After fifty years on display outside the Short Sunderland has just been moved into the main aviation display hall. This is a wonderful achievement and she looks great with a completely new paint job shining bright white. The move was made possible by placing two of the Lockheed twins, the Ventura and Hudson into storage with their wings removed, and having the DC3 in the main Belfast workshop.The Solent flying boat has also been moved inside following a complete repaint. There is still interior work to be completed on both the big flying boats but they are now protected and preserved inside finally.
Thanks go to Ron Wilson for pointing out the following anniversary last year: "50 years ago today (Saturday 7 May 1966) the Solent ZK-AMO was towed
across the harbour from Hobsonville to Meola Creek. I gather things
didn't go completely to plan because it was left on the mudflats
overnight before it was hauled out next day. Then it was towed down the
Reef, across Meola Rd and up the slope and successfully positioned near
the school boundary,facing out to the harbour. It was the first exhibit
to occupy the new site which was a bare open patch of clay with the
rubbish tip still in full operation at the other side of the property.
The Solent stood alone there over that winter and defied the vandal and
arson attacks until it was joined by the Sunderland in the following
February. It had to wait outside for a further twenty-five years until financial
support could be rallied to build Stage II of the first aviation display hall. Fast
forward another twenty-five years to today and the Solent takes pride of place in
the new display hall. But there is still unfinished business. An
extensive restoration program was commenced and the Museum is still fund
raising a substantial amount to complete it. Along with the
Sunderland, these projects are the priorities for the budget and
workforce at present and are examples of the long-term commitment that
is required when a large exhibit is acquired."
Another recent development was the addition of nose art and new serial number to the port side of the Lancaster. Its port side paintwork now represents Lancaster NE181 JN-M "The Captain's Fancy" which served with 75 (New Zealand) squadron and completed over 100 bombing missions in Europe during WWII. A replica grand slam 22,000lb bomb is also now on display, along with a documentary film about New Zealanders serving with Bomber Command.A great new video has been produced by Motat to encourage people to volunteer, here is Carolina Gamez, and aviation team member.
