The Royal Thai Air Force purchased ten Hoffman H36 Dimona motor gliders in 1983 as cadet pilot trainers. They were disposed of in 1993. One in particular, C/n 3537, had been withdrawn from use in late February of 1992 (I believe it had been damaged). It went to and was stored in Australia. This motor glider had the Thai serial number 537 (which was the last three numbers of it c/n) and is pictured below.
This airframe was obtained by Dave McMillan of Greymouth and was registered on 20-03-2004 as ZK-GCB2.
It came with a newly overhauled Limbach L2000 engine which drives a three position Hoffman propeller. It sat for some time at the rear of its Greymouth hangar until being purchased and listed to the GCB Syndicate of Drury on 30-06-2011.
With restoration now complete it flew for the first time in twenty three years at Drury on 14-06-2014.
It is the forerunner of the Diamond range of aircraft and is still manufactured as the HK-36 with a 100hp Rotax.
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Photos supplied by Ian Williams.
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There is one other Dimona in New Zealand, ZK-GPH2 (c/n 3667) owned by Laurence Mathewson at Ranfurly Otago
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