Maule ZK-LJA

The Maule M-5-235C Lunar Rocket ZK-LJA is c/n 7258C. Life began as N5633D in 1979 with two private owners in the States before it arrived in Australia and became VH-LJA in August 1993. I have five owners for it before it crossed the Ditch into Ardmore on 24-05-1993 to become ZK-LJA with Wilderness Wings Ltd of Cromwell on 09-06-1993. Photo below taken at Alexandra on 27-06-1993.

Life was pretty short however as it failed to take off during an overshoot on the Cascade strip on 26-08-1993. Its registration being cancelled on 05-10-1993.

Photo above at Queenstown on 16-02-1996.
It was restored following rebuild to the Maule Syndicate of Wakitipu on 22-10-1996
It  was transferred to Southern Alps Air Ltd of Wanaka on 30-09-1997. David Saxton of Haast took charge from 03-03-1998 before it went back to the Maule Syndicate of Queenstown in late November.

Photo taken at Queenstown on 09-12-1998.
It had a couple more incidents - at Mt Somers on 09-04-2000 and at Taieri on 26-04-2003. At the end of July 2005 ownership passed to Safe Road Systems Ltd of Omarama and more recently (22-07-2012) to Mike Earl Earthmoving Ltd of Waikari, North Canterbury.
I reckon there are seventeen Maule's of all models on the register - ten in the South and seven in the North Island.