Robin Hall sent in a photograph of the Cessna 150A ZK-BZX (c/n 59170) taken today sitting forlornly in the long grass on a section at Tangimoana.
It has not been mentioned before in these pages.
Registered as N7070X on the Cessna production line it was exported to NZ and was registered to Rural Aviation Ltd at New Plymouth on 06-03-1961 and was delivered to the Kawerau Aero Club shortly thereafter. This Club was renamed the Eastern Bay of Plenty Aero Club in about 1963.
In August 1967 the Rotorua Aero Club took charge of it and we see it below at Rotorua on 10-01-1967
And below a photo from Peter Lewis has it at New Plymouth on 04-03-1967.
and is seen below at Taupo on 05-12-1970 in a revised paint scheme.
It moved down to Lakeland Aviation Ltd at Taupo in early March 1972 and then to P J Haszard (who traded as Tauhara Motors) of Taupo on 07-11-1972.
Pic below is from Taupo on 20-06-1973 with another scheme change.
In May of 1974, CMM captured it in colour- below.
Below - at Taupo on 19-03-1976.
Ownership was transferred to G Donovan of Turangi on 19-08-1976 - who gave it a complete new colour scheme - as seen below on 06-09-1979 at Taupo.
In February 1982 a Matamata syndicate of J C Martin, T Huriwaka, J M McAnnalley and J C McFadyen became the listed owners, and on 24-02-1985 (below) I caught it at Matamata in yet another scheme parked alongside the Fletcher FU24 ZK-BPY.
From 13-10-1986 it was with just J C Martin and T Huriwaka; and then solely to J C Martin of Tauranga from 04-11-1988.
Other owners include A J M Robinson; Movement Technology Ltd of Auckland from 19-02-1992. About this time it was converted to a Texas Taildragger by Arthur Reville before being moved on to the Howie, Nevin and Parks Syndicate of Wellington from 21-01-1993.
By 10-08-1993 it was with Ralph Sanson of Warkworth who had it converted back to its tricycle undercarriage.
Below is a pic of her in tail wheel mode late in 1993.
And below - back to nose wheel mode in about 1994.
Ralph advertised it for sale in August of 2005 with 10,300 odd flying hours. It also had a 'Buzzard' on its vertical tail.
Below is a pic of her in tail wheel mode late in 1993.
Two photos from Ralph Sanson showing the 'Buzzard'.
On 14-01-2007 it was relisted with Manuel Cunha of Auckland and then to Dean Harnett of Shannon on 26-03-2009.
Its registration was revoked on 07-04-2011.
And now its sits at Tangimoana.
Pic below taken today by Robin Hall.
As a point of interest - Dean Harnett also has the Cessna 150H ZK-CTF and the Grumman AA5-A Cheetah ZK-EFX. Both also had their registrations revoked on 07-04-2011.
I was involved with fitting the taildragger kit on it when I was at Gulf Aeronautics. It looks absolutely awesome - like a baby C180!. The owner at the time was suffering terminal Cancer, and it was his specific wish to have the taidragger conversion done. He only got one flight in it before he died, sadly.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great little Cessna. I gained my PPL in it whilst it was at Kawerau in 1966. Sad to see it ended it's days sitting derelict in the grass.
ReplyDeleteWe first purchased bym with the help of Tasman pulp and paper co for about 3200pounds with so many hours going on the clock we then purchased bzx instructor Arthur Bull tauranga.
ReplyDeleteI think it is Grumman AA5-A Cheetah ZK-EFX mounted nose down on a deer far between Feilding and Palmerston North.
ReplyDeleteYep that's the one.
ReplyDeleteI learnt to fly and got my PPL in this aircraft at Kawerau in mid-1966. My instructor was Greg Cassin. Great memories of this aircraft - did many cross-country flights in it.
ReplyDeleteI flew my first solo in ZK-BZX at Kawerau on 14 July 1965. Russell Corney
ReplyDeletewas my Instructor. Ah many happy memories!
Hello All, Yes, many memories of my dad, Colin Armstrong who also got his pilots license in this plane. He always use to take me with him when he could for a fly. I was actually looking for BZX about 10 years ago to see if it was for sale, just for keeps sake, not to have it looking like it is but, I guess we all end up like that too. Great memories. I have great colored photos of BZR from about 1964 as my dad died early 1965.
ReplyDeleteThanks Trevor.
ReplyDeleteFond memories from the good old days.
Cheers
It's on facebook marketplace currently as of 16/10/24
ReplyDelete