Not sure whether it has hit the news at the top of the world, but there was an Air Show at Ardmore Airport (Auckland, NZ) yesterday where a now fully restored Mosquito was on full active display.
Also flying were a Spitfire, Mustang, Avro Anson, Vampire, a display team of Harvards, Tiger Moth, and others the names of which escape me.
Plus various military vehicle static displays, re-enactor groups, British Car Clubs etc. Only saw one WWII bike, Ken McIntosh had his 16H there. It was too far to take my 16H (and get back the same day) so my Wideline ES2 did the duty.
The only thing missing was a beer tent.
The show was very well attended, we had a great day out, and the Clevedon pub came to the rescue when we departed so all was well.
Some pics can be scrolled through here
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/7747544/WWII-Mosquito-takes-flight

Hi Ian

Funnily enough, 2 friends of mine attended & I have been looking at their photos of the event on Facebook

The mosquito looks great , they both went as Lisa's grandad flew in Mosquitos during the war

They also included a photo of your friends 16h and a nice Ariel square 4

Looked like a good gig !!

Best regards

Job

email (option): Jonnyob1@googlemail.com

I feel much better about the world now that there is a flying Mosquito in it! What a terrific bit of news, thanks for passing it on. The restoration has been reported quite regularly in the press, but this is the first I've heard of the thing actually taking flight and doesn't it look splendid!! Am I right in saying that it was originally intended to call in and do a show at Duxford on its way back to the States?

I had a family member killed in a Mosquito (Pathfinders) right at the end of the war...Across the road from my sisters cottage in Gloucestershire was the (derelict) wartime factory that made the wooden parts for the Mossy.....
Outside were large concrete water tanks where the wood was soaked prior to being formed into shape and inside were four large boilers for providing the steam to heat the wood before the process was carried out...
A fascinating old place and an example of how vital industries were relocated out into the countryside to avoid the attentions of the Luftwaffe.
A few years ago the site was cleared and houses were built there...so another little bit of wartime history has gone..Nice to hear there is one flying again...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Here is another waiting to be assembled. Its stored in a hangar a couple of miles from mine, along with a JU87 and an HE111.






Sorry the pics arn't a bit clearer, its a bit crowded in there.
I am hoping to help with the resto though.
Cheers, Mick.

email (option): mick@motorbikemike.org.uk

Never noticed that the Mozzy Merlins only had 5 exhaust ejectors? Obviously for clearance reasons for some kind of fitting.

they were building a bristol beaufither down under to flying condition have'nt heard about it for ages also i think they should curtail excessive areobatics with these aircraft there have been a lot lost to doing this a mossie an aircobra and a blackwidow to name a few over the last 20 years

email (option): roger.beck@node6.com

I've seen some of the clips from the weekends flight after following the build. They did a few test flights before the airshow. But how fantastic it is to see one fly again.

Took them 8 years to do it and another is being built by the same Guys. This Mossie, I heard has been sold to a chap in the US who was behind the project. Built with modern day epoxies, I bet she is one hell of a plane to fly. In April next year, I finally get my seat in Just Jane (the taxiing running Lancaster here in the UK) I have to admit with the Family history in Bomber Command, the RAF and the love of all things ww2 related that the Allies flew, I cried when my girlfriend gave me the ticket for my 40th, well I had to right...

Hi Kit,
Many years ago when the BBMF was stationed at Coltishall Dad took my brother and I there for a private look round as he was mates with the wingco of 111 squadron. What a fantastic day that was. They were playing around with the Lanc and we were offered a flight! Grandad was a navigator on Lancs, so I was allowed to sit in the navigators seat for the take off. Half way down the runway, nearly off the ground she started to misfire one one engine and they had to abort. None the less, I'll never forget the noise, vibration and thrill of it. A once in a life time event. I still dream about it.
Cheers, Mick.

email (option): mick@motorbikemike.org.uk

Some time ago I found in a charity shop this beautiful wardrobe, a classical example of fine wood craftsmanship. There is a small medallion with “HL” that stands for Harris Lebus, an English furniture company that was in business until 1970.
The company reached its zenith just before World War II, when it employed about 8,000 workers. In 1940, the Harris Lebus company switched to armaments production, their speciality building Horsa Transport gliders and Mosquito fighter-bombers for the Royal Air Force (RAF).
The wardrobe went to my daughter who owns an upgraded Triumph 3TA (compulsory Brit Iron content) and inside I attached a paper with this information, so future owners will know they have a piece of history there.