Alf Crowe - Other Flying Machines

As with Ron Hintz who also built a his own helicopter, Alf Crowe also built other flying machines.  The first that I know of was the Bensen B 8M gyrocopter ZK-HBV (c/n PRA /83/2) that was re-registered to A H B (Alf) Crowe of Feilding on 11/5/67.  It crashed at Feilding on 24/3/68.  It was presumably rebuilt and re-registered as ZK-RAC on 5/9/74 and it was cancelled as Withdrawn from Use on 30/4/82.

Next up was the Mead Primary glider ZK-GHE (c/n 86) that was registered to Alf Crowe on 18/12/72.  I photo'd it in action at Feilding in the 1970s with Alf Crowe standing by the near wingtip.  I think it was operated by the local ATC Squadron of which Alf was a leader.  It went to Hastings for a time where it was operated by the Hastings ATC Squadron, but it ended up being vandalised at Paraparaumu later on in the 1970s.  It was cancelled on 29/1/92.

And here is Alf flying ZK-GHE under ground tow.

Then Alf Crowe built this Vancraft Lightning gyrocopter ZK-RAC2 (c/n NZRA/70) which was registered on 1/7/91.  I often saw Alf flying this machine around Feilding when I was living there in the early 1990s.  It was damaged when it hit a hedge near Feilding on 8/5/94 and it was cancelled as Withdrawn from Use on 27/11/02.