Wednesday 17 March 2021

I remember when !

 Taupo 1973 from Graeme Stratton.
On the left we have the Cessna 337C Super Skymaster ZK-DAQ, c/n 3370795, This came from Australia where it had been registered as VH-EGT with Rex Aviation Pty.  It arrived in Auckland on 23-04-1970 and became ZK-DAQ for Rex Aviation (NZ) Ltd at Ardmore on 30-11-1970.It is seen above at Wellington on 05-07-1971.
It spent a few months on line with the Rex Flying School before joining the Taupo Flying School and Air Services on 26-07-1971.Above it was at Taupo on 26-09-1972.

It was destroyed in a hangar fire at Rotorua on 31-03-1981, along with the Pask Air Service Piper PA-36 Brave ZK-EIH, the Piper Cub ZK-BYW from Te Kumi Station, and the John Galpin Tiger Moth ZK-BFG.

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In the centre of the shot we have the Aero Engine Services Ltd Airtourer Super 150 ZK-CZP c/n A537.
This was built as a Victa Airtourer 115 and registered as ZK-CMA on 14-12-1965 to the Rotorua Aero Club.
It was crashed at Turangi on 17-08-1968 and cancelled on 27-05-1969.

Its mortal remains were used in the build of the Airtourer Super 150 which became ZK-CZP on 30-05-1969 to Aero Engine Services Ltd at Hamilton - first flying as such on 09-06-1969. It joined the Taupo Flying School and Air Services Ltd on 05-09-1969. 

Photo above shows ZK-CZP at Paraparaumu on 28-02-1971.
Photo below at Taupo on 10-11-1973.
It overturned in a force landing just north of Matamata on 25-01-1974 and was cancelled on 08-03-1974.
It was rebuilt by and re-registered to Central Aircraft Maintenance Ltd at Hamilton on 05-08-1974 with an amended c/n of A-537-A and sold on to J M L Dillon of Blenheim from 08-09-1975.It ferried from Auckland to Norfolk Island on 04-04-1976 and its NZ registration was cancelled on 09-04-1976.

In Australia it became VH-COI on 29-04-1976 to Peter Coy of Woorndoo, Victoria and then to John O'Halloran in 1985 and now of Tewantin, Queensland with whom it remains.

Above we see VH-COI in a reasonably recent shot by Ian Ross via the Australian Airtrainer Assoc.


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And on the right hand side we have the Cessna 172M ZK-DNN c/n 17262107. 
This 172 was built as N12605 and was shipped to NZ aboard the Austral Ensign reaching our shores on 25-10-1973. It became ZK-DNN with the NZ agents Rex Aviation (NZ) )Ltd at Ardmore on 31-10-1973. 
Above we see ZK-DNN at Taupo on 10-11-1973 

I have a note saying that it first flew in NZ and gained its CofA on 22-11-1973 which is after the date of the above photo ?

It was delivered to the Taupo Flying School followed by a move to Air Central from 30-01-1976. 
Ross McKelvie of Napier took it over from 07-07-1978 and then Hurst Studio Ltd of Napier from 19-10-1983.
It was lost in a fatal accident at Makiekie Stream on 06-07-1990.

2 comments:

  1. Reference Airtourer A537 ZK-CZP. It was originally Victa S/N 145 as ZK-CMA. The logbooks show A537 was built as production standard Super 150 from fuselage S/N 145 and wings S/N 145. When it was rebuilt again the suffix added was R not A. Current S/N A537R.

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  2. Thanks for that 'Unknown'. Spot on - A typo on my part. Alas I cannot go back that for to correct the text.
    Cheers

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