The John Smith Collection, Mapua, Nelson, New Zealand 

Many years ago I and a friend did a trip around the South Island, we had started from the other end of the island. I had heard of this collection and after a day of searching, we found it. John kindly showed us around and answered questions on how and where they had all come from. I remember him saying they were a part of history that we should never forget.So thank you John, they, because of you will not.

Terry McCarthy- During the early '70's John spent the day chatting with me & eventually offered me a seat in the Mossie,a photo I cherish.Thank God for John and such people who went without much to save these machines. At the time a helicopter apprentice and now a restorer at the Australian Gliding Museum. John was inspirational.A BIG Thankyou to you all for the movie & memory-

As a young boy 10 /11 YEAR OLD. LIVED NEAR BY THIS GUY . MY MATES AND I WOULD bike to his place, I STILL remember , he was all ways good to us and showed us his planes , not grumpy. SEEING ALL HIS PLANES . / THAT WAS 50 YEARS AGO. Glad to now see they are going to be saved..

John, a big Thannk you for collecting these aircraft. Future aviation historians will greatly appreciate all of your effort.

I grew up in Mapua in the 60,s nd me nd my good friend Peter would bike up to Mr smiths place nd he would let us play in the planes such a nice person

Amazing, hard to believe that anyone could amass such an extensive collection. I hope the warbirds will live on to be restored and appreciated.

This collection amounts to millions of dollars !! It looked to me like brand new crate engines just as they were shipped during the war. PRICELESS.

Visited John’s place in the late 90s with my air cadet unit & had the privilege of sitting in the mosquito cockpit. It basically had “delivery miles” on it - I remember noting that the tyres still had the knobbly bits on them!

What a great man to save and preserve these rare and vanishing aircraft.

A dream collection, glad it's being preserved.

This is the essence of what an enthusiast for a subject (in this case aircraft), can do by showing what driving passion can achieve. John searched out and did his best to conserve. Even though he couldn't go the next step and restore, he made sure to stop the total loss of the subject. Time-wise we are in a position where any structure can be computer reverse-engineered, old technology has been awakened and people are willing to pay the bill. John's interest in the Mosquitos has saved one and potentially enough to restore/recreate two more. A few years ago there were none in the sky, now there are 3. Will there be three/four more in the future? Let's be thankful for people like John Smith, Harry Wherrett, Swordfish and Yales Ernie, the B-17 Oregon gas station, and all the farmers that dragged back to the homestead an aircraft to be a nut and bolt source.

I'm sure when John was alive a lot of people asked him... why was he saving all that old war junk! get rid of it.. some have vision.. some have dreams.. some will just never get it.. you did well John.

Absolutely unbelievable what he collected

Mr Smith's fore site was amazing. His legacy is a treasure trove of very hard to find parts. My he be with the peace of ages.

Wow, was that a Goblin jet engine out of a DH Vampire that I saw? Impressive! It's heartening to know how much of NZ's aviation heritage has been saved from the scrapper, thanks to foresight of this man.

Thank you for preserving what you could.

What an amazing collection of war planes There must be millions of dollars worth of invaluable unreplaceable airplane parts All I can say is thank you John for all you efforts to save this stuff 😍😍👍👍

John Smith seemed to be NZ’s equivalent of USA’s Walter Soplata. 2 guys having the ability of buying up these special aircraft and associated parts and keeping them from the crusher.

In the early sixties I was a new commercial pilot in Nelson with the Aeroc Club and Gold Coast. I painted the Aero club hanger and the badge on the roof. I had the pleasure to fly John in His Tiger. We went to 2 airshow and I have never been so cold. Very scary going across Cook Strait. I most enjoyed one of his experiments to find out how high his tiger could climb. We made it to 10,000 feet. I saw his chickens forcibly fly when he started one of the Mosquitoes engines up

Very nice video.Thanks.

Thanks for bringing back the memories of 1986 while doing the Commercial Pilot theory and Instrument Rating course at the Nelson Aviation College Motueka with the late Walter Wagtendonk and his Flight Instructor off-sider Andy Smith. A small group of us had the privilege opportunity of visiting John’s place in the back and beyond of Mapua. I can certainly recall wondering how the Mosquito came to be in a shed in the middle of nowhere as I climb up the ladder and sat in the Mosquito cockpit, marvelling at how dust free and clean the cockpit interior and gauges had been kept by John, in such an immaculate condition. Also recall seeing the Hudson tucked away down the back of the shed which wasn't so crammed packed of smaller bits of aircraft parts in those days of the mid 80's.

Am amazed how well the plywood Mosquito has survived what with fabric and doping and paint.

Thanks for posting this, it was wonderful to see the footage of him building his collection - and what an amazing collection it was!! That P-40 is something special..

I feel somewhat privileged to have visited John to view his collection and even got to sit in the pilots seat of the Mosquito.

What a great collection, we are so fortunate that John took the time and effort for us to enjoy. In 1963 I could purchase a Corsair at Rukahia for 15 quid ($30.00) without an engine. A further 10 quid to truck it up to Auckland. But I didn’t have 35 quid! Mike Millett ,

Complimented the Classic Wings article beautifully . Well done.

Those vintage cars along with those vintage planes should be restored. Hope so.

The world needs “ John Smith’s “

The shots at Rukuhia would have been taken towards the end of the scrapping days .Anyone in NZ ever wondered why there so many aluminium toys for kids, aluminium cookware , lawn mowers etc etc ? most would have been recycled war birds. When the planes first arrived there after the war, my dad and his mates would head out there from Hamilton and look for things left in the planes, cartons of cigarettes etc and rubber dinghy's. The latter were used for drifting down the river in summer. The Motat Lancaster at 5:39 is how i remember it arriving from France in it's French livery.

I found this amazing video from the other side of the world. Shared to NZHRM forum.

What an amazing collection and an amazing man.

Visited John Smiths place Probably 55 or more years ago. John allowed us to climb into the mosquito, was amazed how cramped it was for 2 people. Sitting on a pallet to one side of a shed he had what he told us was a I think new Vampire engine all wrapped up in plastic and boxed. Very interesting afternoon Quite a few WWII planes lying around in those days, apple growers used the huge wheels inflatables on their orchard sprayers. A mosquito minus engines sat along the Kaiteriteri straight for years than disappeared? hope it was rescued and I think a Blenheim was parked up Close to Travellers rest in Appleby, perhaps John acquired it at some stage Great to come across this vid.John did everyone a great service with his perseverance in collecting what he could bless him. Happy to see a lot will be in good hands for restoration and God willing flying someday.

What a TV documentary this would make thank God for John Smith 👍👍👍

I would pay to just sit in the mossy. Love the collection. Beautiful planes that if they are running, will fall into a few from around the world.

A true collector of beautiful flying machines of ww2. I hope these planes and the parts were sold to collectors or museums.

I admire the vision and salvaging all those beautiful war machines. Those parts and fuselages are saved from the furnace that wiped away so many beautiful planes after the war. He did good, to save the history for future generations!

Amazing collection . It would be great for all these aircraft to be restored to their original condition so that the little kids today can see what great designers there were in the days of slide rule and compass when everything was pure skill and talent. What great engineers those were without a doubt.

Amazing man, great vision and foresight to save history from the bin. Looking forward to seeing the aircraft fly again.

Very thankful that I was introduced by a friend and later took another flying enthusiast friend to meet him (in 1990 I think) and we were both allowed to sit in the Mosquito wearing my old WWII RAF sheepskin flying jacket and flying helmet. We both took a lot of photos that day but somehow lost both the negatives and prints.

I was lucky to visit John in 1999 when I was over in New Zealand working on restoring two Curtiss P40 Kittyhawks.

Brilliant video. All credit to John for saving these warbirds from a certain scrapping. What happened to the Hudson/Ventura we saw in the video as it was not mentioned in the list of aircraft in the collection at the end unless referred to as the Oxford but that was a smaller twin engine trainer.

Amazing,. A complete low hour mosquito hope someone makes these fly again..

Growing up in South Canterbury there is a small town called Cave. Just opposite the pub was a old lighting ww2 plane we use to play in when Mum and Dad were in the pub having a beer.

Bloody awesome 😎, I remember the place in Hamilton as a very small kid but as a lot off others ones life choices take one some where else, thank god someone had the vision to get some off these wonderful air craft, absolutely wonderfull to see, one thing this country has are collections here and there, awesome 😎 guys and a bloody great THANK you to Mr John Smith for seeing the future, thank you again.😎👍🇳🇿🌈😎.

Brilliant. Gets the pulse racing

This was a man who had passion for aircraft he had forwarded vision we meet him in the early 1984 when my old mates Robin and David Allen visit him he was not always grumpy he didn't like what the New Zealand Air forces was doing with these aircraft shame

Absolutely beautiful hate to think how much it would all be worth now

RIP, both John and his aircraft

Amazing

Yes,fabulous.

It reminds a bit of the Ernest Simmons Collection in SW Ontario and when he passed an number of airplanes were purchased and restored to flying condition and for static display. I wonder if the Ottawa museum could purchase the Hercules engines for their Beaufighter.

As an Aussie backpacker teenager, I picked tobacco at Motueka, (1973?) If only I had known about this collection then, I could have paid him a visit.

I lived in Mapua from 2000 to 2010. There always stories of the Mosquito stored in a shed somewhere in Mapua I was never quite sure if to believe them. Seems the stories were true! In the fifties our family lived in Mosgiel and my dad was an air traffic controller at the nearby Taieri airport where Mosquitos, Mustangs and Harvards were based. I vividly recall a Mosquito flying above our house the noise of it a thrill to a young fellow and fuelled my love for the Mosquito. The planes may have been dismantled as for years there was a Mosquito fuel tank sitting in our garage and one wall of the garage was covered using aluminium aircraft skin which I believed at the time came from a Mosquito - a Mosquito being wooden I wonder if it was. My dad said even back then the Mosquito's were deteriorating because of glue failure - I wonder how much better they would have survived with modern resorcinal or epoxy glues.

11:53 Padlock on the P51 canopy. RNZAF security lock?

His forethought means that there are aircraft there that are likely unique, in particular I saw parts of the Blackburn Baffin which was among the first aircraft purchased by the RNZAF. Their life was short as they were purchased second hand and were in poor condition when they arrived. How much of the aircraft is still there as it is likely the only example left in NZ and possibly the world. It is just a pity that he didnt have the resources to maintain such a large and important collection.

Wow! Just when you think nothing is left

I used to think this was a bit of a tale like Moose in Fiordland... both are true👍🇳🇿

Any idea what happened to the old CMP truck that can be seen in some of the photos?

Wow. Just wow. I was aware of the complete Mossie and the substantial Kittyhawk and Mustang relics...but clearly Mr Smith had much else, being New Zealand's Walt Soplata...good grief, a Blackburn Baffin...is there even another relic extant of one of those?

What a treasure trove. The Mossie isn't airworthy but the parts are so valuable. Time for Warbirds owners to come an save the parts and the family make some dosh.

Hes gonna need a hell of a big " mosquito net"!!..😜

Cool

NZ has treasure troves you wouldn't believe check out Horapito (Smash Palace) rare cars ie Auburn boat tail rare stuff

Funny to think how many people must called him crazy for years and now call him a genius for his foresight. But thanks to him and his family history was not lost. So look at the perceived crazy people and think are they or am I? More than likely it's them, but ya never know. :)

Ok, I'm stumped. What is that at 4:56?

was that a mozi i saw

What foresight

Treasure trove.

Rukahia really was an aircraft graveyard. I remember driving past it in the 50's. Pretty sure there was parts of a FW190 there. Wonder what that would be worth today? Sadly the planes were mostly bulldozed and buried. Metal detecting anyone???

When did he die

I counted several Merlins - each one worth about $50k US.

I hope it all goes to good homes and not just scrapped after all these years 🙏

My family saved everything since WWII also, they're called hoarders

The Mosquito being made from wood,sitting out in the elements makes me cry. Should have been out of the elements. Just rotting away.🤦🤦🤦

I hope you gave the family fair market value and not pennies on the dollar for these aircraft. They could’ve put the mosquito up themselves and got over a million easy.

Other people collect stamps. Because they don't have a shed. 🤣

На помойке плюшкин живет...а у него в мусоре ништяки гниют!!!!Жалкое зрелище....но может после его смерти самолеты обретут вторую жизнь??

Would have been far more valuable both in $ terms and heritage if the silly old duffer hadn’t left stuff to rot