Saturday, 25 June 2011

Question time # 130 roundup.

Following on from the original blog at
http://nzcivair.blogspot.com/2011/06/question-time-130.html
I am still not fully convinced that the nearest aircraft is ZK-CEW and the other is ZK-CKP.
I have a problem in that ZK-CEW was listed to Mount Cook Air Services on 23-05-1963 and crashed on the Albert Glacier on 23-10-1965.
ZK-CKP went to Mount Cook Air Services on 16-03-1965 and remained as a ski plane until late 1987.
So there was roughly a seven month period when both were operated at the same time.

My problem is that I was working offshore between September 1964 and March of 1966 - So CKP was not around when I left and CEW was not around when I returned.
The only positive photograph I have of ZK-CEW comes from my shoe box of misc photos from unknown persons.
Written on the back of this B&W print  is:-
"Cessna 185 ZK-CEW. Crashed on Albert Glacier after severe turbulence stalled the 'down' wing in a steep turn 500 foot above the snow.
Note: two passengers in sleeping bags on the wing in foreground"
The colour scheme looks about right with the original pic re-posted below..
The more distant aircraft (ZK-CKP) is shown below in a shot taken at Timaru on 14-03-1966. (after my return to NZ)
This also fits in pretty well with the original QT 130 shot.

So what do you make of that then ?
Posted by at

10 comments:

  1. Dave Paull25 June 2011 at 16:18

    I am actually beginning to have second thoughts about this colour slide.
    Maybe I didn't actually take the photo and that perhaps my old dad did using one of my cameras.

    Whatever way - it has been an interesting topic.

    I thank you all for your feedback.

    So it is ZK-CEW and ZK-CKP until proven otherwise.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ian26 June 2011 at 04:48

    "Elementary, my dear Watson" :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ian26 June 2011 at 05:02

    Closest one CEW has the 1963 factory colour scheme and CKP has the 1965 scheme...must have been taken in 1965 shortly before CEW's demise..

    ReplyDelete
  4. Dave Paull26 June 2011 at 07:15

    Thank you Ian & Wildwing.
    I humbly bow to your superior knowledge.

    Please accept one cyber chocolate fish.
    I would give you a genuine one but - our grandaughter is staying with us at the moment - so all gone.

    Any chance you offer a photo of ZK-CEW for the archives ?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ian26 June 2011 at 10:35

    Choc fish would be good but I'll buy you a beer someday for hosting this great blog!!
    Photos of CEW seem to rare...ironically probably hundreds in American attics in those long forgotten slide boxes.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wildwing27 June 2011 at 08:01

    Thanks Blue Bus, we have a Cessna 185 in our fleet, so i am quite interested.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Ian9 July 2011 at 20:00

    Just received a postcard I purchased showing a ski-equipped
    C180 BMS and a C185 at the old Hermitage strip.
    The 185, who's reg I can't read,is in the 1962 scheme a la CEW but is a reddish colour...??

    ReplyDelete
  8. Ian9 July 2011 at 22:58

    oops...meant 1963 scheme

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous20 July 2011 at 22:00

    From my memory at the time of the crash of ZK-CEW in October 1965, the colour was red and white. As a matter of curiosity, do you have any idea how that photo of the snowfeild scene came to be in your shoe box.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Dave Paull20 July 2011 at 22:21

    Evening there Anonymous.
    Flick your email address to me at paulldj@xtra.co.nz & I will get back to you off blog about that.
    Meanwhile I will try & cast my mind back that far.

    ReplyDelete

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