ZK-CPT lives agaian

As mentioned in previous blogs the only remaining Safe Air Bristol B170 Freighter in Marlborough ZK-CPT (seen above) has been given a new lease of life. For several months the spearhead of the project, Al Marshall has been fighting with a very reluctant and seized starboard engine. Over the weekend he finally got that problem fixed and the engine is now running smoothly. This enabled both engines to be run together on Sunday evening. CPT is now the only running Bristol Freighter in the world.

More details on this remarkable project can be found on the following forum

CPT is planned to display taxiiing under her own power at Classic Fighters Airshow at Omaka at Easter 2009. futher plans for her according to Al are

Friends of the Bristol plan on public running events every two months until Easter. There are a few of us that are also keen for a night run that should show off the effect of 28 short straight exhausts. The cowls for a good metre or so behind the exhausts are steel so I imagine the flames should be quite impressive. There is a certain rpm that the Hercules have a very distinctive note that is quite unexpected from a twin row radial. It is almost a brrrrp, brrrrp, brrrrp type sound that that almost sounds comical when they are both doing it together. I will try and quantify the cost of a ground run so that they might happen on demand from interested groups. The AHC has the odd tourbus load go through the museum and if enough interest is shown by those visitors, they can have a fully 'interactive' visit to Omaka.