Slepcev Storches of New Zealand (and a Ragwing)

The original Fiesler Fi 156 Storch (Stork) first flew in 1936 in Germany and during WW2 several thousand were built in many countries including Germany, Romania, Czechoslavakia and France,  The design was provided to Russia before the war and was also built by Morane Saulnier in France from 1944 for the French Armee de l'Air.  It had amazing STOL performance with full span slats and slotted flaps and ailerons.  It also had an interesting amount of undercrraige travel - it is worth googling to see a Storch do a short landing!

The Storch had such amazing performance that it has spawned several copies (mostly 3/4 scale) as in the Slepcev and Ragwing aircraft below, and the Pazmany PL9.  I understand that Murray Belfield of Tokoroa (who built his Jodel D 11 many years ago) is well advanced with building a Pazmany Storch for bush flying.

The Slepcev Storch was designed by Nestor Slepcev, a Yugoslavian who emigrated to Australia.  It is modified for simplicity but still has the full span leading edge slats and Fowler flaps, which gives it an amazing STOL performance - quoted figures for takeoff and landing are 30 to 50 feet and  it is claimed that the Slepcev Storch can fly at 22 mph with full flap and 30% power!!  I wonder when one will show up at the Healthy Bastards competition?  Length is 6.8 metres (22 feet 4 inches), wingspan is 10.0 metres (32 feet 10 inches) and the wing area is 160 Square feet.  Empty weight is around 290 Kg (640 pounds) and MAUW is 544 Kg (1200 pounds).  Engine power for the microlight version can be from 65 to 100 HP but models are available for more powerful engines in the Super Storch model.  Kits are available from the factory at Port Macquarie, NSW and from Novi Sad in Serbia.

We have had three Slepcev Storches in New Zealand as follows:

Our first Storch was a demonstration example that was bought to New Zealand and demonstrated by Nestor Slepcev at the 1998 SAANZ flyin at Matamata, where it is shown in the above photo.  ZK-JPH (c/n 036) was owned by Jim Hazelton of Turners Flat, NSW and was first registered here on 3/2/98.  I remember Nestor Slepcev giving the most amazing handling display at the SAANZ flyin including 180 degree turns within the confines of the airstrip.  It was marked as a "Slepcev Storch Muster".  After further demonstrations in New Zealand it was cancelled on 19/3/99 and returned to Australia where it became 19-3061.

Our second Storch came the other way, from Australia to New Zealand.  ZK-WAZ (c/n SSUL097) was previously 19-3690 and still wears thos marks as well as WAZ.  It was imported by Gavin Ladbrook of Timaru and was first registered here on 11/7/03.  It is photo'd above at Timaru on 1/7/10.

And here it is at Russel Brodie's Rangitata Island airstrip on 18/12/11, now with big tyres.

ZK-STO (c/n 157) was built by Angus Robson of Matamata and was first registered on 26/3/14.  It looks quite authentic and a lot of work has gone into the canopy glazing.  It is photo'd above at Ardmore on 16/10/14.

As we are on the subject of Storch replicas I will include our only example of the Roger Mann designed Ragwing RW19 Storch.  ZK-RWB (c/n RW19) was built by Wayne Wilson of Christchurch and was first registered on 2/7/04 and first flew with a Subaru motor with a belt reduction unit.  The dimensions and MAUW are the same as the Slepcev Storch but the quoted stalling speed is 15 mph!

ZK-RWB was sold to Ivan Campbell of Loburn Abbey, near Rangiora, on 18/3/10.  Ivan has refurbished the aircraft and has installed a Rotec R 2800 7 cylinder radial engine of 110 HP.  Campbell Aero Classics are the local agents for Rotec radial engines.  It hasn't flown with the Rotec yet but it will be a very interesting aircraft to see when it gets going.  It is photo'd above at Loburn Abbey on 8/2/15.

Fly Synthesis Storch's of New Zealand

It is time to get back to the series of homebuilt and sports aircraft of New Zealand, with the Fly Synthesis Storch, with the first of type being first registered here in February 2006.

The Fly Synthesis Storch first appeared in 1990 and is produced by Italian company Fly Synthesis S.r.l. of Mortegliano in the North East of Italy.  They also produce a range of other ultralight aircraft including the Wallaby, Synchro, Catalina and the Texan (of which we have had several of the latter registered in New Zealand).  The Storch was quite ground breaking for its time and features a composite forward fuselage with a steel cage and an aluminium tailboom.  The wings and empenage are metal.  It started off with a longer wing and flaperons, but the later S models (that we have in New Zealand) have a shorter wing with flaps and ailerons).  The composite forward fuselage with its large glazed area gives great views from the aircraft.

The Storch S has a length of 5.75 metres (18 feet 10 inches) and a wingspan of 8.70 metres (28 feet 7 inches).  The wing area is 127 square feet.  Empty weight is around 275 Kg (606 pounds) and MAUW is 449 Kg (990 pounds).  With an 80 HP Rotax UL engine the cruise speed is around 115 mph, while the stall speed is 40 mph.

We have had 6 Fly Synthesis Storchs in New Zealand to date, as follows:

Our first Storch S was ZK-FOS2 (c/n 322A-378) which was first registered to the Northern Wairoa Aero Club on 17/2/06.  The above photo was taken at the 2008 SAANZ flyin at Tauranga, the first time I had ever seen a Fly Synthesis Storch.

The Northern Wairoa Aero Club became the Dargaville Aero Club and its long time chief flying instructor is Murray Foster hence the registration.  It is photo'd above at home at Dargaville.  The Dargaville Aero Club has had a policy of keeping their training aircraft for around 1500 hours or so before selling them and replacing them, in their case with another Storch.  In line with this policy it was sold to Rodger L Fortune of Invercargill on 10/4/11.

Our second Storch S was ZK-STK (c/n 411-355A) which was registered to G M McGreggor of Gisborne on 7/3/07.  I understand that this aircraft had folding wings.  It is photo'd above at what must have been the 2007 Black Sands flyin at Raglan.  It was damaged in a heavy landing at Gisborne on 9/11/08 and was written off on 14/10/09.

Next up was ZK-SAQ2 (c/n 420A-364) which was registered to the Sport Aircraft Corporation of Hamilton on 22/8/07 (the SAC is one of our Microlight administration organisations).  It was operated in a training role at Te Kowhai until it was damaged after it stalled on a go around and hit a fence on 17/9/13.  The above photo was taken at Paul Hopper's old strip at Silverdale on 14/4/12, during the Northland Microlight Club's 2012 Poker Run.

It was written off and the damaged airframe sold to Brian Taylor of Whnagarei on 27/6/14.  He rebuilt the aircraft and it flew again on 17/9/14.  It is photo'd above at Dargaville on 25/4/15.  It was sold to the Feilding Flying Club on 1/4/16 and I think it now wears their titles.

Our fourth Storch S was ZK-JES2 (c/n 374A-340) which was registered to Helinorth Agricultural Ltd (Allan Jessop, hence the registration), of Whangarei on 13/12/07.  It is photo'd above at the 2008 SAANZ flyin at Tauranga.

On 11/3/11 it was sold to the Dargaville Aero Club and it is photo'd above at their base Dargaville on 31/8/12.  It had an adventurous time on line with damage on 21/8/11, 13/12/12 finally on 2/10/13 when it overturned in a forced landing on a farm near Dargaville.  Following this it was rebuilt by club members and ownership changed to Allan Jessop of Whangarei on on 6/7/14.  He sold it to Theunis van Loggerenberg of Whangarei on 7/5/15 and in turn he sold the aircraft on 30/10/17 to The Storch Syndicate of Whitianga.

After a gap of several years, the Dargaville Aero Club registered another Storch.  This was ZK-DAQ2 (c/n FIBC4980D22DD - I don't know where that came from!) which was first registered on 17/4/14.  It is photo'd above by jean210 very early on in its life at Dargaville, on 24/4/14.

Another photo of the aircraft at its Dargaville base more recently, on 6/5/16.  It is a nice aircraft to fly.

And finally for now, another Storch S was imported from Australia where it had been registered 24-5068 on the Microlight register since 17/5/07.  It was registered here as ZK-KAD2 on 13/4/16 to Aero Australasia Ltd (Charl Marais) of Hamilton.  It is based at Te Kowhai where the above photo was taken on 1/12/16.

Ragwing Aircraft of New Zealand (5) - Storch Single Seat

The Ragwing Storch was Roger Mann's nineteenth aircraft design (the website shows that his designs go up to 26!).  However, I don't think many of them have been built in large numbers.

The aircraft is designed as a 75% replica of the wartime German Fieseler Fi 156 Storch, and apparently it performs as well or better than the original in STOL performance with a quoted stalling speed of 15 mph!

It seems as if the Storch can be built as a single seater, or as a 2 seater with tandem or side by side seating , and it first flew in August 1997.  Its length is 22 feet (6.71 metres) and its wingspan is 32 feet (9.75 metres).  Empty weight is around 500 pounds (226 Kg) and MAUW is 1,200 pounds (544 Kg) which are the weights for a 2 seat aircraft.  Engines can be from 70 HP up to 110 HP with 70 HP giving a cruise speed of around 75 mph.

Our only Ragwing Storch ZK-RWB is registered as a single seat Class 1 microlight.

ZK-RWB (c/n RW 19) was built by Wayne Wilson of Christchurch and was registered to him on 2/7/04.  Its first flight was 2 days later, at Rangiora, on 4/7/04.  It was originally fitted with a Subaru EA 81 engine with a 2.2:1 reduction gear driving an Ivoprop 3 bladed propellor as in these photos from Wayne Wilson, taken at Rangiora.

On 8/3/10 ZK-RWB was purchased by Ivan Campbell of Loburn Abbey, not far from Rangiora.  Ivan re-engined the aircraft was a Rotec R 2800 radial engine of 110 HP as in this photo taken at Loburn Abbey on 27/1/12..

Towards the end of the war - in 1944 when France was liberated, production of the Fieseler Storch at the Morane Saulnier factory was continued at rhe request of the French Armee de l'Áir for their use.  After the stock of in-line German Argus engines was exhausted, the Morane Saulnier Storchs were engined with various radial engines, so the aircraft is still representative of the appearance of a wartime Storch.

The Campbell's have also carried out a lot of detail work on ZK-RWB which can be seen by comparing the above photos.  It now has more accurate cockpit glazing and is fitted with slats, as well as having a complete repaint.

New Zealand's Other Slepcev Storch

Seeing Blue Bus's post on the elusive Slepcev Storch ZK-WAZ inspired me to look out my photos of the first Slepcev Storch in New Zealand: ZK-JPH. ZK-JPH was assembled in Tauranga, where this photo was taken, just before the 1998 AACA flyin at Matamata. I saw it displayed at that flyin by Nestor Slepcev as I remember, and his flying display was amazing. I remember him doing tight turns within the width of the Matamata airstrip!

The Slepcev Storch was designed by Nestor Slepcev in Australia and is a quite accurate 3/4 scale replica of the original Fiesler Storch.

Pazmany PL 9 Stork at Tokoroa 29-11-2019

Not far down the road from Matamata I called into Tokoroa airfield on the offchance.  I knew that Murray Belfield was getting close with his replica Fiesler Storch project that he has been working on for quite a few years, and there it was along with Murray in his hangar!  (Murray has previously built his well travelled Jodel D 11 ZK-MMB as well as helping to build several other aircraft).

Murray's aircraft is a Pazmany PL 9 Stork which is a 3/4 scale replica of the Fiesler Storch with a wingspan of 36 feet (Storch is the German word for Stork).  It is powered by an O-320 engine.  It will be registered with Murray's initials MWB.

As you can see, it is getting close to being completed, and it looks amazing.  Murray was working on fitting the wing struts when I was there and he was gracious to give me the OK to post these photos.  Thanks Murray.

Here is a close up view of the cabin which shows off Murray's detailed work.  (Click the photo to enlarge it to see the details).Very impressive.

It will be great to see Murray's Stork flying!

Slepcev Storch U/L ZK-WAZ.

Captured at Timaru today (01-07-2010) after some seven years of waiting was the Slepcev Storch U/L ZK-WAZ , c/n SS4UL097 , of Gavin Ladbrook. This is a 3/4 scale ultra light aircraft based on the Fieseler Fi 156 Storch of 1933/6 of which nearly 3000 were built.
It is a rather large two seat Rotax powered aircraft with amazing take off and landing abilities. It was registered here on 11-07-2003
It still carries its Australian AUF markings of 19-3690 and has the name "Lynda"on the engine cowling.

It also carries these two additional art works.

One other SS4 was registered in NZ as ZK-JPH1 between February of 1998 and November of 1999.

A Real Surprise at Whangarei Today - Pazmany Storch ZK-MWB

Another Friday and another trip away from Kaipara Flats, this time up to Whangarei for lunch.  Just after we landed we heard a downwind call from Mike Whiskey Bravo but I really didn't twig what it was, and it was on finals behind a hangar from where we were parked.  What a great surprise when Murray Belfield rolled out in front of us in his immaculate 3/4 scale Pazmany Storch ZK-MWB2:

As he taxied in, this was the first time I had seen Murray's Storch completed.

What a great view from the cockpit with all that glazing!

It just looks right, although Murray told me that the cabin is more than 75% scale.

After picking up his passenger Murray taxied out for a take off on Runway 06,

and took off with the camouflage doing its work.

Off back to Tokoroa.  With an Easterly cross wind it would take about 2 hours.

Fly Synthesis Texans of New Zealand

The next type of sport aircraft to be registered in New Zealand was the Fly Synthesis Texan, the first example of which was registered on 17/2/06.  That was the same date that our first Fly Synthesis Storch ZK-FOS2 was registered and the Fly Synthesis local representative Alan Jessop told me that both aircraft were shipped to Lyttleton in the same container and assembled at Rangiora by Brian Taylor (who then flew ZK-FOS2 North to Dargaville).

The Fly Synthesis Texan was introduced in 1999 and is manufactured by Fly Synthesis S.r.l. of Mortegliano in Italy, who also manufacture the Storch as well as the Wallaby, the Synchro and the Catalina amphibian.  The Texan is an all composite low wing 2 seater with a tricycle undercarriage.  It comes in several models including a retractable gear model that we haven't had in New Zealand.   The Texan Top Class has a length of 6.90 metres (22 feet 8 inches), a wingspan of 8.60 metres (28 feet 3 inches and a wing area of 127 square feet.  Empty weight is around 290 Kg (640 pounds) and MAUW is 449 Kg (990 pounds).  With a 100 HP Rotax ULS engine the cruise speed is around 124 mph, while the stall speed is 40 mph.

We have had five Fly Synthesis Texans in New Zealand to date, as follows:

Our first Texan Top Class was ZK-TXN (c/n 61) which was first registered to Aeroflight Aviation Ltd (Colin Marshall) on 17/2/06.  It is photo'd above at Rangiora on 27/3/06.  It did not hang around for long as it was cancelled on 17/07/07 and was exported to Australia where it became 24-5131.

Next up was ZK-TTX (c/n 000074), a Texan Top Class, which was first registered to the Northern Wairoa Aero Club at Dargaville on 7/3/07.  It is photo'd above at the 2008 SAANZ flyin at Tauranga on 6/2/08.  It has lived all of its life in Northland as on 1/9/13 it was sold to Baden R Bickers of Ruawai.  It is hangared at the Ruawai airstrip but I have never seen it flying from there.

Then followed another Texan Top Class in the form of ZK-TKP2 (c/n F700960512/550) which was first registered to Herdhome Systems Ltd of Whangarei (Thomas G  and Kathleen Pow, hence the registration), on 28/2/08.  On 27/3/12 it was registered to Maikato Corporation Ltd of Whangarei.  It is another aircraft that has lived all its life in Northland but I have never seen it.  Nick Furmage took the photo, at Stratford on 6/6/10.

The next Texan to be registered was the upgraded 600 model, with ZK-TXS2 (c/n F80098202/600), which was registered to the TXS Syndicate of Whangarei (R P Miller) on 5/6/08.  It is photo'd above at a flyin at Parakai on 27/2/10.  On 14/6/16 ownership transferred to Michael C Hopper of Orewa and Mike flies his Texan extensively around the Northland area.

After a bit of a gap the Dargaville Aero Club replaced their previous Texan ZK-TTX with a new Texan Club registered ZK-TXN2 (c/n F2CH1500D17E - where do these c/ns come from?) on 10/10/13.  The Club model has an 80 HP fuel injected Rotax 912is engine.  The above photo was taken at Dargaville on 29/3/14 outside the Aero Club hangar where you can just make out the lettering Northern Wairoa Aero Club.

We might see more Fly Synthesis Texans in the future as they are still being manufactured, but there is a lot of competition in this aircraft class.

Loburn Abbey flyin today 25-02-2012

Allan Bowman reports from the flyin at Loburn Abbey this afternoon.

The Allan and Evan Belworthy Jodel D.9 UL ZK-CVN c/n AACA/54 popped up from Cust. This was first registered as far back as 06-10-1967, but did not fly until 02-12-1981 and was purchased by the present owners on 13-05-1985.

This Fiesler Storch Replica - Actually a Ragwing Aero Storch Single Seat - ZK-RWB with the c/n RW19 was built by Wayne Wilson and first flew from Rangiora on 04-07-2004 powered by a Subaru EA81 engine via a 2.2:1 reduction drive to an Ivo three bladed propeller.
Wayne sold it to Ivan Campbell on 08-03-2010 and it has since been re-engined with a Rotec R2800 radial engine and fitted with a Brent Thompson propeller.
For more on this see http://www.campbellaeroclassics.com/id65.html

Below we have Bob Jarman's Socata TB20 Trinidad ZK-CCA2 (c/n 473). This operated as ZK-JCC between July 1991 and September of 2000.

Finally we have a look at the powerhouse of Evan and Penny R Belworthy's Pietenpol Air Camper M/L ZK-PRB (c/n AACA/755). First flown in December of 1988.

FYI. The Loburn Abbey strip is sited at 43:14.1 South and 172:29.39 East.

Prior permission required before arriving.

Ardmore today 18-11-2018 by Magnaman

Magnaman was at Ardmore today for the NZ Warbirds Centenary of Armistice Day open day.

 The Bell Aircobra P39Q 42-20341 has reached an advanced stage of its rebuild.

In the 'office' below.

Check out the MRC Blog for more on this one Here

 There was more to be seen on the field than just warbirds -

 Over at Oceania was the Bell 429 Global Ranger ZK-HUU3  (c/n 57246) as listed with Bell 429 Operator Ltd with a Cottesloe, Western Australia address.

See earlier mentions Here  and  HERE.

 Visiting was the Fly Synthesis Storch S ZK-JES (c/n 374A-430) which has been with The Storch Syndicate of Whitianga since September last year.

 Unidentified by Magnaman was this fuselage.

Can I suggest a Polikarpov PO-2 ?

 The Progressive Aerodyne Sea Rey ZK-SRY (c/n 1Mk-230) of Roger Coleclough of Whangaparoa was on field.

Also several earlier mentions Here

Another star attraction for the day was the Avspecs Ltd's De Havilland DH98 Mosquito FB.VI  ZK-BCV.  

Fleet change at Dargaville Aero Club

 After five years and some 1,500 hours with the Dargaville Aero Club, Fly Synthesis Storch S ZK-FOS2 (= Murray Foster, CFI of the club) [c/n 322A-378] was sold in April to Rodger L Fortune of Invercargill. Handover to the new owner took place on April 9 at Omaka.
FOS has been replaced by the 2007-vintage low-time, Fly Synthesis Storch S ZK-JES2 (= Allan Jessop [c/n 374A-430], NZ dealer for the Italian manufacturer Fly Synthesis, owner of HeliNorth Agricultural, and Dargaville Aero Club stalwart), which boasts a three-blade composite Duc propeller, partial glass cockpit, and greater fuel capacity.
Jean210