Saturday, 7 August 2010

Question time # 108 resolved

Anonymous has scored again.
The answer is indeed the Fletcher FU24-950 ZK-DEM.
ZK-DEM was c/n 165 and was listed to Air Parts (NZ) Ltd of Hamilton on 27-01-1971 with its first flight being logged on 12-05-1971.
I captured it three times, firstly at Hamilton on 27-05-1971 with streamlined spay bar under the wings and pump beneath fuselage.
ZK-DEM at Hamilton on 27-05-1971 with spray gear.

ZK-DEM at Wellington on 16-06-1971

I then noted it at Wellington on 16-06-1971 minus the spray gear.
Many light aircraft that were to be ferried overseas called into Wellington Airport in the 60/s & 70's to visit Aviation Radio,who were based in the Government hangar, for the installation of HF radios. So I presume that was the reasom ZK-DEM was in windy Wellington.
The aircraft left NZ on 08-09-1971 and was noted in Singapore on the 12th, on its way to India.
It departed Madras on 14-12-1973 heading back this way. The following day it had a forced landing at Can Tho, South Vietnam. I don't recall the reason but it it reached the Can Tho airfield it could easily have landed across the black top. Can Tho being a very large ex US air base in the Mekong Delta.

Its NZ registration was cancelled on 14-02-1974 for it to become VH-ENI with Goulburn Air Services Ltd at Goulburn, NSW.
VH-ENI at Goulburn on 15-03-1977 in magic fading monochrome film.

It was acquired by Airpasture of Scone on 13-12-1996 and then by Universal Tracking Systems of Belmont, West Australia on 16-04-1997.
It was landed in the sea off Tavoy Island, Myanmar and was cancelled on 10-05-2002.

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