"Hot-Rod" Harvard III VH-SNJ (modified Heller 1:72 kit)
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Guy RumpThat is a very strange and interesting aircraft Derek, Impressive modelling from two differing models to produce this one off that actually flew! 👍
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Back in the late 1980s this former RNZAF Harvard (now living in Australia) was (for a short period) fitted and flown with CAC Boomerang outer wings!
Guido Zuccoli had commissioned Saunders Aircraft of Chino, California to build up an airworthy CAC Boomerang for him, and since no Boomerang wings had survived intact, Saunders constructed a pair of outer wings by modifying T-6 wings. Guido's completed Boomerang arrived back in Australia in October 1992 and was the first airworthy restoration of a Boomerang.
At the same time, Matt Denning had been reverse engineering authentic Boomerang wings (based on wreck parts) and began constructing wings for his project and for Greg Batts. Guido also obtained a set of Matt's more correct wings and fitted them to his restored Boomerang, leaving him with a spare pair of Boomerang outer wings. He decided it would be fun to fit them to his Harvard and see how it performed! As an accomplished aerobatic pilot, he was thrilled with the dramatically increased roll rate of 6 foot shorter wing, as well as 10% higher cruise speed and increased rate of climb.
To represent this aircraft, VH-SNJ, at 1:72 scale, I used the fuselage and wing centre-section from the Heller T-6G kit combined with the outer wings from the Special Hobby CAC Boomerang kit. The RNZAF decals come from Old Models Decals in New Zealand (mail order from their website).
This album shows a few "work in progress" shots and a few pictures of the finished plane. This was a fun little project, and it results in a unique-looking aircraft, so don't be surprised if you see me do this again at 1:48 scale and also 1:32 scale!
