Saturday 15 February 2014

Druine Turbulent ZK-CBN - Addendum

I have previously posted the history of Merv Meredith's Turbulent ZK-CBN up to 2010 in my post Druine Turbulents of New Zealand (4), but since then some more history can be added.

My originally posted photos of ZK-CBN were in black and white, so I now add colour photos from Don Noble's collection as below.

ZK-CBN in its original colours, at Waipukurau on 30/12/64.

And in its later colours at Gisborne, on 11/10/69.

As I previously posted, ownership of ZK-CBN finally transferred to IG Williams of Whenuapai on 29/3/74 and it was withdrawn from use and cancelled on 29/8/75.

However it was registered again on 29/5/95 to the Williams/Thompson/Knox Syndicate of Drury.  This was a case rather like grandfather's axe, as Ian Williams recalled that the only original part from Merv Meredith's ZK-CBN was the rudder bracket, and the syndicate had to build a new fuselage and new wings!  It then sat around for several years before eventually being test flown by Lee Middleton.  However it had some problems so it sat around again for many years before being cancelled again on 15/8/12.

Remarkably, ZK-CBN was re-registered again on 30/7/13 to Bill Izard of Kihikihi (the third time it had been registered!), and he had the aircraft repainted as above.  Thanks to David Wilkinson for the above photo, which was taken in Bill Izard's hangar at Kihikihi on 14/1/14.

Sadly this 50 year long story does not have a happy ending, as ZK-CBN crashed at Kihikihi on 5/2/14, injuring the pilot.  From photos of the wreckage, I do not think it will be flying again.


1 comment:

  1. he should have more turbulent parts he aquired two fuslages and a complete wing from the naki area a couple of years back

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