Bristol Freighter ???

[Raddy]

There was one at Omaka near Blenheim in NZ, I did here they were making slow progress on restoring it to flying status.

[zodiacpilot]

Just watching ‘Operation Buffalo’ on ABC, a Bristol Freighter flies in carrying a VIP’s Rolls-Royce,it is either exceedingly good CGI or it is real. Does anyone on here have any knowledge?

Bit of cutting & splicing going on too. The first scene at the steps of the DC3 and then with the pollies getting out of the Bristol, show same rego. The DC3s, operated by Historic Aircraft Restoration Society.

[boleropilot]

There was one at Omaka near Blenheim in NZ, I did here they were making slow progress on restoring it to flying status.

yeah I remember walking through that one and thinking they had a long way to go - they were asking for donations so I put ten bucks in - twood be wonderful to see that big beastie in the sky again

 

BP

[pmccarthy]

I watched the episode and was really annoyed that the people involved were all played as fools. This will become the historical memory for young Australians. The truth is that a lot of dedicated, hard working people did their best under very difficult circumstances. If there were fools, they were in Whitehall but not in boots on the ground.

[poteroo]

I saw the very 1st commercial charter flight of a Bristol in TAA livery, which flew 2 LandRovers into the old Mt Hagen strip in the PNG Highlands, (5800amsl) in about 1962. The front doors opened with great drama, and out rolled the LRs. Absolute mayhem in the watching crowd of about 3000 'Hagens' dressed up in sing sing gear! Bristols were henceforth known as 'moma bilong truk'. From memory, engine maintenance was an issue and also there wasn't any great rush to crew them.

happy days,

[facthunter]

TAA used them in PNG in the late 50s and they ended up with Air Express doing the tassy run, The DC 3 is AES which actually flies. I think the Bristol in the series is digitalised.. Props don't stop like those do. The engines did mag and prop tests in the run up bays, prior to getting airborne, down the Strathmore end of rwy 26. as did all the piston freighters. The Bristol Freighter used a Radial double sleeve valve engine only and that engine wasn't fitted to many other freight aircraft. The TAA ones came from Pakistan in virtually new condition. Like most PNG ops the planes operated on a PK chart which allowed overloading legally under the guise of being developmental. They experimented with JATO assist for a while with time expired items just to make life a bit more interesting, if it wasn't exciting enough already..They did a job of carrying loads including D 4 bulldozers and building materials to all of PNG as there were no roads then. Apart from one running down a hill and writing itself off I don't think any other was lost. They had air brakes. and if you parked them sideways on a slope LOADED the doors would jamb and not be able to be opened or closed. Nev

Edited June 7, 2020 by facthunter

[facthunter]

I think there's still one in the AIR museum at Christchurch. I climbed over one about 8 years ago. THEY operated quite a few, maybe even in the Antarctic. Nev

[derekliston]

I thought probably CGI except for the Rolls-Royce exiting looked pretty real!

[pmccarthy]

CGI = can't get interested

[red750]

Here are a couple of photos I took today of VH-ADL, the Bristol freighter at the Moorabbin Museum.

 

[Cyrano]

There is a story in the South Australian Aviation Museum, May20 newsletter you might find of interest.

 

Www.saam.org.au

[Deskpilot]

As a kid, I used to see these scenes at Southend - on- Sea airport although this video is from Lydd Airport.

[Jack F]

I can remember Bristol Freighters delivering goods to GEMCO on Groote Eylandt NT. in the early 1970's on a regular basis.

[Jerry_Atrick]

Slightly off topic, but except for a jobsworth I have a run in each time I fly there, I love Lydd airport. Near Dungeness (a nuke plant I have done some work at), downwind leg over the channel, reasonable priced fuel that they take the VAT (GST) off for you before you cross to France.. and a couple of honeys on the desk... Food is great (have flown in for the Sunday Roast). The coastline in raw, too.. flat.. not spectacular.. but turquoise waters make it worth it.

 

Unf, the art deco terminal building has been remodelled and is no longer art deco.

 

The jobsworth always comes out of his office as I am waiting to pay the landing fee to tick me off for not wearing a high-vis. I always ask how did he know and he always responds he saw me walking across the apon without it. So my response is, if he could see me, it is not needed..

 

I know I am being fecetious.. it's their playground and they can set the rules as their (and their insurers) like, but if they are worried about us walking into a prop, they should make the props high-vis..

 

BTW, again off topic - do they require high vis in Aus?

[Neil_S]

 

The jobsworth always comes out of his office as I am waiting to pay the landing fee to tick me off for not wearing a high-vis. I always ask how did he know and he always responds he saw me walking across the apron without it. So my response is, if he could see me, it is not needed..

 

BTW, again off topic - do they require high vis in Aus?

 

Hi Jerry,

 

Love your response........ :)

 

As for hi-viz in Australia - some airports do, some don't. Best to have one with you.

My airfield does, and if the airport manager sees you without one (how does he do that??) you owe him a bottle of red. (There are some very cheap bottles of red in Australia....)

 

Cheers,

Neil