Episode 116 – WOA Temora Part Two – Andy Bishop

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Guest: Andy Bishop

Hosts: Dave Homewood and James Kightly

Recorded: 22nd of November 2015

Duration:  53  minutes 54 seconds

Following the Warbirds Downunder 2015 Airshow at Temora last year, Dave Homewood and James Kightly got the rare opportunity to sit down with Andy Bishop, the Temora Aviation Museum’s chief engineer, to record an interview for Wings Over Australia.

Andy provides a fascinating look into the inner workings of the world famous Temora museum and its collection, discussing the philosophies when it comes to the engineering and preservation side, and the various aspects and challenges of restoring, maintaining and displaying rare and often unique aeroplanes at the rural New South Wales airfield. Often real innovation is needed, and a lot of skill and experience has been built up by the resident engineers in Andy’s team so that almost everything can be worked on and reconditioned in-house. Andy discusses such topics as the recent work to make the Lockheed Hudson’s bomb doors operable; the measures to prevent the big V-12 fighter engines overheating on the hot tarmac, and the co-operation between Temora and other collections in swapping information, knowledge and drawings to enrich all parties involved.

And Andy talks about his own personal journey into aircraft engineering and how it has led to his current position in charge of a diverse range of historic piston-engined and jet powered trainers, bombers and fighters.  He also flies with the collection.

The Wings Over New Zealand Show is very grateful to Andy for taking the time out of his frantically busy schedule following the airshow to give this interview, particularly after such a busy weekend as he’d had keeping the airshow aircraft flying.

Quick Links:

•  Temora Aviation Museum

•  Warbirds Downunder 2015 Airshow 

The following photographs are the copyright of James D. Kightly (2015)

Temora Aviation Museum’s chief engineer Andy Bishop has a well earned sit down following a busy airshow weekend to be interviewed by Dave Homewood (left) and James Kightly (who took the photo)

The bomb doors on the Temora Aviation Museum’s Lockheed Hudson opened ‘in action’ for the first time in public in over half a century. 

The Temora Supermarine Spitfire Mk.VIII with cooling water spraybar in action so the Merlin engine does not overheat while on the hot ground.

Temora Aviation Museum engineering staff refilling the spray tanks in the gun bay on the Spitfire .

Andy Bishop working on the museum’s Spitfire

Andy on the Temora tarmac near the end of a big day of flying.