The Canadian Historical Aircraft Association
Its a busy time for the CH2A, in spite of the winter
weather. This is the time for catch-up, travel and learning. Our Mike Beale
made his way to New Zealand in February to inspect the Mosquito Bomber Group’s
fuselage project. His story is reprinted with permission from the author.
Mike’s Excellent Adventure in New Zealand
With global communications now an
accepted method of doing business the Mossie Group found a gentleman named Mr.
Glyn Powell located in Papakura just south of Auckland, New Zealand. Glyn has
spent 10 years of his life building the fuselage moulds for the Mosquito
aircraft and the first tryout skins were close to being finished. Our Mossie
Group had committed to accepting this first fuselage in return for payment and
machine jigs, to be built in Windsor, which were very difficult to produce in
the Auckland area. It was a match made in heaven.
This first bomber fuselage would
be ready for removal from the moulds on 2/9/02, and Glyn had requested a
representative from the Mossie Group to inspect, approve, and assist in the
removal from the moulds of these first pieces, which would be joined together
to create the fuselage. Incidentally this is precisely the same manufacturing
technique used to create all Mosquito fuselages, which were produced in
England, Canada and Australia.
You’d think that at my age I would
have learned the old adage to never volunteer, and would stand down… Not so. On
Feb. 5 I boarded a plane in Detroit and 27 hours later arrived in Auckland
where I was greeted by Glyn Powell. For the next few days I was engrossed in
the layout of the fuselage, review of drawings, and an inventory of parts on
hand to be used in the assembly of the fuselage. While I was in Glyn’s hands,
his hospitality and that of his friends spoke volumes about Kiwi kindness, and
congeniality. More on that in a moment.
The day of reckoning was upon us,
and a New Zealand news crew had arrived. In addition a representative from an
Australian museum in Camden arrived, Mr. Pat Tomkins, and a gentleman from the
South Island (a serious collector of deHavilland aircraft) Mr. Colin Smith, as
well as a number of Glyn’s friends, too numerous to mention, and of course,
yours truly. All was in readiness. With cameras rolling, and on cue, Glyn led
the way. We lifted in unison, and with a number of worrisome, loud cracking
sounds the first of the two halves of the Mosquito Bomber released from the
first mould. It was rotated and lifted into place on its assembly fixture. One
down, one to go.
We moved to the number 2 mould,
the second half of the project waiting to see life. Again on Glyn’s command the
group lifted in unison. With more worrisome cracking the surface released.
Wait; the nose section was still firmly holding. More bodies to the forward
section. More cracking and it was free. The second half was lifted and rotated
onto its assembly fixture. A round of spontaneous applause erupted from the
crowd, while cameras rolled. A bottle of Champagne was produced and sprayed on
Glyn and his creation. The first fuselage produced since 1950, precisely built,
to print, using exactly the same technology as used by the deHavilland factory,
came to life. I should add that had this birth not been successful, all would
have been on the evening news in New Zealand. Relief all around...
That evening we gathered around
the television, there we were, in all our glory, bringing Windsor’s Mosquito
fuselage to life, celebrating Glyn’s success.
I believe that with all that had happened that day, and with the activity,
the satisfaction and relief that Glyn felt had not truly sunk in, and wouldn’t
until the celebration had subsided,and all participants had gone home, leaving
him with his work.
With time on my hands before my
return to Canada, Glyn showed me real Kiwi hospitality. I was asked if I would
enjoy a day of gliding/flying. I jumped at the opportunity. Despite winds that
created a somewhat bumpy ride, and while everyone involved apologized for the weather
(as if they had control over the situation) I was towed to altitude behind the
trusty club Cessna and released with my pilot where we soared over the hills of
Papakura. A most enjoyable way to spend the morning.
My host wasn’t through yet. Glyn
asked if I would be interested in flying with the New Zealand Warbirds, in a
Harvard formation flight rehearsal.
Unfortunately, the same winds that affected the gliding flight in the
morning persisted in the afternoon. Formation flying was out. One of the pilots,
Mr. Peter Horton, who was scheduled to fly, said he was going up anyway, and
would I be interested in going with him for a short hop. I scrambled into the
rear seat of his Harvard and off we went. Pete asked if I would like to go
upside down. I said I had traveled a long way to get here and it would be a
shame if I didn’t experience a Northern hemisphere perspective, meaning of
course, inverted. For the next hour Pete and I viewed the Auckland harbor area
and did some aerobatics. Pete checked on his passenger, to confirm that all was
where it should be in the rear cockpit. I have to admit that I took it easy on
my pilot, I didn’t want him to become ill, and I asked for a ceasing of upside
down maneuvers for the day. A return to base and terra firma did wonders for my
health, and my courage. Great fun.
My time at the Ardmore aerodrome
and pub time afterward turned into a proper celebration for our Mosquito
adventure. My word, that New Zealand ale went down easily. It was a wonderful
group of people and an opportunity for Glyn to begin to decompress.
I returned to Windsor on the 12th,
and after another 27-hour flight, and after two days in bed, I was fully
recovered and re-acclimated to the Northern Hemisphere.
My report to our hardworking
Mosquito Group confirmed that there is still a great deal to be done. We remain
committed, and faithful to the project, never losing sight of those who
volunteer and contribute their time to this wonderful work.
Our success through our efforts
and good fortune continues to prove that the Mosquito Group will be ready for
the final assembly in the months to come, and are capable of building a
memorial that will capture the imagination of the world.
Next on the agenda is the ongoing
and pressing matter of fundraising. I have scheduled since my return four
speaking engagements, each with a focus of raising funds for our monstrously
successful program, an effort which adds to the credibility of all the men and
women who participate in our organization, the Canadian Historical Aircraft
Association.
Cheers!
Michael Beale
Co-Chair, Mosquito Bomber Group
Donations gratefully accepted by the Mosquito Bomber
Group. See Mike Beale or Tim Gillies for details, or call the CH2A at
519-966-9742.