ZK-HZZZZs - It is Worse Than I Thought!

A couple of days ago I posted photos of the Skywork Helicopters Twin Squirrel ZK-HZZ7 at Kaipara Flats, and I also delved back into the blog to find photos of ZK-HZZ the sixth and ZK-HZZ the fifth which were also Skywork Helicopters Squirrels and all painted in the same bright colour scheme.

I also posited that this could be confusing for helicopter spotters

Now thanks to Richard Currie I can confirm that it didn't stop there, but went back through ZK-HZZ the fourth, ZK-HZZ the third and ZK-HZZ the second all the way back to to 1999 - all Skywork Helicopters Squirrels and as far as I know all painted the same!

Here is the list:

HZZ/2   AS350D                1382                      Feb 99 > Apr 02

HZZ/3   AS350BA             1821                      Dec 02 > Aug 03

HZZ/4   AS350B3             3239                      Sept 03 > Aug 05

HZZ/5   AS355N                5740                      Feb 06 > Oct 08

HZZ/6   AS350B3             3780                      Nov 09 > Jan 13

HZZ/7   AS355N                5691                      Feb 13 & current

Now that is really confusing for helicopter spotters!

Thanks for the info Richard.

Australian homebuilt aircraft at Wanaka

Now on display at the Wanaka Transport & Toy Museum are 3 Australian homebuilt aircraft acquired from the now closed Australian Aviation Museum at Bankstown.    Photos below are courtesy of the Derelict Aircraft Preservation Group Facebook page and history details of each are below.

Corby CJ1 Starlet 28-0493 c/n N113 was originally registered as VH-JGT on 16 Dec 85 moving to the Recreational Aircraft Australia Register as 28-0493 on 27 Apr 92.    It was cancelled as expired on 27 Apr 07 and donated to the Bankstown Museum by owner Gordon Timmins.

Druine D31A Turbulent 19-4864 c/n N273/Q200 was registered on 20 Nov 06 and cancelled as expired on 30 Aug 13.

 And lastly the unique Syndetta FTB which was designed and built by Joseph Kunovsky of Sydney in the 1990s.  Powered by a 18kw JPX 3 cylinder radial engine it was never registered as its builder passed away after a limited amount of ground testing.

Isaacs Fury ZK-JHR at NZKF Today 28-6-2024

Another lovely flying day in the North today, with the added bonus (for some) of it being a public holiday.  There was quite a lot of diverse activity on the airfield from trikes to Rotax powered microlights, but the most spectacular for me was Brien O'Brien flying his recently acquired Isaacs Fury ZK-JHR.  It is quite loud with the O-200 having straight pipes.

Here are some photos of it in the bright low winter sunshine:

Take off roll...

Climb out...

Then approach...

And landing after a couple of circuits.

Skywork Helicopters AS 355N Twin Squirrel ZK-HZZ/7 at NZKF Today

Finally at last a really nice day for flying in the Mahurangi area!  So I drove out to the airfield and pulled Honey Bebe out for a flight.  As I was pre-flighting I heard the growl of an approaching helicopter as is not uncommon for NZKF.  But this one did an overhead rejoin and flew the circuit to a touchdown:

It was the Warkworth based Skywork Helicopters' Eurocopter AS 355N ZK-HZZ7 (c/n 5691).

It flew several circuits and auto-rotations and carried out some hovering and a bit of flying backwards.

 

I hand propped Honey Bebe and as I prepared to strap in I was a bit concerned about possible wake turbulence, however as I was ready to taxi he flew off.  I heard him later at Omaha Flats airfield.

Skywork have always presented their helicopters immaculately in their very distinctive and bright colour scheme (as far as I know).  But there is something different about this Skywork helicopter that Mike Condon photo's at Ardmore back on 29/9/12 - this one is in fact their AS 350 B3 Squirrel ZK-HZZ the Sixth ! 

But wait!  There is more!  This Skywork SA 355N Twin Squirrel was also photo'd by Mike Condon at Ardmore back on 19/3/08 and is ZK-HZZ the Fifth!! (c/n 5740).

This could be very confusing to helicopter spotters!

Tiger Moth ZK-AUE

One of the vintage aircraft attending the Wings and Wheels event at Kaipara Flats airfield back in May was the DH 82A Tiger Moth ZK-AUE.  I looked at what we have posted on the blog about it and it was not much, so here is its history:

The aircraft was manufactured at the De Havilland factory at Hatfield in the UK with a constructors number of 82946 and shipped to New Zealand in kit form.  It was assembled with some local materials by De Havilland's at Rongotai with their constructors number DHNZ15 and was taken on charge by the RNZAF as NZ765 on 19/9/40.  It served with the No 1 EFTS at Taieri from 1940 to 1943 and the No 2 EFTS at Ashburton from late 1943.  After the war it was struck off charge on 15/3/48 and was registered as ZK-AUE.  It was gifted to the Wellington Aero Club but it was not used by them and stored.

On 17/5/50 ownership changed to Air Contracts Ltd of Masterton and its Certificate of Airworthiness was issued on 29/9/50.  It became Fleet # 7 with Air Contracts and carried the name "Our Alex".  As was usual for Tiger Moth topdressers back then it had an "interesting" life, hitting a fence at Kawatahi on 12/10/51 and being damaged by the wind at Waimiro on 31/1/52.  Bouncing back from these setbacks it crashed at Oporae near Weber on 18/5/52 seriously injuring the pilot Johnny Eftimopol who broke his back in the crash..

On 4/9/53 it was sold to Aerodress Ltd of Dannevirke and wore their Fleet #2 and is photo'd above at Dannevirke.  It was named "The Back Breaker" in a bit of dark humour.  It was damaged on takeoff from a farm airstrip at Ashley Clinton in 1955 but was repaired.  Finally it suffered a bizarre accident on 28/3/57 at Akito when a farm owner (who was not a pilot), attempted to taxy the aircraft and inadvertently became airborne and crashed, seriously injuring himself.  It was cancelled from the register on 10/9/57.

The remains of the Tiger Moth were stored by a couple of owners until 1982 when restoration was begun by Bruce Lynch and Bruce Johnstone, overseen by Dave Philpotts.  Temple Martin rebuilt the wings at Bridge Pa. 

.

ZK-AUE (c/n 82946) was re-registered to Bruce R Lynch of Auckland on 3/6/85 and he flew it widely around New Zealand (Bruce then went on to restore Tiger Moth ZK-ASM in the same colours as ZK-AUE).  On 1/3/02 ownership changed to M V Ryan of Waharoa with whom it is still current and in lovely condition as seen in this photo of it gleaming in the sun at Kaipara Flats on 19/5/24.

Thanks to Dave Paull for the history and to Peter Lewis for the historical photos.

Christchurch International - whilst waiting.

    Whilst waiting for the 737 freighter ZK-TXD to make its move I snapped off these other movements.

Singapore Airlines Airbus A350-941 9M-SMK c/n 084 taxiing for the full length of runway 20. 

On the roll on a very wet runway.

Jetstar Airbus A320-232 VH-VGQ c/n 4303 about to line up with ZK-TXD on the roll behind.

The Air New Zealand Airbus A321-271NX ZK-NNF c/n 8839 also heads for the runway end.

Texel Air Boeing 737 ZK-TXD at Christchurch

Texel's latest Boeing 737 ZK-TXD departed Christchurch International Airport late this morning in                                           gloomy damp meteorological conditions bound for Brisbane.                                                                     Taxiing out above.

And ready to roll on runway 20.

Its early history was posted at NZ Civil Aircraft: Texel Air Boeing 737-8FH ZK-TXD (nzcivair.blogspot.com)

It departed Hamilton for Brisbane on 17-06-2024.

It is rumoured that this trip from Brisbane to Melbourne and then to Christchurch was to deliver a replacement engine for the Boeing 737 VH-YIV currently stranded at Invercargill.

Aeroprakt Foxbat ZK-SGI Under the Rainbow!

For no other reason apart from that it is very colourful, I post this photo of David Signal's A 22LS Foxbat ZK-SGI at Kaipara Flats this morning under a strong rainbow:

A bright red aircraft, green green grass and the rainbow.  However that was about as good as the weather got as we reverted to the usual recent grot for the rest of the day.  Just as well David has big tyres on his Foxbat.

Just Aircraft SuperSTOL ZK-SNP

We have previously posted about Peter Steers' Just Aircraft SuperSTOL ZK-SNP but we didn't have a very clear photo of it.

However Clive Wilkinson was at the Taildraggers Day at Hastings back in November 2023 and took this nice photo of Peter Steers in ZK-SNP probably winning the spot landing competition.

The aircraft has since been sold to the SNP Syndicate of Motueka, as from 5/3/24.

Curtiss P40N Kittyhawk ZK-CAG exported.

The Curtiss P40N-1-CU c/n 28492 was manufactured for the USAAF, allocated the serial number 42-104730 and delivered to Australia under the Lend Lease Scheme.

As A29-448 with the Royal Australian Air Force it was damaged on landing at Tadji, PNG, in May 1944 and 'released for salvage' on 30-10-1944.

Leaping forward - Charles Derby recovered it from Tadji and freighted it to New Zealand and stored it until going into partnership with Garth Hogan (Pacific Aircraft) for restoration. This was completed by Pioneer Aero Restorations and the aircraft was registered as ZK-CAG2 on 08-03-2000 to The Kittyhawk Partnership (Charles Derby & Garth Hogan) and first flew on 17-03-2000.

It carried the name 'Currawong' and was also mark "Dedicated to the memory of Mark" (ie Mark Hanna).

Interestingly it carried the RAAF serial A29-448 on its port side and serial A29-1050 on its starboard side. To find out more about this work your way through the two following links.

Here 1.

&

HERE 2.

Ownership passed to the Warbird Adventure Rides Ltd (Frank Parker & Liz Needham) at Ardmore on 20-09-2012.

It was crated by Pioneer at Ardmore on 16-03-2024.

Its registration was cancelled as exported on 12-06-2024.

Below we have a selection of average quality photographs of ZK-CAG during its time in NZ.

At Ardmore on 18-03-2000 - the day following its first flight in NZ.

Note the 'Currawong' image and 'title' on the nose cowling.

Below on the same day with its RAAF serial of A29-1050 on the rear fuselage in a large format.

Above. On the 19-03-2000 we can see the small yellow RAAF serial number A29-448 beneath the tail and the large GA-C Squadron markings.

A month later in a hangar at Wigram - on 18-04-2000.

Now we jump ahead to 2009 at Wanaka.

Above and below we see both sides during engine runs at Wanaka on 16-12-2009.

And then at the Wanaka Airshow on 02-04-2010.

At Masterton 21-02-2011.

Wanaka on 05-04-2013.

Above and below. Back at Masterton on 18-01-2013 with 'Sharks teeth and Eye'.

And minus the 'Currrawong'.

At Omaka on 29-03-2013.

At Omaka on 30-03-2013 along with the Corsair ZK-COR, The Mustang ZK-TAF in the trail and the P40 ZK-RMH below. 

Another Omaka Air Show - on 02-04-2015.

In its Ardmore hangar on 24-02-2016.

On 26-03-2016 at Wanaka along with ZK-RMH.

At Omaka minus the Shark Teeth (thank goodness) and back to the 'Currawong".

My last sighting of ZK-CAG as it gets pushed into the Marlborough Aero Club hangar at Omaka after the Air Show on 18-04-2019.

BRM Aero Bristell LSA ZK-DVB/2

 The latest Bristell aircraft to be registered here has been delivered to its home base of Te Kowhai.

ZK-DVB2 (c/n 713/2024) was registered to Nigel Piper of Huntly on 10/5/24 and is photo'd above at Tauranga where it was assembled by Solo Wings.  The photo is from the Classic Cubs Facebook page.

ZK-DVB2 is the 14th Bristell aircraft to be registered here.  Nice!

Auster J1B Aiglet ZK-AYU

 The Auster J1B Aiglet ZK-AYU c/n 2730 was the 44th Auster to join our civil register.

 I am sure you are all aware of this fact. So I have no need to list the previous 43.

ZK-AYU was registered to the New Zealand agents British Aircraft Ltd on 09-05-1952.

Its history has been covered in several previous blog posts. So, drill your way down through these posts  HERE. 

Charlie Draper of Darfield sold the Auster to Arthur Ruddenklau - also of Darfield - from 02-09-2022 and it was captured below at Ashburton recently by Aaron Murphy.

Squirecraft Cavalier SA.102.5 ZK-ULL

 This Squirecraft Cavalier SA.102.5 ZK-ULL c/n 78041LF was noted heading into Ashburton ex Napier earlier in the month. It was photographed at Ashburton by Aaron Murphy on the 8th. 

It returned home on the 11th with a stop along the way at Kaikoura.This airframe was a project in the mid 1990's by Rob Mackie (sp?) which was sold around 2007 and finally registered on 28-05-2020 to Alec Forsyth of Masterton.
It was on sold to the Cranium Syndicate from 15-11-2022.

By my count we have had six Cavaliers on the register.
The others being ZK-CZF, ZK-DJJ, ZK-DJS, ZK-DYC and ZK-JJF.

For more on these - check out the following links here