Strikemaster ZK-VPR

With thanks to owner Brian Hall and photographer on the spot Tony McFarlin we finally get to see the BAC-167 Strikemaster Mk80A ZK-VPR (c/n EEP/JP/4096) at Christchurch today 23-12-2012..

 

 It was trucked to its hangar at Christchurch Airport on 07-07-2011.

Below is an extract from the ZK-Register Update column in the NZ Aviation News Magazine covering the May 2011 register additions.

Our newest Strikemaster is a little more exotic. It was built by the British Aircraft Corporation as an Mk80A and test flown in 1976 under the manufactures test registration of G-27-296. This aircraft was delivered to the Royal Saudi Air Force as serial number 1130 in December 1976. At the end of its military career it returned to the UK and took up the civil marks of G-CDHB on 31-01-2005 with Christopher Hudson of Bromley. It moved on to Stewart Davies of Rotherham on 21-11-2005, then, on 14-05-2009 it was re-registered as G-VPER to David Davidson at Tangmere. It became part of the “Team Viper” civilian aerobatic team, touring Europe and down as far as Dubai. Brian Hall of Christchurch travelled to Exeter in the UK, taking pilot/engineer Kevin Langford to inspect, test fly and ultimately purchase this aircraft and import it to NZ where it become ZK-VPR on 11-05-2011.