DH Mosquito TV959 to fly in NZ very soon

[KiwiZac]

Hi all,
de Havilland Mosquito T.III TV959, formerly with the Imperial War Museum at Lambeth, is now part of Paul Allen's Flying Heritage Collection and has been under restoration by Mosquito Aircraft Restoration and Avspecs near Auckland, New Zealand for the last 4yr. Now with the NZ civil registration ZK-FHC    the finishing touches have been added over the past week, followed by engine runs and taxis (in case you're curious: word on the tarmac is that she won't be painted until she gets home to the US). This will be the second Mossie restored to fly in NZ after they did Canadian-built FB.26 KA114 for Jerry Yagen, which returned to the skies almost 4yr ago, and the third airworthy worldwide. Here's my video of KA114's debut to whet your appetite:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/jTFQmrNBz8E

Dave Phillips, one of the two pilots who test-flew and displayed KA114 in NZ, arrived back home yesterday and managed to get in a brief run and taxi before it was taken back in for some extra work. More pics at NZ Civil Aircraft and MRC Aviation, both of which I've been refreshing regularly for more news. Unfortunately the rain came early yesterday - Saturday's photos of TV959 having fuel tanks filled and tested showed gorgeous blue skies - and, if it's not today, it'll be Sunday.

Which is when I'll be there! I could be there for the first post-restoration flight!!!! I'm rather excited!

The hope was for her to take part in the annual Battle Of Britain commemorative flypast over Auckland - I decided this was the perfect opportunity to drive up and hopefully see her fly - and interest in her is such that organisers the NZ Warbirds Association have arranged for an open day-type event where the public can come and see her and the other resident warbirds on static display. I will be taking photos and, should she fly on Sunday, video to share.

Fortunately today is set to be a very easy day at work for me so, as with yesterday, I'll be monitoring emails and txt messages, refreshing blogs and forums, visiting Facebook and checking the airport weather webcams for any activity.

The weather's looking better all the time. I'll keep you posted!

[Captain Canada]

Wouldn't that be sweet ! Hope it all comes together for you 

[KiwiZac]

Thanks Cap! 

As if I wasn't excited enough, ace photographer Gavin Conroy has just shared a photo of her: they've put her in post-war RNZAF markings! Awesome!!!  https://www.facebook.com/ClassicAircraftPhotography/posts/10154418466899713:0

[KiwiZac]

The first flight didn't happen today, but that doesn't mean there aren't some more nice photos to look at:
http://nzcivair.blogspot.co.nz/2016/09/zk-fhc-marked-as-nz2337-at-ardmore-16-9.html
https://nzcivair.blogspot.co.nz/2016/09/more-on-dh-98-tiii-mosquito-zk-fhc-at.html

[KiwiZac]

TV959 made its maiden post-restoration flight in the last half-hour or so! That makes three airworthy Mossies worldwide!

Here's a link to an air-to-air pic of her, shot from two-seater Spitfire MH367 by Gavin Conroy: https://www.facebook.com/ClassicAircraftPhotography/photos/a.280330269712.142043.265224834712/10154445681344713/?type=3&theater

Congratulations to everyone involved! Woo! Will be hoisting a beverage in their direction tonight!

[Captain Canada]

Gorgeous. She looks great in those colours....I'd love to see that !

[KiwiZac]

So would I!!! The closest I got was pressing my camera (and nose) against the restoration shop's tearoom window:


It made its second flight on Thursday: http://nzcivair.blogspot.co.nz/2016/09/dh-98-t-iii-mosquito-zk-fhc-airborne.html