🚀 go-pugleaf

Wow that plane looks remarkably like one of those air breathing fish
they call mudskippers.
David

Peter and Susan wrote:

> On Mon, 3 Dec 2001 14:03:22 +1300, "Graeme Butler"
> <taurangadolphins@clear.net.nz> wrote:
>
> >My trip to Chatham was an adventure.
> >
> >The Bristo Freighter had huge doors in front that gave access to the cargo
> >hold.  This aircraft had a modified pod with seats and sound insulation and
> >the windows lined up with the portholes on the fusilage.
> >
> >The flight was long, 350 or 400 miles and we were not that high, 3000 feet
> >comes to mind. able to see the seas breaking anyway.
> >
> >After about four hours we sighted the island and landed on a paddock
> >airstrip and the aircraft taxied to a concrete pad.
> >
> >This pad had apparently been built after one or two incidents of the
> >aircraft sinking into the peat up to the wheel axles and having to be
> >extricated wit a great deal of difficulty.
> >
> >I went from the airstip to a very isolated sheep station, one of the oldest
> >Chatham Island homes.  In the attic were instruments, and other bits and
> >peices of a Sunderland that struck a log in the lagoon, puncturing a float
> >and then being written off by the Government.  Bits of this Sunderland are
> >spread among the farms and homes of Chatham.  A propeller is set in concrete
> >outside of the post office building.
> >
> >Other passengers on the flight included a Fisheries inspector and a number
> >of fishermen on their way to court in Chatham, for various offenses.  Others
> >were joining boats fishing in the area.
> >
> >A returning local asked me whare I was going, I told them I was on my way to
> >Manage A big Sheep station down there, His response was....Hey Guys, this
> >poor bastard is going to manage Spannerhead's place.
> >
> >Everyone gathered around and offered me huge sympathy, it seemsed that
> >Spanner head was a well known, well judged local nutter with a ferocious
> >reputation.
> >
> >Itr was an adventure.  Sorry about the rave but the memory of flying in that
> >rattly old aircraft so far out into the Southern Ocean is one of my
> >favourites.
>
> If you want more data about flying an Air Express Bristol Freighter
>  go to http://members.tripod.com/ahsa_q/articles/bristol.htm
>
> For a Bristol Freighter cockpit pic go to the "our Aircraft" section
> of http://www.raafmuseum.com.au/aircraft/index.htm
> Hit the Bristol Freighter button and click on the cockpit picture to
> enlarge it.
>
> Cheers
> Peter Cokley