RNZAF Harvard II NZ946. Part 2 - Stripping and freeing canopy

Freeing up the canopy after 57 years, removing foreign panels and stripping paint from the port side.

[@benrobertson7855]

Oh my slide!!! This was the only reason I got in the car every 4 years to go to the north island….Only Kidding but this was really the high point of all the trips ,did the slide even at 3 am…. Great to see nz history being kept going.thanks,by the way these are still my fav period planes , because I got to climb all over it,that cage didn’t stop a keen 13 year old from skinning up the support frame….

[@biplaneflights]

I think the slide you visited was the one at Pahiatua. It has been replaced by a fibreglass replica and the original is now on a pole at Mangatainoka acting as a weathervane. The one I have was in a playground at Methven (south Island) in the late 60's and early 70's.👍

[@bazwabat1]

That inspection hole missing its original door is for the hydraulic tank filler. Yes layers of paint....I was on the team restoring the Air Force Museums TBF Avenger 1979/80. We had to strip 8 layers off the whole airframe.....she's a big girl especially when stripping it by hand like you did on your Harvard!

[@biplaneflights]

Thanks for the comment. Yes, after doing the video I did some research and discovered it was, as you stated, the hatch for the hydraulic tank. And the hatch further aft? I see that a fire extinguisher was located inside that area so I’m guessing it was a hatch so that ground crew could access the fire extinguisher too.

[@sleepingdogs8939]

Is this project going to be a flying airplane or a static restoration?

[@biplaneflights]

This will be a static restoration as a flight simulator. None of the original parts could be restored to airworthy condition.