Cessna 172 ZK-BSU and ZK-CWK.

 Cessna 172 c/n 29604 was initially allocated the US registration of N6404B but this was not taken up and it was test flown prior to its shipping to New Zealand using the Cessna test registration of N11B in the latter part of 1956.

It was crated off to New Plymouth for Rural Aviation and was registered in New Zealand as ZK-BSU on 14-12-1956 and was issued with a NZ CofA on 22-02-1957. 

It was taken up by the Hawera Aero Club from 05-04-1957 but was involved in a forced landing near Takaka on 29-07-1961 and ended up back with Rural Aviation at New Plymouth and following repairs was registered to them on 01-02-1962.

Four days later it was listed with the Taupo Aero Club until it had a pilotless take off from Taupo on 26-07-1963.

Date site and photographer unknown.

Next operator was the Rotorua Aero Club from 05-05-1964. 
A year later on 08-05-1965 in a forced landing due to inclement weather near Turangi it struck trees and ended in the scrub.

Its registration was cancelled and was sold 'as is' to Arthur N Reville on 23-08-1965 who rebuilt it and re-registered it as ZK-CWK on 30-01-1968 with it going online with the Auckland Flying School until acquired by General Finance Acceptance Co Ltd of Wellington from 31-03-1969.

It was leased to the South Otago Aero Club at Balclutha.

Balclutha on 23-04-1969.

- and then to A B Robertson, who traded as West Coast Air Charter.

T Burns of Rotorua had it listed briefly from 07-09-1972 then Nairn Aviation Ltd of Nelson from 03-10-1972, followed by Buller Aviation Ltd of Westport from 13-03-1973.

It was damaged at Mokihinui, north of Westport, on 14-09-1974 during take-off in long grass and collided with a bank. Peter Lacy at Nelson listed it from 16-12-1974.

The next name that appears on my list is R K Stokes of Wanganui from 24-10-1978 followed by D R Moore and Peter J Budden at New Plymouth from 03-04-1979 -

New Plymouth on 02-09-1979

- with an address change to Auckland in March 1983.

New Plymouth on 28-08-1984

It passed quickly through the hands of Leon W Denize of Te Kuiti between 12-07-1985 and its sale to R Mee of Rakaia from 26-09-1985.

It appears to have had some sort of an incident in 1989.

At West Melton in 1989 with lower fuselage damage.

It then became one of the many Cessna's that passed through the hands of Leslie Sutherland of Levin from 23-04-1990 until sold to the Property Shop Ltd (Rob G Garlick) of Wellington from 06-09-1990. During the period 14-12-1990 to 22-07-1992 it was listed with G H and M I Garlick of Feilding before returning to Rob. (In March 1994 Rob acquired the Maule M5-180C ZK-ESP).

Omaka on 21-05-1995.

On 19-10-2000 ZK-CWK was cancelled and it reverted back to its original registration of ZK-BSU

It failed to get airborne during a tail wind take off at Ruahine Corner on 28-01-2005 and the right hand undercarriage leg was torn out - plus other damage.

It returned to the air as a Tail dragger

Paraparaumu 10-02-2006. A tight fit in one of the glider hangars. Note curved down wingtips. Rob has owned at least six gliders that I know about.

Omarama on 02-01-2009 with upper leading edge turbulators fitted.

Above and below - at Omarama on 02-01-2010 with a Lycoming O-360 engine with new cowls and exhausts, plus side louvers and a small blister, plus a fixed pitch propeller and larger spinner.

Title passed back to the Property Shop Ltd on 25-11-2011.

A long shot at Nelson 21-07-2012.

It was registered to the Marlborough Aero Club at Omaka on 14-07-2015 and delivered to them on the 20th but badly damaged in a strip accident shortly thereafter.

Damaged rear fuselage noted at Ashburton on 10-09-2017.

Less than a year later it was transferred to Alpine Aviation Ltd at Ashburton from 16-06-2016 and -

Rebuild under way at Norfolk Road 2019.

 - underwent a major rebuild at Flight Fix at Norfolk Road near Inglewood during 2018/2020 gaining a replacement rear fuselage and re-engined with a 210hp Continental IO-360 engine and a constant speed propeller from a Cessna 172 Hawk XP. 

The old damaged rear fuselage is still resident outside at Ashburton today.

Ashburton 29-02-2020.

It was delivered back to Alpine Aviation at Ashburton on 12-09-2020. 

Noted at Ashburton a day later on 13-09-2020.

On 19-04-2021 at Ashburton.

It had extended wing tips fitted during 2021. (note the change in the wing trailing edge at the tip in the last photo below).

At Avionics Canterbury Wide at Rangiora on 31-10-2022.

And at Ashburton on 16-11-2022.