Sunday 24 June 2012

ZK-HIA

In the previous posting we talked about the Bell 47J-2 Ranger ZK-HGO.
Assisting HGO in this offshore oil exploration work was the Hughes 369HS ZK-HIA.
Once again the photographs come from the CMM collection.
ZK-HIA was Hughes 369HS c/n 640605S and was registered from new with Dalhoff and king (NZ) Ltd of Wellington on 01-11-1974. It was assembled by Rex Aviation and although intended for Wishart Helicopters Ltd - was in fact delivered to Helicopters (NZ) Ltd of Nelson from 04-02-1975.
This delivery change apparently came about due to its late arrival in NZ.
All three photographs were taken at Christchurch during August of 1975.
In the top photo - if memory serves me correctly - the white fenced area beyond the tail was the old landing "T" and further back is the old site for the meteorological enclosure with runway 29 beyond.

On 07-07-1976 ZK-HIA was transferred to Mountain Helicopters Ltd of Wellington. It lost power at Tarawera on 25-04-1977 and during the forced landed on a road it rolled over, caught fire and was destroyed.

2 comments:

  1. I think the fenced area behind the tail is the lid of an underground water tank. ive used it as a pad a few times....

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  2. Evening Anon.
    Yes you are correct.
    Also on further thought the "Landing T" would have been near the control tower.
    Aint memory a fine thing !!

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