And is this seldom seen?

Stoddard-Hamilton SH2 Glasair TD ZK-JDL photographed at Ardmore 14Jul10. It has been on the register since January 1990 with its Wanganui owner, Mr J D Luff however today was the first time I've come across it.

Two seldom seens - SEEN

Noticed today out getting a breath of winter air was the seldom seen Sequoia Falco F.8L ZK-FWA2 , c/n 651 . This was built by Bruce Fraser and Russel Woods in their hangar at Christchurch International and registered on 28-08-2008. Both shots were taken through the boundary fence wire. This is the first time I have managed to get anywhere near it with a camera.

Noted yesterday returning to its hangar at Rangiora was the Tri-R Kis-TR4 ZK-TUF , c/n 44 . Built by Laurie Tuff and first flying on 20-04-2000. It is Lycoming IO-360 powered

These three gentlemen have been dabbling with aircraft for some years.

Bruce built the Pazmany PL-1 ZK-PAZ and the Aero Gare Sea Hawk ZK-SEA and has operated the Piper PA-28-160 ZK-CNV and the PA-30 ZK-DOK.

Russell built the Jodel D.11 ZK-EDR and the Isaac Fury ZK-RFC and also had a leg in the Piper PA-30 ZK-DOK. I believe there is a Jodel D.18 now under way.

Laurie built the GY20 Minicab ZK-EEO and had a seat in the Schempp-Hirth Nimbus 111ZK-GZZ. There is a Boredom Fighter somewhere out there under construction as well. E&OE.

Another Ag machine. Beaver ZK-BMF

We have had something like thirty three De Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beavers on the New Zealand civil register and there is a great web site devoted to these aircraft (and others) at http://www.kiwibeavers.com/


Check out the Lawson Field reunion at Gisborne on October the 23-25 2010.

For any serious Beaver lover there is another web site dealing with them all - not Just Kiwi and OZ Beavers.
Go to www.dhc-2.com .
The photo above shows one of the Lawson Field (hence Fieldair) Beavers at rest at Dannevirke in June of 1969.
ZK-BMF was c/n 948 and came to NZ for the agents, De Havilland Aircraft Co (NZ) Ltd of Wellington, in about October of 1956. It was stored for some time before first flying on 04-03-1958 and becoming the demonstrator. It was registered to Fieldair Ltd of Gisborne on 24-04-1961 and remained with them until withdrawn from use in the 1980's. If my notes are correct it was rebuild by Gisborne Aero Maintenance and registered to Frank & Kay Wright of Tauranga on 18-09-91. [Frank is well known for his Beaver rebuilds and has one under way (VH/ZK-AQA) in his hangar as we speak]. BMF was cancelled on 13-08-1992 and exported to pop up on the Canadian register as C-FGAL the next day. It then moved over to the US register as N998CL and then to N712TS on 07-12-2000. At some point it was placed on floats and painted in a lovely blue scheme. Alas on 20-09-2004 it went missing in Alaska with five souls aboard and I believe has never been found.

Piper Tomahawk ZK-EHY.

Sadly the Piper PA-38-112 ZK-EHY crashed in steep terrain in the Pohangina Valley in the Ruahine Ranges today. Both person aboard where injured and are recovering in hospital.
I am sure we all wish them a speedy recovery.

ZK-EHY, as its c/n of 38-79A0594 tells us, was a product of 1979. It spent its first ten years on the US register as N2369K. It was imported into NZ and rebuilt at Dairy Flat and registered as ZK-EHY on 19-03-1990 to Tom Crail.
On 06-05-1992 it was listed to the Hawke's Bay & East Coast Aero Club at Hastings. This was rebranded as Air Hawkes Bay and listed to them on 28-06-02.
Top photograph was taken today (21-07-2010) and is credited to the Square Trust Rescue Helicopter.
Lower photo was taken at Hastings on 29-02-2008.

Ag DC-3 ZK-AWO.

Brett asked a while back if I had any Ag Dak photos.
Yes I do.
ZK-AWO , c/n 33480/16732 , was built for the USAAF as a Douglas C-47B-35-DK and allocated the serial of 44-77148 (on 15-06-1945 I think) before being delivered to the RNZAF on 07-07-1945. It served with the RNZAF as NZ3548 until moving over to NZNAC from 11-07-1952. (There is a separate story in here). It was withdrawn from NZNAC freight service on 05-09-66.
It then Joined Airland (NZ) Ltd in 1967 and carried out its first Ag job on 15-10 1968.
The first photo shows her in its Airland scheme at Napier in September of 1969.
It was transferred over to Fieldair Ltd on 20-07-1978 and remained with them until being withdrawn on 01-03-1984 and cancellation from our register on 29-05-1985.

The second view shows it in its Fieldair scheme and was taken at Blenheim (Woodbourne) on 27-12-1979.

The nose section of this aircraft is currently with Chris Rudge who has it trailer mounted and painted up advertising his Biplane Flights and the Ashburton Aviation Museum - His AgCat is currently operated out of Ashburton and the trailer is parked alongside SH1 just north of town on flying days - It will be based back at Omarama during the Summer months. (check out the July 2010 edition of Pacific Wings Magazine).

Question time # 105 resolved

Question time # 105 has been resolved to my satisfaction.

It is indeed the exhaust stack on a Schweizer 269C (300CBi).

The Registration ZK-HJU is also an acceptable choice. (although not the helicopter shown here) .


Well done Anonymous Dave.

Flick me an email to bluebus@windowslive.com and include your snail mail address for a fishy delivery.

Aerospatiale AS 350 BA ZK-HDK exported.

Aerospatiale AS 350B Squirrel c/n 1087 started life as JA9236 in Japan during 1979. It moved down to Australia and became VH-AQR3 in May of 1994. In July of 2005 it joined Heli Air Pty Ltd who re-registered it as VH- RPQ2 on 07-03-06. With them it became "Firebird 284" during the bush fire seasons. Its VH registration was cancelled on 11-03-2009 for its move to New Zealand where it became ZK-HDK3 on 26-03-2009 for Heli Support New Zealand Ltd of Wanaka.
I noted it in their hangar at Wanaka mid December of 2009 parted out with the fuselage in a jig with BA mods being carried out. (It was officially re designated as a AS 350 BA a few days ago on July 5th). During reassembly it was refitted with items supplied by its new owners who operated a large number of helicopters in the PNG region, and who retain a large stock of spare/replacement items (engines/gearboxes/rotor heads/blades etc). Instrumentation was also fitted to suit Pacific Helicopters requirements.
I caught up with it again on Wednesday the 7th parked at Garden City Helicopters in Christchurch being readied to place into a container for shipping to Australia. From there it will be flown up to PNG.
As you can see it is now marked as P2-PHV. Its ZK marks being cancelled today (09-07-2010).

IMCO Callair B-1

The Call brothers produced their first aircraft in 1940 which became known as the Callair Model A. Natural development had the models progress through to the A-7 by which time the assets of Callair Inc were acquired by IMCO (Intermountain Manufacturing Company). IMCO used this A-7 model as the basis for the A-9 which was a single seat agricultural aircraft strongly resembling the Piper Pawnee.
From the A-9 came the IMCO Callair B-1,in 1966. This was a considerably larger aircraft with double the hopper capacity and was powered by the Lycoming IO-720 of 400hp. At about this same time the type certification, rights and production was sold to Rockwell Standard Corporation. Production of the B-1 ended I believe after only 36 airframes were completed. Of these, eight came to New Zealand and two others had NZ registrations allocated but did not make it to NZ (ZK-CRS & CRT).
I got the impression that these B-1’s were not particularly well liked by either pilots or engineers and that the 720’s gave their share of problems.
One B-1 (ZK-CRU) was re-engined in NZ with a P&W R985 radial to become a model B-1A.
There is comprehensive thread on the NZ Callairs at the following link.

http://rnzaf.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=civil&action=display&thread=11361&page=1

Below is a selection of photos of IMCO Callair B-1’s

The first four shots show ZK-CRA , c/n 10011 .
Top view is an enginless CRA at Masterton on 02-03-1969 (a common sight for the B-1's) whilst with Air Contracts Ltd.

Second photo shows the standard cowling and exhaust.
















View three and four in glorious fading Kodachrome show ZK-CRA at Timaru on 17-09-1977 under Airwork (NZ) Ltd's ownership. Note the modified engine cowlings and exhaust stubs. These gave the aircraft a very distinctive sound.

CRA's last flight was on 28-09-1997 in the Orari Gorge area. I believe it was parked on a hill and the wind rolled the aircraft down a hill on the 30th.












ZK-CRC , c/n 10016 , was seen at Tauranga in March of 1969 having been damaged during February. It went new to Rangitikei Air Services of Taihape, being delivered on 01-07-1966

The Second view shows it at Timaru on 17-12-1973 with Auster Air Services Ltd and carrying spray gear.










It last flew on 07-08-1978 into storage at Rangiora and dismantling. Seen here parked up at Rangiora on 30-08-1978.

ZK-CRI , c/n 10018 , was delivered on 19-08-1966 to Air Services Wairarapa but was relisted to Auster Air Services Ltd at Timaru on 06-10-1966, transferring to Central Aviation from 23-01-1974.

First pic sees her at Balclutha on 26-01-1975 with the second view showing her at Naseby on 15-02-1975. It was withdrawn and cancelled on 05-11-1975.

on 01-08-1977 it was seen in a derelict state at Roxburgh.

ZK-CRJ , c/n 100020 , started with Auster Air Services in late August of 1966, went to Otago Air Services (at some stage ) and finally to Central Aviation on 23-01-1974. It broke its crankshaft near Dunback on 03-09-1975 and was cancelled on 05-11-75. This undated photo shows her parked beside State Highway One just north of Palmerston. The airstrip was actually at the top of the first ridge above the aircrafts nose.

Two inferior B&W shots of the Radial engines B-1A ZK-CRU , c/n 10029 . Undated shots taken at Hamilton. It crashed and was burnt on 16-03-1968.

ZK-CRV was c/n 10030 and first flew at Hamilton on 20-10-1966. It spent its working life with Otago Air Services Ltd and then Airwork (NZ) Ltd until being cancelled on 14-05-1981. First view below shows it at Timaru on 27-11-1967 and the tired fuselage was seen at Timaru on 27-02-1979

The final shot shows what I always thought (based on the different colour of the panel over the top of the hopper) was ZK-CRC on a trailer. The photo was taken at Timaru in January of 1978.

However CRC flew up until being withdrawn at NZRT on 07-08-1978.

Question time # 105

With Question time # 104 nicely put to bed by Sir Minty I offer you this view as QT # 105.

All I need to know from you is :-

What make and model of flying machine is this object likely to be found on, in, or attached to.

And to help clinch the chocolate fish deal- how about offering a likely registration.

And I guess you had better tell me purpose of this item.

Answer to Question Time #104

There have been some very interesting answers to Question Time #104. Thanks to all who have commented.

Most of the respondents correctly identified I-AHDF as a Macchi MB 308, but no-one identified where the photo was taken. I understand that the photo was taken at Paraparaumu in the late 1990's.

The Macchi MB 308 was an all wooden sport aircraft that was manufactured in Italy from the late 1940's onwards. It was powered by a Continental C-85 motor and had an maximum all up weight of 642 Kg, which makes it quite close to a modern microlight. The MB 308 was one of the most prolific aircraft manufactured in Italy in the 1950's and many examples were used by Italian Aero Clubs.

I-AHDF (c/n 79/5852) was delivered on 21/11/47 to Marchese Francesco di Francia of Palermo (what a cool name!). It then went to the Italian Aero Club of Rome on 19/11/62, and then to Felice di Napoli, also of Rome on 27/12/92.

This leads to the New Zealand connection as Felice di Napoli imported it into New Zealand in the 1990's. Felice flew it as I-AHDF in New Zealand for some time before registering it as ZK-MDF to Sky Arrow NZ Ltd on 1/10/98 (Felice was also the importer of New Zealand's 3 Sky Arrows). ZK-MDF was registered to General Avia South Ltd in 10/99 and was cancelled on 17/9/02 as exported. Can anyone supply a better photo of ZK-MDF than the above which I copied off the internet?

The aircraft then turned up in Australia and and thanks to Matt we know that it had the registration VH-MBZ reserved for a while (in the link below). But it eventually was restored on the Australian microlight register as 24-5431 (the 24 signifies that is is a factory built aircraft). It flew again in Australia on 17/8/08, at Serpentine Airfield, WA. There is an interesting link to the aircraft at http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=892918&page=6

I am afraid that I cannot award a chocolate fish for the first set of answers because no-one identified the location. However QW wins a chocolate fish for correctly advising where I-AHDF is now. Thanks for this, we have been able to add some more information to this interesting aircraft that was here for a while in New Zealand. If QW contacts Blue Bus on the email address in the Blog header I will see about delivering the chockie fish.