Mustang 45-11513/NZ2423 restoration visit

Hi all,

On January 13 2022 Brendon Deere was kind enough to host me at his Biggin Hill Historic Aircraft Centre, located at RNZAF Base Ohakea and allowed me to see his P-51D project up close (as well as put up with a lot of questions!). 

This aircraft, 45-11513/NZ2423 is one of several RNZAF surplus aircraft that were bought and preserved by the late John Smith of Mapua in the 1950s-60s (see shorturl.at/qtIR4), among their number being a DH Tiger Moth, two P-40 Kittyhawks (one now being restored to fly), a DH Mosquito FB.VI (shorturl.at/gimK3) which has been conserved in running condition (https://youtu.be/L6engpjSfzE), and several literal tons of parts for many other aircraft. This was widely publicised as a "barn find" following John's death in August 2019 (shorturl.at/cgDI7) but had been an open secret worldwide among warbird enthusiasts for many years. John was very reclusive and publicity shy but many people were fortunate to be allowed into The Shed to take a look at this truly remarkable collection. Here's a look:

Brendon Deere is well-known in New Zealand for restoring and operating Spitfire Mk.IXc PV270 (https://flic.kr/s/aHsmUPtEm3), painted in the markings of his uncle the Battle of Britain pilot Al Deere, as well as an ex-RNZAF Harvard and a Grumman Avenger wearing wartime RNZAF markings (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/albums/72177720298364919). I was very pleased to hear that Brendon had been entrusted with Mustang NZ2423 by the Smith family, not just because I've known him since 2004 but also because Ohakea is less than an hour's drive from my home! The aircraft was also based at Ohakea for almost all its RNZAF service between 1952 and 1957.

When I visited work was underway: Pete Burgess was focused on pipes for the recently-installed oil radiator and Joe Deere was working on the windscreen side glazing. Brendon and Pete said that as a restoration project the Mustang is a lot more straightforward than the Spitfire was. John Smith saved as much as he could from the scrappers over the years and as such they've had to source very few parts from outside what came from Mapua - they have multiples of many parts, such as six canopies and eleven undercarriage legs! Besides what you see in the photos below there's also a shipping container with countless spares yet to be inventoried.

Brendon said the fuselage is structurally complete and the systems/plumbing work is now underway. She's being restored in her original single seat condition - the fuselage fuel tank is fitted, the radio rack is awaiting refurbished sets to be installed, and she will fly in 2023 with bomb racks and rocket rails, painted in Number 2 (Wellington) Territorial Air Force markings. 

The wing, being restored by Odegaard Wings at Kindred, ND, is now awaiting shipment home while the engine (restored by Vintage V-12s at Tehachapi, CA) was reinstalled on February 14 having been test run (shorturl.at/alqM2) for the first time since 1957. As of her final flight on May 30 1957 airframe and engine total time was 260hr 55min.

All of the pipework you see in the photos is original, as is much of the hardware. It will be one of the most original Mustangs flying anywhere when complete.

It's all rather exciting! If you're keen to see more I have all the photos I took (including the other aircraft in the hangars) on my Flickr account: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjzyruz

DH Venom air-to-air...from a Tiger Moth?!

On April 25 I turned up at the Wanganui Aero Club to see the Air Force Heritage Flight of New Zealand's Anzac Day flypast, consisting of a Spitfire Mk.IX, Grumman TBM Avenger and two RNZAF T-6C Texan trainers. Darren Luff, club president and owner of Tiger Moth ZK-BEF, saw me and asked “what are you and your camera up to later?” and I was honest in saying “nothing really!”. After the flypast I found Darren and his dad John, who owns the only flying de Havilland DH-112 Venom Cold War jet fighter, chatting and so sat with them. They were discussing comparative speeds and flypast - due to speed not so much formation - positioning and it was when John asked me “where would be best for you?” that I realised I was to take photos of the Venom from the Tiger Moth.

I’m not sure anyone else has ever done this. Let’s just say 1) a bigger lens would have helped and b) those shoulder straps really make it tricky to shoot very far behind! I’m still kinda stunned (and humbled beyond words) I was asked to do this and, despite experience and equipment limitations, that I was able to get anything at all! Considering it was the first time they’d flown these two aircraft together John did a terrific job slowing down to allow for photos, no mean feat given the difference in performance! And yes: Darren had the Tiger going full throttle!

We had three photo runs. John flew the Venom past us a little too far for me first time, swung round and came in closer for the second attempt which made for some good front-3/4 shots, then we turned back to Whanganui and he came past even closer with everything hanging out - a surreal sight while sitting up front in a Tiger - before we parted ways: John back to do a circuit or two, us to drop in to local aviation identity Richmond Harding’s place for a catch-up and then home.

Processing the photos confirmed what I thought midflight: the same lens I complain is no good for airshow photos isn’t particularly suited for air-to-air either! However I’m pleased with what I got. Here’s hoping I can track down a bigger lens to get the photos John and Darren were looking for.

As we were getting ready to go, and when we arrived back at the clubrooms, I kept telling people “I just came here to see the flypast!!”