Southern Dove

[K5054NZ]

Okay, so it's no closer to being completed in model form, but here's what she will look like.

Defender of the Seas[/b]
By Grant Hamilton, photos by Roger Waters

Supermarine Walrus HD874 was delivered to the Royal Australian Air Force in 1943. The aircraft was used for search and rescue, as well as communications duties around Australia. In 1947 she was posted to Heard Island, Antarctica, where she crashed on December 20 of that year.
The wrecked aircraft was left to the elements until it was discovered by a five-man party from the Greenpeace organisation in August 1978. Group leader Frank Spencer, an aviation enthusiast, wrote to the RAAF asking for permission to recover the remains, this being granted on September 12. The aircraft was put aboard Greenpeace's flagship "Rainbow Warrior" and sailed to Auckland, New Zealand. There the aircraft, consisting of little more than a fuselage, was put into an intensive restoration with Air Parts at Hamilton. The wings were manufactured in-house, and the original Bristol Pegasus engine replaced with a Pratt & Whitney R1340 (purchased from an RNZAF surplus auction).
The aircraft was completed in 1980, and took to the air on June 19 that year wearing the registration ZK-LMK. The aircraft was painted white with a blue cheatline, and was used by Frank Spencer to tour the country. Tragically, he was killed in a car accident in 1983. In his will he specified the Walrus be donated to Greenpeace. This began what has been the most interesting part of the type's history.

Supermarine Walrus ZK-GSD airborne near Wanganui airport shortly before being grounded for her annual overhaul

The aircraft was repainted in a scheme similar to Greenpeace's ships - a green hull, white lower wing, blue tail and upper wing. A rainbow was painted on the forward fuselage, and Greenpeace logos on the fuselage and top wing. The aircraft was reregistered ZK-GSD, and christened "Southern Dove". A later addition, carried out in 1995, was the addition of "SAVE THE WHALES" under the lower wing in red.
Since her "rebirth" as a Greenpeace aircraft, GSD has been seen across the world aboard the Rainbow Warrior - in French Polynesia protesting against nuclear testing at Muroroa, harrassing Japanese and Norweigian whaling boats, and supporting Maori rights protests in New Zealand.

A view of ZK-GSD's underside, illustrating her distinctive signage and (inset) a view of her top wing

Today GSD is undergoing overhaul at Wanganui, where the accompanying pictures were taken. She will emerge in a vastly different colour scheme, as she is currently being offered for sale. A warbird syndicate is known to have placed an offer for the unique aircraft, and will probably operate it in authentic RNZAF colours.

Sunset for Southern Dove. Following her overhaul, ZK-GSD will be offered for sale and repainted in a vastly different colour scheme. More than 20 years service with Greenpeace will be celebrated at a crew reunion in Auckland next month

Enjoy! I don't have the heart to paint that much white yet on my model!

[K5054NZ]

Sorry the pics are so small, Photobucket must've resized them. Email or PM me if you'd like the originals, or a copy of the plane for your Flight Simulator! She's in FS2002Pro, but should work on '04  ^_^ .

[Brian da Basher]

Great backstory and a nice bit of graphics there Zac! I'm looking forward to seeing pics of this build when you get your digicam back.

Brian da Basher

[Tophe]

Reminding the Rainbow Warrior plane is painful here in France... I do not mean at all that Greenpeace is Evil, I mean: how an elected team (President Mitterand and followers), pretending to be representative of a whole people, can have turned criminal up to military action against civilians in a foreigh country?
This innocent biplane does not look like a monster deserving death penalty...
Just don't conclude, please, that The French are criminals. I, born French, hated Mitterand cheating again and again, stealing taxpayers' money - like the other candidates would have done I know - but we humble French people are more victims than accomplices. President Chirac, main opponent of Mitterand, decided to continue the nuclear tests in the Pacific, so how could we choose? And I voted Chirac cause his final opponent was even worse, promising to chase away any foreigner daring to live and work here...
The Rainbow Warrior memory does not make me smile    while this biplane is lovely, yes

[K5054NZ]

I understand, Tophe, I love France and the French people         , this is just a model. I have no wish to trigger any painful memories AT ALL, just to make another whif model and make it look good!

Thanks for your positive comments, guys! And Bri, I still need to reattach the upper wing after the plane took a flight off my table, accidentally launched by Lana......

[cthulhu77]

Well, see...now you have a name for your new catapault system.  L.A.N.A.  (Light Air Naval Assistance)  

  Looking good...great story.  As a supporter of Greenpeace, I love it...and  Tophe, if you think it is painful being French...trying being American right now.  Yikes.  Our leaders suck.

                       greg

[AeroplaneDriver]

Looking good Zac.  Cant wait to see that scheme on the finished model.

[The Rat]

Sorry the pics are so small, Photobucket must've resized them.

Had that happen to me a few weeks ago. I just erased them, resubmitted them, and all was right with the world. Don't know what caused it.  

She's going to look lovely when you get her done Zac!

Now, back to the bench, come on, off you go...  ^_^  

[K5054NZ]

Thanks for your words guys. And I'll try the erase-resubmit method.


Build it? As I have time off today, i'll try reattaching that wing. Jeez I thought it was on there nice 'n' good too!


BTW the rainbow on the bow/nos will have a coupla more colours, I just couldn't be bothered with the FS version.


EDIT: Yeah, it didn't work. damn. I'll get onto the model soon though.

[Captain Canada]

Looking good, Zac ! Nice story, too....and I'm looking forward to seeing it kitted as well.

Tophe, I don't think anybody holds the French people responsible for that mistake, especially not you ! It's just too bad more people and Nations didn't protest the tests, and stop them before that happened.

[K5054NZ]

Well Todd, you asked for it:


You may remember the wing was originally attached, but I'm sure you're all familiar with the "Lana broke my Greenpeace aeroplane" story/excuse.

But on my midweek weekend I'll try get 'er back together. And, after the encouragement of Bri and Greg, I'm gonna attempt rigging too.


 

[Brian da Basher]

Good luck with the rigging Zac! Greg would be the one to ask on this as I still use sewing thread and I'm sure there are better (read less frustrating) methods out there. Rigging can be a giant pain, but most biplanes don't look complete without it. Sometimes, if I've got enough spare time and I'm in the mood, I even enjoy rigging! I'm looking forward to seeing how your Southern Dove looks when complete.

Brian da Basher

[The Rat]

...I'm sure you're all familiar with the "Lana broke my Greenpeace aeroplane" story/excuse.

Yeah, and just last night the dog ate my homework.  

   

[Damian2]

It wasn't Lana it was my secret French anti-commie and anti-hippy strike squad. When no one was looking the crippled the plane, this time tho they CHECKED to make sure people weren't on board.

Next will be the bombing run by the S.F.A.C.A.H Mirage 2000s!!!