Flying Buffs Face Priceless Challenge
Flying Buffs Face Priceless Challenge A priceless 1943 Grumman Avenger torpedo bomber, one of only about 40 in the world, is set to be restored to pristine condition at Classic Flyers base over the next two years. Classic Flyers chairman David Love said the organisation had been looking for a big new project when it heard about the Avenger and offered to lend a hand. The Avenger Aircraft served with two squadrons, 30 and 31 with the Royal New Zealand Air Force. It's a torpedo bomber. It's got an enormous bomb bay which fits a torpedo in it, he said. The Royal New Zealand Air Force Museum down at Wigram arranged for this particular Aircraft to be flown to Gisborne because 30 and 31 were based there. The plane was left up to the Gisborne Aircraft Appreciation Society to restore but Classic Flyers offered to lend its expertise to help out the small club. The Aircraft's fuselage was trucked to Tauranga and arrived late Tuesday night. Mr Love said the clubs ha...