Lockheed 18 Lodestar

By my count there have been twenty one Lockheed Lodestars on the NZ Civil Register. Six of these working in the Agricultural role.
To pacify one of our regular blog followers I offer you photos of two of these ag Lodestars.
I make no apologies for the quality of some of these photographs .

ZK-BUV c/n 2152 had served with the USAAF, the Royal Air Force and the Spanish Air Force and entered the US civil market as N9930F in January of 1955, being sold to Fieldair on 28-12-1957. It flew from Sydney into Gisborne on 03-05-1958.

Top photo shows ZK-BUV in the DH hangar at Wellington in late 1962

Pic below is also at Wellington, but taken in about November of 1963

It served both with Airland and Fieldair before being withdrawn from use on 28-11-1972.

Above pic shows it in its Airland script at a time and place long forgotten.

Below in Fieldair markings after being withdrawn from use. Taken at Palmerston North on 08-12-1972

Below we see the Fowler flaps partially extended

 It did a ferry flight from Palmerston North to Gisborne on 08-01-1973 and was mounted as a gate guardian at the Gisborne Airport. It was removed from this plinth on 23-05-1998 and is now in the hands of the Gisborne Aviation Preservation Society.

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ZK-BVE c/n 2020 was built pre the Pacific War for United Air Lines and was impressed into military service via the USAAF for the RAF and going to BOAC in about September of 1941. It later served with the Spanish Air Force until becoming N9933F in March of 1954. It was converted to the ag role at Bankstown and registered to Fieldair on 02-12-1957 to arrived at Auckland on 03-08-1958.

It also served with both Fieldair and Airland before a wheels up landing at Palmerston North on17-12-1969.

Above we see ZK-BVE, in its Airland scheme, getting airborne from New Plymouth on 13-01-1967.

Below, place unknown, but on 02-03-1969.

Below another unrecorded site in September of 1969.

Below at Palmerston North on 29-10-1970.

Its registration was cancelled on 29-01-1970 and was donated to MoTaT. I believe it was ferried north on 08-11-1970.