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Blitzen Benz new build radiator

Our customer required a reproduction radiator to replicate his original. This meant that his old radiator could be kept preserved in its rightful place in history. We undertook this project, and in partnership with Auto Restorations of Christchurch this magnificent piece of work was created.

 

P40 Kittyhawk radiators and oil coolers

Our history of manufacturing cores and complete radiators for this type goes back 22 years to the P40E restored by Tim Wallis in Wanaka and first flown in 1992. Since making these cores, we have continued to supply cores to other shell manufacturers but in recent years we have progressed to manufacturing complete units ourselves.  Our radiators are made to original specifications as per original drawing. 

 

Alphonso Hispano Suiza cores

This core is a copy of the original as made by Moreaux in France pre-WW1. We have made these cores for customers who are keen to keep their car original. This tube is a complex shape to produce and was another of the challenges that we rose above.

 

1913 AB4 Delage core

Hmmm, haven’t seen one like this before! The owner wanted a new core made to the original construction, full depth tube and individual fins. We made specific one off tooling to reproduce these items. The original fins were made from tinned steel and had disintegrated over time. The only change we made was to make the new fins from brass to improve both heat transfer and the longevity of the finished product.

 

MK1 and MK2 Hawker Hurricane radiator and oil cooler cores

Air New Zealand approached us in 1995 to manufacture cores for MK2 Hurricane P3351 which they were restoring for The Alpine Fighter Collection. The MK2 Hurricane tube is of the Anderton type, hexagonal cross section and has two additional support flares along its length for support. The end flare is of an asymmetrical hex. Our sister company Tamaterau Engineering manufactured the tooling for this project and tubing of a specific size was specially imported from our regular German supplier. These tubes are made to the exacting specifications from drawings produced from manufacture in the bygone era. Since then we have supplied and fitted many cores to MK2 radiator and oil cooler tanks supplied by Auto Restorations in Christchurch. These radiators are put through rigorous cyclical testing, both hot and cold tested to 50 psi as specified. Each unit is then certified for flying by Hawker Restorations in England.

 

DH98 Mosquito radiators and cabin heaters for KA114

This project would be our most difficult and expansive to date. The scope of the project, which has been completed in-house, consisted of manufacturing two new engine radiators and cabin/gun heaters, and also re-coring two original serviceable oil coolers.

 

Re-tubing aircraft oil coolers

When oil cooler tanks are in serviceable condition the old core can be removed and a new core made using the original baffles. This can then be fitted into the original tank, essentially “zero timing” the oil cooler.

 

FW190 oil cooler re-core

An original oil cooler tank re-cored.

 

Albatros core

This was a real challenge. The core is curved to suit the profile of the aircraft wing and also with a change of angle from one end to the other. This meant having to cut each row of tubes to different lengths and with changing waterway to compensate for the change in angle.