Some kind of record, Reno here we come!
Kiwi Thunder
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by kiwiflyboy » Thu Mar 22, 2007 10:32 pm
FAI record applied for.
Rob Burns (pilot) and Chris Bromley (co-pilot) have set a new unofficial record time in the C1c class between Auckland and Christchurch of 1 hour 36minutes and 38 seconds for an average speed of 465kph (251kts). This beats the previous record set in 1996 by Chris Thoms in a Lancair iv.
After waiting several weeks for suitable weather we took advantage of a high pressure system passing over the country to get a smooth run direct from Auckland International Airport to Christchurch International a distance of 404km. The flight had a number of highlights for the pilots, after all how often do you get to fly down the main runway at an International airport at 350kts to get a start time and finish with a fly by of the tower at another at 360kts, all without getting in trouble! And at one point be 50 nautical miles off shore.
Many many thanks to the very helpful and professional team at Air Traffic Control for making it all possible and providing the clearances and assistance as we progressed down the country.
And for the record, there is still a LOT more speed left in the Thunder Mustang.
that is from www.kiwithunder.com
by the sounds of it, it wasnt ZK-TMG it was another thunder mustang.....
- kiwiflyboy
by tasnvs » Thu Mar 29, 2007 3:29 pm
The "fastest motorsport event in the world" beckons for a trio of aviation enthusiasts who smashed a speed record for flying from Auckland to Christchurch.
Last Wednesday Mr Bruns and Mr Bromley smashed the record for flying between Auckland and Christchurch in a propeller-driven aircraft weighing less than 1730kg.
They made the journey in one hour and 36 minutes, clocking up an average speed of 465km/h along the 749km route which saw them pass over Taranaki and Nelson.
The previous record set 22 years ago, was 397km/h
The Thunder Mustang is based at Ardmore Airport, and is powered by a 640-horsepower naturally aspirated V-12 engine.
Its carbon fibre fuselage is a three-quarter scale replica of a P-51 D Mustang.
The plane ie the only Thunder Mustang in the southern hemisphere, and only 12 in the world.
The fastest speeds were recorded in the final stage of the flight as the plane descended from a cruising altitude of just over 3000 meters. "On the descent going into Christchurch we were doing about 530Km/h and that was about the fastest speed we had going down".
Mr Bromley says the weather was ideal for the record-setting flight, and air traffic control were very helpful.
Mr Bromley says the Thunder Mustang is a lot more complex than a typical small plane as it has many more systems that need to be monitored.
It is also considerably more powerful than most other small planes. "When you put the power on on the runway the torque of the engine and propeller makes it want to turn left.
The plane ie highly manoeuvrable and able to withstand strong G-fores when making tight turns.
Last weeks flight was the trio's first record attempt but they're not ruling out having a shot ay beating their own record. That's because they say the plane was only operating at about 75% of its maximum power for much of the flight to Christchurch.
Last Wednesday Mr Bruns and Mr Bromley smashed the record for flying between Auckland and Christchurch in a propeller-driven aircraft weighing less than 1730kg.
They made the journey in one hour and 36 minutes, clocking up an average speed of 465km/h along the 749km route which saw them pass over Taranaki and Nelson.
The previous record set 22 years ago, was 397km/h
The Thunder Mustang is based at Ardmore Airport, and is powered by a 640-horsepower naturally aspirated V-12 engine.
Its carbon fibre fuselage is a three-quarter scale replica of a P-51 D Mustang.
The plane ie the only Thunder Mustang in the southern hemisphere, and only 12 in the world.
The fastest speeds were recorded in the final stage of the flight as the plane descended from a cruising altitude of just over 3000 meters. "On the descent going into Christchurch we were doing about 530Km/h and that was about the fastest speed we had going down".
Mr Bromley says the weather was ideal for the record-setting flight, and air traffic control were very helpful.
Mr Bromley says the Thunder Mustang is a lot more complex than a typical small plane as it has many more systems that need to be monitored.
It is also considerably more powerful than most other small planes. "When you put the power on on the runway the torque of the engine and propeller makes it want to turn left.
The plane ie highly manoeuvrable and able to withstand strong G-fores when making tight turns.
Last weeks flight was the trio's first record attempt but they're not ruling out having a shot ay beating their own record. That's because they say the plane was only operating at about 75% of its maximum power for much of the flight to Christchurch.
Last edited by tasnvs on Thu Mar 29, 2007 4:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- tasnvs
by K5054NZ » Sat Mar 31, 2007 8:27 am
Go guys! Kiwi Thunder is an amazing aircraft, I was lucky enough to have a nice close look at her - albeit over a little fence - at Wings Over Wairarapa. She was a little uninteresting at Classic Fighters '05, but at Wanaka and Hood they really showed her off! Gorgeous! 
Now, does anyone know of a Thunder Mustang for FS? Oh Deane, where art thou?
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K5054NZ - Senior Member
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by ardypilot » Sat Mar 31, 2007 1:53 pm
I have a short clip of it coming into land at Ardy, the visual quality is cr@p but I just love the sound it makes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2dv32hqdLQ
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ardypilot - NZFF Pro
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- kiwiflyboy
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