Rebuild of unique naval biplane survivor underway

摘要

The rebuild of the world's only surviving Blackburn B-5 Baffin torpedo bomber is now getting underway with Don and Steve Subritzky at Dairy Flat, just north of Auckland on New Zealand's North Island. The machine, NZ160, is one of 29 former Fleet Air Arm Baffins that were acquired for the Royal New Zealand Air Force in 1937. It crashed into Little Pigeon Bay, Banks Peninsular, after suffering engine problems during a navigational exercise while flying from RNZAF Wigram on May 10, 1939. The two crew were unharmed, and the Baffin was recovered by local resident Sir Bruce Stewart. An RNZAF crew removed the engine and guns, and the rest of the aircraft was left on Sir Bruce's farm.