Fox Moth ZK-AGM

Thanks to John M for sharing this absolute gem!

Kiwi Fox Moth makes debut in UK

Photo-report from Adrian M. Balch at Woburn

On 15-16^th August, the de Havilland Moth Club held its 30^th annual rally at Woburn in Bedfordshire, which also commemorated the 40^th Anniversary of the Club’s founding by Stuart McKay.

Star of the show for many was the public debut of newly-restored DH83 Fox Moth, ZK-AGM (c/n TS2810), which only made its first flight on 3^rd August from Rendcomb, Gloucestershire after rebuild by Jan Cooper and team at the Newbury Aeroplane Company, nr. Hungerford. Owned by New Zealander and Emirates Boeing 777 Captain, Bruce Broady, the Fox Moth was put through its paces at Woburn by pilot Charlie Huke. In order to fly in the UK, the Fox Moth has been allocated the UK civil registration G-CIPJ and will be temporarily based at Rendcomb before being shipped back to New Zealand.

The aircraft has an unusual construction number ‘T/S 52810’ as it was originally c/n 4085, being delivered to the Canterbury Aero Club at Christchurch in 1934 as ZK-ADH  and leased to Air Travel (NZ) Ltd. However it crashed near Wigram on 7^th June 1936 when attempting to land in fog and was damaged beyond repair. The wings, undercarriage and tail were used with a new-build fuselage and it was rebuilt by the de Havilland Technical School, but having a new fuselage was given  a new c/n, the ‘T/S’ standing for Technical School. It was also re-registered ZK-AGM and delivered to Air Travel (NZ) at Hotitika on 10^th June 1938, then to New Zealand National Airways named “Matuhi” on 1^st December 1947. It had several subsequent owners, but crashed again on 27^th April 1963 in West Wanaka and was cancelled from the register on 5^th August 1963.

In 1997, the remains were shipped to the UK for restoration by the Newbury Aeroplane Company, and it finally emerged in early August in pristine condition.

This is an important restoration, as there are thought to be only another six airworthy Fox Moths flying in the world today, in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the UK. When ZK-AGM finally returns to New Zealand, it will be based at Motueka, near Nelson on the South Island.

Photos & text @ Adrian M. Balch/ Photair Press, 17/8/15     

Fox Moth ZK-AGM throughout the years.

Adding to the news about the Fox Moth ZK-AGM restoration, these two photographs from the Neville Drake collection will be of interest.
Above: as ZK-ADH, at Wigram 1934/36
Below: as ZK-AGM with NZNAC at Hokitika January 1952.

Another International NZ Connection - ZK-AGM

David Wise has sent a couple of photos of the lovely DH 83 Fox Moth marked as ZK-AGM (c/n TS2810) taken at the LAA Rally at Sywell on 31/8/18.

Actually, I did not realise that the New Zealand registration is a UK CAA Registration Mark Exemption scheme and the aircraft is actually registered as G-CIPJ (although this has been mentioned on the blog previously).

The aircraft is a long term rebuild of the original ZK-AGM which crashed near Wanaka in April 1963 and was itself a rebuild using parts of Fox Moth ZK-ADH with a new fuselage.

Previous posts on this aircraft can be found HERE (detailing its complete history), and HERE.

Thanks for the photos David.