For the history of ZK-CWO, have a look at www.nzcivair.blogspot.co.nz/2009/04/final-permutation-of-zk-cw-and-o-there.html
In a post on this blog on 6 April 2009 about Midget Mustang ZK-CWO, I asked "Does anyone out there have a better photo of ZK-CWO? If so I would love a copy".
Well today, more than 4 years later, my question was answered with a visit to Don Noble and a look through his amazing photo and slide collection, here are the better photos that I was looking for. Above, ZK-CWO in a hangar at Paraparaumu.
And here on that fateful day, 9 December 1972, Harold Blair taxies out to demonstrate ZK-CWO to assembled friends...
He takes off...
And flies towards a crash landing in the sand dunes. Harold Blair was not hurt...
But ZK-CWO was fatally damaged, as in this photo in the CAA hangar several days later.
It was a sad end to a ground breaking homebuilt aircraft. It was our first all metal homebuilt aircraft and should have had a long and successful history. Alas, it was not to be.
In a post on this blog on 6 April 2009 about Midget Mustang ZK-CWO, I asked "Does anyone out there have a better photo of ZK-CWO? If so I would love a copy".
It was a sad end to a ground breaking homebuilt aircraft. It was our first all metal homebuilt aircraft and should have had a long and successful history. Alas, it was not to be.
Harold Blair Was my grandfather. I was there during the build and that day of his fateful first initial flight. Then played in the wreckage as it sat behind his shed for many years. Sad that this aircrafts life was so short.
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