September 2007 Blog Archives

30 September 2007

Well, Harald Müller's magnificent 1 : 2.5 40% Scale Beaver made a first flight on 26th September. Here is a link to the You Tube Video. Congratulations Harald!!

Link to his website

28 September 2007

The Calendar is now at Allen Graphics to be printed. Proofing was completed this morning..what a lot of work. I tried my best to give November 31 days, but it did not wash! Orders starting to come in.

25 September 2007

Arwen and David (The Immortal Beaver) had a trip to Kenmore Air to interview Gregg Monro for the Movie. Here he is with a few members of his fine fleet.

Photo: Arwen Hunter © 07 September 2007

Added another Beaver for sale today. N102SY (1367).

24 September 2007

It's a small world. Just received a few images by e-mail of the choppers from Tony Jackson. This shot was taken today in Decatur, Texas. He thought I'd like to know they arrived safely. Thanks Tony.

Photo: Tony Jackson © 24 September 2007

22 September 2007

As some of you may know, I do have other aviation interests. One is rotary craft. Quite often Bell choppers pass through on delivery. N31011 popped up on my screen twelve minutes before it landed. It was an unidentified code, and after I found out it was a Bell 412EP I sprang into action, knowing they only stop for 20 - 30 minutes. Some of the results I will post below. Fun, when they take off together..I was quite busy for a few minutes! I've been planning a painting of one in primer paint for a few years now. With it was Bell 407 wearing N9377F only a temporary registration mark as under the red tape is another N number.

Bell 412EP N31011 (36446) - Photo: Neil Aird © 22 September 2007

Bell 407 N9377F (53783) - Photo: Neil Aird © 22 September 2007

20 September 2007

Just got the go ahead from my corporate sponsor VikingAir to put the 2008 Calendar into production. Without their help, this project would never fly! I will head to my printer this afternoon. Here's a sneak preview of the cover ;-) You can also click the image below - I've just added the pricing details (26 September 2007).

Cover image: Rich Hulina © 28 May 2007

18 September 2007

Today a wonderful package arrived from Craig Loken of Alaska Seaplanes in Juneau - A Department of Defense Auction brochure giving details of the 104 de Havilland U-6A Beavers that were for offered disposal on 29 January 1976 at Davis-Monthan AFB, plus - a listing of where they all went and how much the went for! I will tabulate this data over the coming weeks and insert on the appropriate pages. Thanks Craig. A wonderful contribution to the website and my research.

13 September 2007

Another fine batch of vintage images from the collection of Robin A. Walker arrived. Many thanks again Robin, super "period" additions to the website.

11 September 2007

A flying object of a different kind. I guess autumn is a comin' . . . this just landed on the roof next door.

Photo: Neil Aird © 11 September 2007

03 September 2007

Just added some further images of C-FLOR (1450) as she gets retro-fit work and total restoration done at Victoria Aircraft Maintenance. Here John Jameson finds a new use for the camera hatch.

I had a request on the Group this morning from Peter Reardon in Australia.

He wrote: Wondering if anybody would have a good, sharp, and reasonably close-up, photo of the Beaver fuel tank venting scoop ( up under the port wing and just aft of the wing fillet) that I could have, copy, beg, borrow, steal?

It would be perfect if it included the top part of the port cockpit door and under the port under wing area with the vent scoop about mid frame so as to indicate its position in situ. If not, I can crop it to size etc. I prefer that the paint on all visible surfaces is white if possible.

There you go Peter, sorry we took so long!

02 September 2007

Just had a visit from our Canadian Armed Forces with their latest hardware. 177701 Boeing CC-177 Globemaster III "CFC4017". A couple of passes at the Royal Military College this evening and of course a visit to my studio ;-) Impressive.

I've been going flat out on the calendar today, I have 23 images that have to be whittled down to thirteen. Difficult job believe me.

Got a couple of images of the largest Beaver in the world. Wingspan of 50 metres I believe. Thanks to Reef Flight pilot Mitch Beck and his mate for the work on the Derby mud flats!

Mitch wrote: G'day Neil,

Just wanted to give you another Aussie Beaver to add to your list! In fact its' the world's largest! With a 50 metre wingspan she means business!!
Actually this is a large sized version of my company Reef Flight's logo; recently we held an art competition with a difference - to draw large artworks on the mud flats surrounding our town of Derby in Northwestern Australia.We entered our logo in the competition and had an absolute ball making it! It took a mate and me about 3 hours using a shovel, two garden forks, a couple of stakes and beer bottles (to survey and mark out which we emptied during the creation of our Beaver of course!) and a length of chain and rope.
We started with the wings, moved to the radial and worked from there.