with 801 Sqn FAA on HMS Implacable.  

* Geoff White (Flt\Lt G G White DFC) flew with 611 Sqn at Biggin Hill in 1943.Then he went to Malta and flew with 126 Sqn.  During this time he shot shown several a/c before being invalided back to UK with illness.

* Max Collett 485(NZ) Sqn.  Max joined in late 1943 and was with the Sqn all through its trek across the Continent and eventually into Germany as part of the Occupation Forces.

*John Caulton flew with 132 Sqn.  He was shot down on a daytime low level flight over Holland in April 1944 by a Luftwaffe Night Fighter ace.  He was captured and a few hours later met the German pilot Hans-Joachim Jabs. John then became a PoW but he and Achim were to meet many times after the war and become the best of friends.

*Tony Armstrong flew Seafires with 887 Sqn FAA on HMS Indefatigable.

Stories and photos of the above (except Tony Armstrong) are on the Hawke's Bay Aviation Heritage Association Incorporated website www.wings.net.nz

 

The new hangar for Spitfire PV270 is progressing at Ohakea. The hangar is located in the area set aside for the planned Ohakea Visitors Centre near the main highway and in the future it is intended that visitors to the Centre will be able to view PV270 close up in its hangar. The main hangar is 600m2 and the rooms off the side will provides an office, storage and a display room accessible from the main hangar. 

 

Spitfire PV270 now has a Facebook Group available - go to http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=119982544710555
ANZAC Day 2010 - Spitfire PV270 departed Ohakea just before 10am and touched down at Palmerston North at 11am after completing a series of flyovers in the Horowhenua, Wanganui and Manawatu area. It was on display at the airport there for just on two hours and a large number of people took the opportunity to see her up close.

On the Thursday after ANZAC Day, Spitfire PV270 had the sad task of providing the farewell flypast to the three Ohakea airmen who perished on ANZAC Day.

 

Warbirds over Wanaka 2010 - Spitfire PV270 is now safely back at Ohakea after a lengthy trip down and back to Wanaka. She flew six times at Wanaka and has come back with a fair collection of Wanaka dust and dirt to show for it. 

The trip down on Wednesday 31st March was via Ashburton and Spitfire PV270 traveled for a while in company with our formation of two Airtrainers, the RNZAF Historic Flight Harvard NZ1015 and Harvard NZ1037 (see three YouTube clips in the Gallery section). The Spitfire departed Ohakea 30 minutes after the formation with Sean Perrett at the controls and caught up by the top of the South Island before departing ahead to Ashburton. Spitfire PV270 flew six times at Wanaka including providing the finale on Sunday. Flying was by John Lanham for the solo display and finale and by Sean Perrett for the European scenario. 

PV270 returned to Ohakea via Woodbourne on Easter Monday with John Lanham at the controls.

485 Squadron Reunion Whenuapai

Spitfire PV270 departed Ohakea at 0940 on Saturday and touched down at Whenuapai at 1040. The 485 Squadron veterans along with widows of those not there and family members were able to get up close to the Spitfire as well as watch a display by Squadron Leader Sean Perrett at 1400. PV270 returned to Ohakea on Sunday morning. (Above): 485 Squadron veteran Max Collett returns to a Spitfire cockpit (Left): PV270 passes downtown Auckland and the Sky Tower as it tracks into Whenuapai on Saturday morning

Tauranga City Airshow 2010 - 6th & 7th February 2010

Spitfire Alpha Lima arrived at Tauranga Saturday morning at 10-30am after the flight from Ohakea. As the cross wind got up in the afternoon it was decided not to fly her again that day and hope for the best for Sunday when the forecast cross wind was supposed to be only 5 knots. On Sunday we anxiously waited to see what the wind was doing but it began to get up again at midday with the sea breeze as it had on Saturday. We made a rapid decision to refill the wing tanks to allow the pilot, Sean Perrett, to have the option to land or return direct to Ohakea. The Spitfire was scheduled to fly a second time in the airfield attack/fighter flypast but the wind continued to increase to our crosswind limit and the decision was made to not attempt a landing and instead return direct to Ohakea in the interests of safety of the aircraft. 

 

Photo: Gavin Conroy
The Palmerston North Aeroneers recently came out to have a look Spitfire PV270. The members had visited the restoration project on a number of occasions during the rebuild. Merv Matthews brought his 1/5 scale version of the original "AL" EN568. The model is powered by a 15cc four stroke engine and the model weighs in at 11 pounds. It flew twice at the Wings over Wairarapa airshow in January this year

Photo: Merv Matthews

 

Aeroneers web site
The 2009 annual conference of the RNZAF Association is being held at Ohakea over the last weekend in October. A display by Spitfire PV270 was put on for the delegates
Agreement has been reached with the RNZAF for Spitfire PV270 to remain permanently at RNZAF Ohakea. Construction on a new hangar for ITL Aviation will begin at Ohakea next month on a site near the previous Museum location. This area is designated for the Visitor's Centre complex planned for Ohakea and it is planned that the Spitfire and other aircraft in the hangar will be viewable by Visitor's Centre entrants. The 700 m2 hangar will include a display area and will initially house Spitfire PV270 and Harvard NZ1037. Construction is funded by ITL Aviation and not the RNZAF. The agreement was signed by Air Vice Marshal Graham Lintott, Chief of the Air Force. Here AVM Lintott tries out the cockpit of PV270 in its present home of Hangar 1

 

Photo: CPE Ohakea
Sunday 20th September - Battle of Britain Sunday - an informal and largely unpublicised display by Sean Perrett as part of the service at St Marks chapel at Ohakea for local veterans attracted around 300 people showing the power of word of mouth. The Base Air Security staff made many people's day when they allowed the public onto the base area where the Spitfire was operated from - at the threshold of runway 15 near the road - giving people a close up look (and listen) for the starting, run up process and take off from runway 15. Perfect spring weather helped make it a memorable occasion.

Photo: Gavin Conroy 
Tuesday 15th September  - Battle of Britain Day - Spitfire PV270 headed down to Wellington for a flyover at the National War Memorial at 12 noon after the official commemoration service. Here some of dignitaries look skywards as John Lanham flies the Spitfire overhead before making a pass down the runway at Wellington Airport.

Photo: NZDF
Thursday 20th August - Wings Parade RNZAF Ohakea. Spitfire Alpha Lima formated with 3 B200 King Airs for the parade flypast- here the formation passes over the parade just before the break 

Photo Bob Graham
Prime Minister John Key and RNZAF Group Captain Davies-Howard review the graduating officers at Woodbourne as PV270 passes overhead right on cue

 

Photo: NZDF
After completion of the parade flypast at Woodbourne, the Spitfire rendezvoused with photographer Gavin Conroy before returning to Ohakea.
Friday 19th June Spitfire Alpha Lima flew the short distance from Ohakea to Palmerston North to allow the staff of Fieldair Engineering to see the aircraft. Fieldair were a significant sub contractor on the project. 
On Wednesday 27th May the Governor General, his Excellency Hon Sir Anand Satyanand and Lady Satyanand visited RNZAF Ohakea and took time out from their schedule to have a look at the Spitfire. They are pictured here with two of the original restoration team, Joe Deere and Pete Burgess. 

Photo: NZDF
Final stop on the ANZAC Day flypasts was Wanganui Airport where a crowd of somewhere over 500 people had gathered to see the Spitfire. The response was a bit unexpected and overwhelming and greatly appreciated by the team. 

It was a great honour to see the number of old soldiers and airman who had made the journey out to the airport. The traffic jam caused by people arriving to see the aircraft meant it stayed 1/2 an hour longer than planned to give everyone the chance to see PV270. 

Earlier the aircraft had made a circuit around Aramoho Cemetery in Wanganui where Alan Deere's parents (my grandparents) are buried as well as my father and mother and my wife's father - alongside many ex servicemen and women.

In some ways this was the most important public viewing for PV270 - ANZAC Day  - and we hope the people of the towns and cities it flew over will continue to remember and appreciate those that have served their country in every war and conflict - Brendon Deere
Classic Fighters at Omaka was the public debut of PV270. The weather was perfect throughout the weekend allowing the aircraft to fly six times over the three days. Thanks to all who made contact and gave us positive feedback about the Spitfire. We were very proud to receive the award for Grand Champion Warbird at the airshow dinner on Sunday night.
2nd April - Rush hour - Keith Skilling about to depart for another test flight, this time ranging as far as Marton and Wanganui as PV270 continued to perform well. The Tiger Moth is the "hanger mate" of PV270 in 1 Hanger at Ohakea where the RNZAF Historic Flight is based
26th March - 4th test flight and an opportunity for some air to air photography by Gavin Conroy
25th March - 3rd test flight - A unique view from the perspective of Keith Skilling above RNZAF Ohakea - Keith uses a digital camera to record gauge and instrument readings at different stages of the test flying - this is a bonus shot
After the first flight - Keith Skilling, test pilot; Hon. Heather Roy, Associate Minister of Defence; Brendon Deere

My thanks to my wife Shirley and my children Rebecca, Christopher, Joseph, Andrew and Lucy for all their support during this project - Brendon Deere
Return to Flight  - 1812 hours, 18th March 2009, grass vector 09, RNZAF Ohakea, pilot Keith Skilling

Photo: Central Photographic Establishment, RNZAF Ohakea

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