This Kaman SH-2G Seasprite was noted at Christchurch International on Monday the 24th by Tony McFarlin. It is based on the RNZN Canterbury which was berthed at Lyttelton.
NZ3617 is c/n 225 and was manufactured for the US Navy and carried the serial 161914 and served with then from 14-03-1986 through to 14-01-1994.
It was placed immediately into storage at AMARC until being returned to Kaman Aerospace at Bloomfield, Connecticut on 08-10-1998 for rebuild to SH-2G (A).
This was a Royal Australian Navy project. It was allocated the RAN serial of N29-161914 and coded as number 848.
The RAN was not impressed with the product and cancelled this project in March 2008 and this helicopter, and others, were returned to Kaman Aerospace.
New Zealand stepped up and acquired several and after modifications they were flown initially on the US civil register before deliver to NZ.
C/n 225 became N523KM on 27-03-2014 for test flying and was cancelled on 14-05-2015 to become NZ3617 in July of 2015.
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