Cessna 170 ZK-BLT

We have had the pleasure of ten Cessna 170's on our civil aircraft register. 

One 'A' model and the rest 'B' models.

Five of these are still currently listed.

ZK-BLT is c/n 26831 and was built as N4487B.

Rural Aviation Ltd of New Plymouth registered it on 27-09-1955 with its NZ CofA being issued on 13-10-1955.

Acme Motor Ltd of Wellington appear in the paper work from 18-10-1955. 

Above is an undated photo from the Allan Wooller collection showing ZK-BLT at Stratford in its factory colour scheme.

It moved to the Napier Aero Club from 21-05-1959.

The commercial side of the Aero Club was the Eastern Air Service.

Photo below from the Steve Lowe collection shows ZK-BLT in Eastern Air Service markings.

Read about the Eastern Air Service Here from the great 3rdlevelnz blog.

And a photo from the Allan Wooller collection showing her at Wellington with Electra VH-ECD (later ZK-TED) in the background.

The aircraft was damaged at Napier on 06-01-1964 and was sold to Arthur N Reville of New Plymouth from 23-02-1964.

Above at New Plymouth's old Bell Block Airfield - Date unknown.

Above as seen at Palmerston North in December 1966 by Allan Wooller

Two views of her at the old Rotorua Airfield on 10-01-1967.

Photo above taken on 20-08-1967 at Ardmore by Peter Lewis.

At Paraparaumu on 07-03-1971

                                  It had an incident in the Greenstone Valley on 08-01-1972.

                                 Above. I caught it at Omaka on 28-03-1972.                                           

                                                     And at Hokitika on 19-04-1973.

Above. At an unknown place and date from Russell Woods.

Can anyone date this red scheme ?

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A note from Thomarse

In the book "Injun Joe" about the life and times of "Smoking Joe Collins" :-

He wrote on page 83 :-

"A pilot crashed a 170 Cessna on take off at Pine Grove which they recovered the next day".

The implication being that it was in May of 1974.

(But I have no details about a 1974 incident)

The photo below comes from said book.

This tends to date the red scheme.

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  Ownership passed to Phillip A Evers-Swindell of Pahiatua on 25-07-1977.

Below a pic from Allan Wooller shows ZK-BLT at Masterton in early June of 1979 being masked for a repaint.

Above is an Allan Wooller photo of ZK-BLT at Masterton following its repaint in late June of 1979.
Below is another shot from Allan taken on the Eglington Strip just North of Pahiatua in 1979.

It was damaged on take off at Kohinui on 16-08-1981 and was sold 'as is' back to Arthur Reville at Ardmore from 19-01-1982. Its registration was cancelled on 13-02-1991.
It returned to the register to Arthur Reville on 17-10-1996.
Philip Welcome of Auckland was the listed owner from 16-09-2003.
 followed by the Airline Flying Club (Inc) of Auckland on 01-08-2006.
From 01-08-2008 it has been with Computer Automation Products of Auckland.

An MRC shot at Ardmore on 14-05-2013.

At Ardmore again on 30-12-2013 from Sir Minty.

Tucked in the rear of its hangar at Ardmore on 24-02-2016.

Now wearing a coat of paint at Ardmore on 29-12-2017 from Magnaman.