Albany Vintage Car Club visit Oct 2014

Lion Brewery Visit May 2014

In May besides the usual meeting this group visited the the new Lion Brewery in South Auckland to see what goes into the beer and how its manufactured for the many different product types.  There was the amazing use of robotic technology for packaging and pallet stacking. Yes there were samples to test but it was far more interesting than anyone imagined as the visit lasted over 3.5hrs !

Above the group photo taken June 2013.  This group started in April 2010.  The biography of the inventors is considered as important as the invention(s) themselves. Talks on NZ inventors are encouraged and inventions can range from the seriously successful to the wonderfully wacky. Visits to people and places add variety and give ‘real time’ meaning to the continuing creative spirit. The first talks for this group illustrate our palette of interests: Graeme Jones [Inventor] on Audio Speaker Technology – [home visit]; The Hamilton Jet; Unusual Inventions; John Britten and his Motorbike; Alfred Nobel; Hayes Engineering – Otago; The Number Zero; Navman & GPS; Batteries, Microphones, Jet Engines, Aircraft industry topics and devolpment, 3D Printing, Medical scanners, Bill Gates and  more.

Graeme Jones [Inventor] Flat panel Audio Speaker Technology

Aircraft restoration visit in June 2011 to see the twin seater WWII Mosquito bomber aircraft being restored to fly in South Auckland

John W arranged a 3-car excursion to South Auckland area to view aircraft under construction by talented  enthusiasts. A full on ‘Blokes and Sheds’ experience. Above a dual seater aircraft was viewed first – about half way to completion, wood construction, powered by a modified Subaru flat-4 engine.

At the next site a WW II Mosquito bomber construction was well underway, in wood, with 2 Rolls Royce Merlin power plants off site being rebuilt. About 3 years to finish. Costly! Finished aircraft (2 seater) worth millions.

This was followed by a visit to Ardmore to view another Mosquito that was in a nearly completed state with both engines mounted but more finalwork going on in the bomb bay, hydraulics and cockpit area. This airplane was being finished by the Warbirds group for supply to an aircraft museum in the USA. Three members of the Inventions group had worked in the aircraft industry in the past and hugely enjoyed the trip. Other historic planes were also visible with Warbirds at Ardmore, including a Spitfire. Thanks again to John for organising a splendid day.  This aircraft was seen flying in NZ briefly for a few Air displays. There are some amazing youtube videos made of it flying here before it was shipped in March 2013 to Yagen’s private air Museum in Virginia USA.

September 2011 meeting at Kevins place

Kevin showing some of his characterture drawings of local Golfers over the years. His artwork . .  wow.

Christmas Lunch Dec 2014

at Palmers Gardening World