Hiller ZK-HCS

Hiller UH-12E ZK-HCS c/n 2105 originally operated with Okanagan Helicopters Ltd in Canada as CF-OKC from about April of 1961. AFAIK it was cancelled from the Canadian register on 17-09-1966 and first flew in NZ on 03-10-1968. It was registered as ZK-HCS to Alexander Helicopters of Wanganui on 20-10-1968.
It migrated to Alpine Helicopters of Luggate in August of 1971. It was damaged at the Mahitahi River (north of Haast) on 12-11-1972 with its registration being cancelled on 06-12-1972.
It was rebuilt and came back on the register with Alpine Helicopters of Queenstown on 18-12-1975 and transferred over to Whirl-Wide Helicopters Ltd of Timaru on 13-04-1976.
Above is a pic of her taken by CMM at Timaru with Whirl-Wide Helicopters marking in about 1976 and below it was seen at Taieri on 18-03-1978 with some spray equipment fitted. (No tanks or spray bar extensions).

On 13-07-1978 it was listed briefly to Wishart Helicopters (1978) Ltd of Hamilton before being returned to Whirl-Wide at Timaru on 14-10-1978.

It was then converted from its UH-12E piston engine mode to a Soloy turbine conversion, making it a UH-12EJ3. It first flew as such from Timaru on 22-07-1980. This involved the fitting of an 400shp Allison 250-C20 engine.

Lower pic was taken at Rangiora by Lord Nelson in about late 1982. Here it is as a model UH-12EJ3, that is with the turbine Soloy engine conversion. Note the exhaust stains along the tail.

This helicopter was sold abroad , cancelled from the NZ register on 27-08-1984, and entered the Australian register as VH-ECQ with City and Country Helicopters of Caloundra, Queensland on 07-09-1984, followed by a stint with Helispray out of Sheffield, Tasmania.

Its Ozzie registration was cancelled on 21-01-1993 and it was returned to NZ for Mark Hollows of Te Anau with whom it became ZK-HHO2 on 05-02-1993. But as they say - That's another story.