Sunday 13 April 2014

Piper Cub ZK-BKW returns to Ardmore.

Airwork (NZ) Ltd of Christchurch imported a batch of eighteen Piper Cubs in early 1956
One of them became ZK-BKW on 09-02-1956.
C/n 18-4673 gained it CofA on the 28th and trundled up to join the Auckland Aero Club from 03-04-1956. They named it "Cliff Leys".
The photo below was taken at Ardmore on 09-02-1964.
 Ownership changed to A J and A V Rauner of Warkworth in October of 1964.
Then it was with the North Shore Aero Club briefly followed by the Mercury Bay Aero Club.
In early October of 1968 Pentair Associates of Ardmore became the listed owners.
Pic below was taken at Ardmore on 27-05-1971.
 It survived an incident at Waiau Pa on 16-02-1972 before being sold to K W Sample of Albany on 18-09-1974.
It did the big move down to Otautau in Southland for A F Sutherland in February of 1977 and is seen below
at Timaru on 27-02-1979
 On 13-03-1979 it was listed to A J Main at Twizel and then to Airwork (NZ) Ltd on 15-12-1980.
It was actually photographed outside Airwork at Christchurch (below) on 21-11-1980 - some time before the "official" change.
 Airwork moved it on to Jamison Contractors at Ashburton from 13-07-1981 who in turn sold it to Roger Gould of Pleasant Point from 02-06-1982.
Seen below at Timaru on 10-05-1983.
 And below - seen again at Timaru on 17-06-1989.
 It survived an engine failure at Orari on 27-11-1994.
 Seen above at Timaru on 08-10-2007.
Roger recently sold it and it is now in the good hands of Kevin Paulsen and Leanne Butler of Papakura.
Final photo - below - was taken at Ardmore today (13-04-1014) by Magnaman.

4 comments:

  1. These potted histories are excellent!
    Perhaps you can help?? Cessna Agwagon histories are almost impossible to track and I wonder if you could tell me a bit about DMD and DOE.
    Much appreciated.

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  2. Thanks Anon.
    Am stuck at Wanaka at the mo.
    Will see what I can dig up Monday.
    Cheers.

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  3. Not sure anyone will answer this but the A J Main guy is me and that was my pride and joy. Me and my old mutt dog done some great trips and landed in some hairy spots to be honest. Im still here to tell the tale and thank god so is the old Cub.

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  4. It was the first Cub I ever flew-- Sept 17 1972. Now I'm retired from a career flying in NZ and Europe. Cubs were the only tail-wheelers though!

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