Hopefully this will be a little harder than Q52! If not can you humour me by having some bad guesses and leaving it a few days before giving the correct answer!
1) What type of aircraft
2) Rego and c/n
3) what it the reason for the small circular non factory mod at the foot of the Z
Type: Red Aircraft
ReplyDeleteRego: ZK-RED, c/n #F00 [think about it...]
Reason: Patched up bullet holes from the time this aircraft was used for dope spotting around the hills of Wainuiomata [Lower Hutt].
You said humour... I tried... :-(
I seem to recall that this is the Squirrel helicopter ZK-HZK when being used by the Italian Antarctic expedition in 1985-86. The hole was caused when an Italian scientist slipped whilst boarding the machine during a field pick up. Evidently he acted instinctively and swung his ice axe and it stuck the fuselage as shown. I believe it arrested his fall in a satisfactory manner.
ReplyDeleteWell, that's more convincing than my explanation... :-)
ReplyDeleteConvincing Limelight's response may have been (and interesting too), but certainly not any more accurate!
ReplyDeletePilatus PC6/B1-H2 c/n 523 ZK-PCI. I think its flying in the UK on meat bombing taskings but in a previous life had a job with some other covert operators which may have seen it attract unwanted attention by enemy fire!
ReplyDeleteI stand to be corrected.
PS - nice photos you got of this machine Andy back in Feb05!
Not over Wainuiomata by any chance????
ReplyDeleteI thought not...
Nah, up near Kaitoke!
ReplyDeleteOh well - that question lasted a few hours
ReplyDeleteWell done Mike! Of course you are totally correct. Very impressive!
More detail of PCI can be found on http://www.pc-6.com/history/523.htm
Yes the patch is from a bullet hole - the aircraft has lots of them - joining the dots is a fun exercise!