The Haast Airshow

At Haast on Friday 18-12-2009 were these seven aircraft on their tie downs.

Dropping in later in the day from the north was the DH83C Fox Moth ZK-APT (c/n FM48) and the DH84 Dragon ZK-AXI (c/n 2057) from the Stan Smith shed at North Shore.

At this stage the meteorological condition were just "so so".

By Saturday the 19th is was downright inclement.

Brian Doig's Cessna 180 ZK-BJY (c/n 31421) was moved nearer the proceedings and a potted history was displayed on its left u/c leg.

Meanwhile back at the tie downs Darlington Drillings Cessna A185F ZK-CES2 (c/n A185F-03272 & ex ZK-JPM) -

Gavin Grimmer's Lexus powered Maranda ZK-JGR (c/n 1005-1) -

Barclay Enterprises Cessna R182 Skylane RG ZK-LAB (c/n R182-01089) -

The Lloyd Heslop and John Wilkinson RAF 2000 GTX SE ZK-RAE2 (c/n H2-97-8-282) -

Plus the Piper PA22/20 ZK-TDA, the Greymouth Cessna 177B Cardinal ZK-DIH (c/n 177B-01900) and Bob Jelley's Vans RV-7 ZK-RWJ all sat around.

The Mandeville duo of Fox Moth and Dragonfly passed through northbound , stopping briefly at Haast, on Friday but got weather in at Hokitika for the Saturday.

Even the Bluebus was IFR on Saturday. He it is northbound at Bruce Bay - late afternoon.

Question time # 82 Resolved

ZK-CKE has scored again with his correct answer.
The horizontal tailplane belongs to none other than the Yak-55 ZK-JPO (c/n 880609). This was imported by Claus Petry and Alister Yeoman and registered on 06-05-2005. Ownership is now with Kevin Langford of Darfield. The photo below was taken on 19-10-2007; and the tail shot on Pearl Harbour Day this year - both at Ashburton. Now then ZK-CKE - do I have the correct snail mail address for delivery of your prize ? (in other words - did the previous despatch arrive) ?

Question time # 81. Answer.

The offending item was a view of the Airborne Windsports Edge X 582 ZK-JNR (c/n 582-629) of Blue Skies Microlight 2006 Ltd climbing overhead after take off from Motueka on 28-03-2007.

And the winner is :- I guess I will have to lower my standards and give the prize to Sir Minty, who was on the correct track with his answer.

Coastal Classics

Hi All, I've uploaded some photos taken at Hokitika over the last couple of days by Steve Lowe. Check out : http://mrcaviation.blogspot.com/2009/12/coastal-classics.html

Another Rearwin

Following up on the posting about the Rearwin ZK-ALF/ZK-AGQ, we have received an inquiry about the Rearwin that was at one stage was owned by Ivan East of Wellington before being passed on to the NZ Sport & Vintage Aviation Society Inc., Masterton.
This Rearwin was 9000KR c/n 656D, built 29Jan1940.

It intially went to Australian National Aircraft Pty.Ltd. of Australia where it briefly became VH-ADL and was passed on to a P H Burton before export to New Zealand where it was registered as ZK-AHN with the Auckland Aero Club at Mangere.
The Rearwin was impressed into the RNZAF as NZ569 from 12Oct1942 and survived the war to be restored @3315hrs for £100 back to the Auckland AC with the new registration of ZK-AKA.
In due course it was sold on to a succession of private owners in Feilding, Timaru, Balclutha and Kawhia until becomeing the property of John Caston of Auckland in the early 1960s.

ZK-AKA in the private onwners hangar at Ardmore 24Jun1967. On the left is Turbulent ZK-BWE, also owned by Mr Caston, and on the right is the Dragon ZK-AXI which had crashed at Ardmore two months previously. Silver with red trim and black registration.



Ownership passed to Ivan East of Wellington as from 6Nov1968 after it's last recorded flight Akl-Wtn 5Oct68. The Rearwin was later transported from WN to MS by road and became the property of Sport & Vintage as from 12May1989.
It is currently recorded as 'stored' - can anyone update us on the actual status of this project?

As a further comment, four Rearwin were imported. One of these aircraft, 9000L ZK-AGS/ZK-AIP, crashed Tasman Downs 28Mar56 and the other three seem to still be extant. A 75% survival rate over seventy years is quite something.

Matamata Mustangs!

I met Mike Crene a couple of months ago at his hangar at Matamata where he was helping Peter Walton complete Peter's Titan T 51 Mustang ZK-WSV. This machine looked amazing painted up in a full American scheme. Mike operates Kiwi Mustangs at Matamata.

Also in Mike's hangar was his own T 51 Mustang ZK-DBG which is painted up in a New Zealand Air Force scheme. This aircraft was the first T 51 to fly with the underwing drop tanks (which are operational), and also looks amazing. In fact the aircraft is so desirable that Mike has sold it to an owner in California and it will be exported soon.

Both of these aircraft have Suzuki V6 engines with New Zealand designed gearbox reduction units and both have the new large propellor that gives them a real Mustang look.

Mike promised to send photos of both the Mustangs outside on the grass when they were completed, and here they are!

Peter Walton's T 51 Mustang has now flown and Mike is currently carrying out the test flying.

And finally, a couple of other photos of ZK-DBG to appreciate its lines on the ground and in the air. There is a really neat video of ZK-DBG flying at Tokoroa (note the smaller prop in the video). Go to www.youtube.com/watch?v=4V_WTwB-how

Mike has now started building another T 51 Mustang, this time a microlight version.

Thanks to Mike Crene for the photos.

Question time # 82

As per usual:

Make, model & registration = Chocolate fish.

A sunny day at Queenstown

A couple more views of ZK-JRX and ZK-TWU.
ZK-JRX is ex-N30DM, first registered in the USA in 1988.
Andrew Fairfax took it abroad to NZ and used it here before an attempt was made to register it as ZK-JPX, then ZK-JRX from 11Jul2003

At Queenstown 2004



ZK-TWU also started life in the USA as N67CW (for Carl Wright, CA) in February 1995.
It came to NZ in 2004.

At Queenstown 2004, on the same day

A couple of Andrew Fairfax's machines.

ZK-TWU at Queenstown on 26-09-04.

ZK-JRX at Rangiora on 10-09-08.

ZK-JRX at Queenstown on 26-09-04.

A couple of the Andrew Fairfax pics requested by Sir Minty.

I am currently on the road and do not have my data files with me.

Maybe Sir Minty will add further details to this blog if he so desires.

Speaking of Harmon Rockets

In my previous post on RV's, I mentioned the two Harmon Rocket 11's that are in New Zealand. One of those is ZK-RMD that was built by Dave Simpson and is hangared at North Shore. This impressive aircraft has been flying for nearly 2 years but I have only ever seen it in its hangar. Dave Simpson originally started off to build his Rocket from a kit in the mid 1990's. The Rocket 11 is only about 20% RV 4 with a wider fuselage and a shorter wing, strengthened rear fuselage and a raised turtledeck to fair into the revised canopy. It also has a Continental O 540 6 cylinder engine driving a larger propellor, and the landing gear is longer to allow for this. A smooth aeroplane.

There is one other Harmon Rocket 11 in New Zealand, being ZK-TWU of Andrew Fairfax in Queenstown. Can anyone post a photo of ZK-TWU (or Andrew's other planes RV 4 ZK-JRX or Spezio Tuholer ZK-JRZ)?

One other interesting aircraft being built in the hangar was a Thatcher CX 4 which is a small low wing all metal single seater with a Volkswagen engine. You can just see the wingtip in the back of the photo.