Shoe box Commanders

Some more photographs from Lord Nelson's shoe box taken at Rangiora show the four Rockwell S-2R Thrush Commanders of Rowley Aviation Ltd parked up prior to being exported. Also some earlier views from CMM and Bluebus.
From the top we have ZK-DQA (c/n 1799R). This was uncrated on 14-01-1974 and assembled by Airwork at Christchurch. It first flew on 20-02-1974 and was delivered to Aerial Sowing Ltd of Amberley on 20-02-1974.
Below is ZK-DQA outside the Airwork hangar at Christchurch in February 1974, just after assembly.
(Pic from CMM)

A change of ownership to Rowley Aviation Ltd at Amberley took place on 14-08-78. (In fact all four transferred over on the same day)
It was spied (below) at Rotorua on 06-09-1979 (moth spraying I suppose) carrying the pilots name "Colin Sutherland" behind the cockpit.

(Pic below, at Rangiora with Rowley titles, from Lord Nelson dated about 1982).

It was ferried from Auckland to Norfolk Island on 27-07-1983; was cancelled on the 09-08-1983 and became VH-LGG with A G Airwork at Stowell, Victoria from 31-08-1983 and is still current.
*********************************************

ZK-DQB was c/n 1817R and was first flown, after assembly by Airwork, on 05-05-1974 and delivered the following day to Aerial Sowing Ltd of Amberley.

 A monochrome and a colour shot of ZK-DQB at Rangiora taken on 01-06-1974.

Below is CMM's shot of ZK-DQB at Rangiora in August of 1974.

Below is ZK-DQB in Aerial Sowing titles at Rangiora on 01-01-1978.

Ownership moved over to Rowley Aviation on 14-08-1978.
Below is the pre mid 1982 (approx) view of her as seen by Lord Nelson

ZK-DQB trundled away to Norfolk Island on 11-06-1982. Its NZ registration was cancelled on 15-06-1982 and it became VH-SSN on 19-11-1982 with Agricultural Aviation Pty Ltd of Archerfield, Queensland. It crashed at Cecil Plains on 31-01-1992.

***********************************************

ZK-DQI c/n 1878R arrived at Lyttelton but was not off loaded and continued on to Australia where it became VH-DQI on 16-08-1974 with Airfast Commander Pty Ltd, moving on to Aerial Sowing Ltd of Newcastle from 11-11-1975. About a year later (20-11-1975) it was transferred to Greenacres Air Agriculture Pty Ltd of Inverell 
It was cancelled from the Australian register on 09-07-1976 and returned to NZ to become ZK-DQI on 20-08-1976 with Aerial Sowing Ltd.

 ZK-DQI at Airwork from CMM and not long out of its crate.

Above ZK-DQI at Rangiora 01-01-1978 in Aerial Sowing marks
It was re-listed to Rowley Aviation on 14-08-1978 and is seen below in their Company markings.
Pic from Lord Nelson taken about 1983

ZK-DQI was noted at Omaka on 08-06-1984 minus all Company marks.
It flew out from Auckland to Norfolk Island on 23-07-1985, was cancelled from the NZ register on 25-07-1985 and became VH-LGV on 23-12-1985 with Ag Airwork Pty Lyd of Stawell.
I hear that it has been re-engined with a Walter M601E and is still current.

****************************************************

ZK-DQJ was c/n 1974R and was first listed with Aerial Sowing Ltd of Amberley on 08-10-1975 and seen below courtesy of CMM at about that time.

It transfered to Rowley Aviation Ltd on 14-08-1978 and is seen below by Lord Nelson at Rangiora in about early 1982.

It flew the Tasman from Auckland, via Norfolk Island on 20-12-1983 and was removed from the NZ register on 11-01-1984. It became VH-DQI with Alpine Aviation Pty Ltd of Melbourne on the 13th. It later went to Thirtysixth Kirrak Pty Ltd of Bairnsdale, Victoria. It was destroyed and cancelled on 16-02-2000.