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Pioneer Aero Restorations
Ltd is a company formed in June 1997 following the acquisition of the assets of
Pacific Aircraft Ltd.
Pacific Aircraft had
been formed in the early 1990s with the specific aim of restoring the Curtiss
P-40 series of aircraft. The first aircraft completed was a static P-40E
for the Museum of Transport & Technology (MOTAT) in Auckland, New Zealand. While
the work on the MOTAT aircraft was proceeding, the restoration of Ray Hanna’s
P-40E NZ3009 was also in progress.
In 1995 another project, a P-40N5, was begun and in April 1997 as the work on
the Hanna P-40E was coming to a conclusion, a further project, the Darby-Hogan
P-40N1, was started. Unfortunately in June 1997
the directors of Pacific Aircraft decided to cease trading. This left the jobs,
as yet uncompleted, in limbo. At this time, Garth
Hogan purchased the assets of Pacific Aircraft, hired the remaining staff, took
over the lease on the building and Pioneer Aero Restorations Ltd was in
business.
Initially the intention
was only to complete the Darby-Hogan P-40N to airworthy status, however, very
early in the piece Pioneer was contacted by Ray Hanna with a request to complete
the almost finished NZ3009. This was agreed to and
Pioneer staff completed this aircraft to flying condition.
The P-40N5 in the shop was subject to litigation (not involving Pioneer) and
eventually was sold by tender and shipped to California.
This left just the Darby-Hogan aircraft to be completed, however … Dick Thurman
of Louisville, Kentucky then contacted Pioneer enquiring as to the interest in
rebuilding the P-40K that was owned by the Alpine Fighter Collection and had
been badly damaged in an accident at Wanaka. Pioneer
confirmed an interest and when Dick’s bid for the aircraft was successful, a
contract was entered into with the aim of having it ready to fly for the
Warbirds Over Wanaka airshow at Easter 2000.
At the same time a joint
venture relationship was entered into with Warren and Colin Denholm at Avspecs
Ltd, then based in Rotorua, New Zealand. The
work on the ‘K’ model proceeded with the structural rebuild completed by Pioneer
in Auckland and the systems and assembly work done at Avspecs.
While the K model was being fitted out at Avspecs, the N model was receiving the
same in the Pioneer workshop and both flew in early 2000 and both debuting at
Warbirds Over Wanaka 2000. Subsequent to this
restoration, additional work was forthcoming from the UK, USA and Australia.
At that time Avspecs decided to move to Auckland, and
in due course a hangar was purchased at Ardmore Airfield, Auckland. It
was renovated and both companies moved in December 2000. Work
then proceeded on individual projects and joint venture
restorations until Avspecs moved on to their own premises in January
2003.
Pioneer has since
completed rebuilding the
Lavochkin La-9 and as an on going joint venture
the Banta Aviation Corp P-40E has been finished and flew at Warbirds Over Wanaka
2002 and
Jerry Yagen’s P-40E flew in March
2003. The wings of
Judy Pay’s P-40F have been completed by Pioneer and are now in
Australia and have been fitted to Judy's fuselage that has been restored in her own
facility.
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