The Schleicher Ka4 Rhonlerche II ZK-GBW with the c/n of 614/59 first flew in NZ on 12-12-1959 and was delivered to Roy Russel of Nelson. This delivery was by aerotow from Hastings to Nelson on 19-02-1960 behind the De Havilland DH82A Tiger Moth ZK-BAV of the HB & EC Aero Club.
It was officially listed to the Nelson Gliding Club on 15-03-1960.
It like many of the earlier gliders had several incidents.
On 01-09-1962 it stalled on approach to Nelson in a hailstorm and was damaged when it landed in the nearby mudflats.
On 14-03-1976 the canopy flew open in flight near Nelson - and as you can see from the photo below the canopy opens upwards and backwards. So that would have been exciting.
The Club moved its base of operation from Nelson Airport to the McConochie Lake Station Farm alongside State Highway 63 about 10km WNW of St Arnaud Village in March of 1989.
On 03-10-1992 ZK-GBW's main spar failed on launch (presumably a winch launch) followed by a heavy landing at Motueka.
The Club changed its name to the Nelson Lakes Gliding Club (Inc) in March of 2005 with ZK-GBW being transferred to that name on 03-10-2008 following repairs from its incident below.
Another incident in July 2007 it was extensively damaged when it landed short and struck a fence and a cow.
Photo below at Lake Station on 15-02-2004
Ownership changed to Miles Hursthouse and Ray Sharland of Nelson on 09-08-2012
Photo below on winch launch at Lake Station on 09-02-2006 by Andy Heap.
It was sold to Club members Miles Hursthouse and Ray Sharland on 09-08-2012 and ultimately withdrawn from use and cancelled on 13-05-2014.
It had flown over 5000 hours with 17,674 launches, comprising 12,405 aero tows and 5269 winch launches
It can be found today in the Classic Boat Museum at St Arnaud as seen in these two photos below from CMM.
When ZK-GBW finally left the gliding club's ownership in 2012 it concluded what I think was the third longest ownership on NZ CAA records. Bettering that are the Canterbury Aero Club's PA-18A-150 ZK-BNL (since 1956) and the Wanganui Gliding Club's Schleicher Ka6Cr ZK-GAN (since 1960). While I acknowledge both gliding clubs have changed their name in the respective time-frames the gliders remained in their respective club's assets. ZK-BNL and ZK-GAN both remain airworthy. With ZK-GAN arguably in number two slot, what registered aircraft is now number 3?
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