West Melton flyin today 12-02-2012

Around thirty aircraft gathered at West Melton today.
Three real tidy Austers took the time to partake.
Above is the Auster Mk5 ZK-ARR (c/n 1364). This was previously serial TJ272 with the Royal Air Force until being sold on the civil market in August 1951. It went to Singapore for a while followed by some twenty eight years in Australia. It was purchased in Australia by Richard Royds in 1988 and cancelled there in May of 1996. In NZ it came together at West Melton and was registered as ZK-ARR on 17-12-1997.

An earlier Auster is the Auster 5 ZK-AVU (c/n 889) which served with the RAF as MT118 with 658 Squadron from 1944. It was on the UK civil register from 1946 until being exported to NZ in 1950.
It became ZK-AVU with Ron Fechney of Omaha in July of 1950. It was converted from Auster 5 status to J-1Y (D-5 if you like) in 1966. This included the installation of the O-320 Lycoming, the enlarged rudder and the fin fillet. It spent about nine years with the North Otago Gliding Club out of the McCaw strip at Hakataramea between 1975 and 1985. It then went to private ownership but was damaged on the Gore River strip in late 1986. Repaired at Gibson Aero Ltd at Te Anau it was sold back to Ron Fechney in mid 1989.

Auster J1B Aiglet ZK-AYU (c/n 2730) arrived in NZ in 1952 for the Southland Aero Club. It was removed from the register in 1991 for eventual rebuild by Paul Morrison with whom it was re-registered on 21-10-2008. It was transferred to Charlie Draper of Darfield last August.

Having a busy day (carrying px) was the De Havilland DH82A Tiger Moth ZK-BLM (c/n DHNZ164).
This one served with the RNZAF from 1944 until being struck off charge in August of 1955. It then went to ag work with Ron Bush. It was cancelled in 1960 and then passed through a series of owners including time at the Yaldhurst Motor and the Gore Air Force Museums. It was finally restored to the register on 05-09-2007.

The little Bolkow Bo208A Junior ZK-CJE (c/n 562) was on line at the Tauranga Aero Club from about February of 1965 until being sold to Ron Hintz of Te Puke in October of 1972. It has been in the family ever since, and has been with Bernice since February of 2001 - now at Forest Field

Two more "warbirds". Above the De Havilland DH115 Vampire Mk35W (T55A) ZK-VAM (c/n 4171) was an Australian built example built in July 1957 and serialled A79-649 with the RAAF. It was sold late in 1969 and stored at Bankstown for many years. Restoration began in mid 1985 and it joined the Australian civil register as VH-ICP on 26-09-1986. It flew across the ditch from Brisbane, via Norfolk Island, accompanied by ZK-ZNZ, reaching Auckland on 20-11-1990. It came onto the NZ register as ZK-VAM on 10-06-1991 and was listed to E J Currie Family Trust of Christchurch on 01-12-1997.
See a larger pic of it at :-

http://nzcivair.blogspot.co.nz/2011/11/garden-city-flying-doctor-hangar.html 

It is in a high gloss gray scheme.

Below is the De Havilland DHC-1 Chipmunk T10 ZK-XUK (c/n C1-0087). A  very apt registration as it is indeed ex UK having served as WB647 with the RAF and later with the British Army Air Corps, who's markings it still retains. It came to NZ and first flew from West Melton on 11-11-1997 for Lou McAllister from over Cust way.