Cessna 180 ZK-BJB (c/n 31241) joined the NZ Civil Aircraft Register on 18-11-1954 for the NZ agents Rural Aviation Ltd of New Plymouth. Its NZ CofA was granted on 31-01-1955.
Below is an early undated photo from the Ed Coates collection.
This Cessna went to Aircraft Fertilizing (HB) Ltd of Hastings from 20-06-1955.
That concern was taken over by Rural Aviation two years later with ownership changing back to Rural on 15-11-1957.
From 09-05-1960 it was with Northern Air Services Ltd of Te Kuiti and then, starting in 1963, passed to a series of private owners.
Below is another undated photo which comes via the CMM collection showing it in a different colour scheme - still in Ag configuration.
The first of the private owners was Ray Verrity of Te Awamutu from April of 1964.
The photo below is from an unknown source.
It carries the name "R Verrity" just above the venturi
At an unknown date it was listed to Graham Stewart & Co Ltd of Christchurch.
It is seen below outside the Airwork hangar at Christchurch on 02-09-1966.
Then below we see it at Taieri on 15-11-1967.
On 09-10-1968 it was transferred to W R Jackson of Taieri where it is seen below on 31-01-1969.
It was damaged on take off when it caught a boundary fence at Wrights Bush on 20-04-1969.
It was flown to Invercargill and landed on the grass out in front of the Southland Aero Club.
As seen below it was minus an undercarriage leg and the horizontal tailplane was "odd looking".
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Below is a closer shot of the tail end.
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Following repairs and a re-paint is is seen below at Taieri on 02-11-1970.
By this time it had tail graphics and the name "Patrille" below the cockpit.
M C Paterson of Dunedin features on the ownership papers from 22-03-1974.
and it is seen below on 24-11-1974 at Taieri.
(W R Jackson purchased the new Cessna A185F ZK-DOC in June of 1974 and this became "Patrille II" )
A (Tony) J and B R Mackle of Kaikoura acquired it in October of 1976 and based it on a strip along Mill Road at the northern end of town.
Below we see it outside the old Canterbury Aero Club premises at Christchurch on 17-07-1986 - in yet another paint scheme.
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And at its home strip at Kaikoura on 20-08-1986.
Tony moved up to the Richmond area and I spied it on 11-05-1990 at Nelson.
Interestingly Tony also had the Cessna 180J ZK-DXW from 1991 through to 1994 and the 180B ZK-BMW from 1994 until late 1998.
Below we see it more recently on the Tea Pot Valley strip on 23-02-1999.
Thanks for the post on BJB, In the photo at Taieri in the Blue Scheme is that a James C180 lurking in the background ?
ReplyDeleteEvening Allan.
ReplyDeleteJames didn't have a lot of 180's.
It is actually BUJ - ex Farmers ATD and Advance Aviation - which I suppose is another way of saying James Aviation.
Have you got any pics of it ?
Worthy of a post sometime soon I guess.
Thanks for an excellent post. These old lady's deserve respect, no wonder they look so proud and knowing!
ReplyDeleteOn behalf of the current owner who currently does not use the Internet thanks for the posting. He would like to make some comments and corrections and if I can get him to dictate these I will post them for him here.
ReplyDeleteThat would be great thanks. Email me direct at paulldj@xtra.co.nz and I can add or edit the original post
ReplyDeleteI have a recent photo of BJB undergoing SIDs with tail and numerous underwing inspection panels removed - I wonder if Tony would mind if I posted it ?
Cheers
My father Ian Rankin flew BJB For northern air services from 1960- 1963 as a kid I often went with him on school holidays I asked my dad years later on that aircraft and he remembered it being well balanced nice to fly
ReplyDeleteMy father Ian Rankin flew BJB For northern air services from 1960- 1963 as a kid I often went with him on school holidays I asked my dad years later on that aircraft and he remembered it being well balanced nice to fly
ReplyDeleteMy dad Ian Rankin flew zk-BJB at Te- kuiti from mar 1960- April 63 login 2287.5 hours in it with myself also in school holidays and any other day I could get
ReplyDelete