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Post by kiwithrottlejockey on Sept 10, 2011 0:03:32 GMT 12
 The above photograph was sent to me by an elderly friend. She tells me she took the photo in 2003 using a Sony Mavica camera (one of those ones that used a floppy disc for image storage). According to her, it was taken about two kilometres south of the old Haast township (I think she means Haast Beach settlement) on the beach side of the road in a small clearing. The lady who took the photo used to live at Hannah's Clearing back in the 1970s along with her late-husband, and she vaguely recalls it may be a memorial to a topdressing pilot who died when he crashed a Tiger Moth topdresser in the area, way back, but she isn't 100% sure. So....does anyone know about this Vic Christie and what happened? |
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Post by The Red Baron on Sept 10, 2011 7:39:20 GMT 12
Vic Christie was flying venison out in the early days of venison recovery,he was shot by a hunter near an airstrip while waiting for a load.
He was one of the early topdressing legendary pilots.
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Post by corsair67 on Sept 10, 2011 19:22:50 GMT 12
Vic Christie was flying venison out in the early days of venison recovery,he was shot by a hunter near an airstrip while waiting for a load. He was one of the early topdressing legendary pilots. Accidentally shot I hope!  |
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Post by thomarse on Sept 15, 2011 7:50:24 GMT 12
That will definitely be THE Vic Christie, of early topdressing fame, mainly around Dannevirke.
My understanding was that Vic died of gunshot wounds at or near the Mussel Point venison base strip, and the description of where the memorial is located tends to bear this out.
Has anyone else seen it? I walked all over Mussel Point a couple of years ago and didn't find it.
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Post by stephen12 on Jan 2, 2016 10:49:40 GMT 12
Vic Christie was my uncle - my mother's brother - this memorial was placed there by Vic's two brothers - Ray Christie from Christchurch and Keith Christie from Hamilton
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nobody
Pilot Officer
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Post by nobody on Jan 3, 2016 17:40:54 GMT 12
Chaps,
If you read Janic Geelen's book "The Topdressers" there is a very good account of Vic and Keith Christie and the work they did in the topdressing industry, including why Vic moved into bush flying.
Janic's account is very good and doesn't just list the facts and figures.
Thanks for posting the picture of his memorial. I don't believe that is mentioned in Janic's book.
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Post by Martin Wienert on Jan 3, 2016 22:11:25 GMT 12
Vic Christie is also mentioned in this book: "Beyond the Cabbage Tree" by Noel Kinvig
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Post by baronbeeza on Jan 3, 2016 23:08:05 GMT 12
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Post by stephen12 on Jan 4, 2016 7:17:24 GMT 12
Chaps, If you read Janic Geelen's book "The Topdressers" there is a very good account of Vic and Keith Christie and the work they did in the topdressing industry, including why Vic moved into bush flying. Janic's account is very good and doesn't just list the facts and figures. Thanks for posting the picture of his memorial. I don't believe that is mentioned in Janic's book. |
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Post by stephen12 on Jan 4, 2016 7:20:46 GMT 12
Thanks guys - does anyone know how to get access to a copy of Janac Geeden's book? According to an article in a local Dannevirke newspaper, "it is possibly the rarest book in New Zealand aviation - The Topdressers, by Janac Geeden, published in 1983."
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Post by delticman on Jan 4, 2016 8:19:02 GMT 12
Put an advertisement in your local newspaper. You should get it cheaper than the one my friend sold at $420.
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Post by starr on Jan 4, 2016 10:18:28 GMT 12
Met up with Vic Christie several times. Quite a character. New his brother Keith better. got to know him when he was flying with Barr Bros.
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Post by thomarse on Jan 4, 2016 10:52:00 GMT 12
There's also a lot about Vic in one of Ross Curtis' hunting books - I think it's "Chopper Murphy".
This is about Vic flying venison in North West Nelson in the 180 BWK
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Post by The Red Baron on Jan 4, 2016 11:24:54 GMT 12
A reasonably priced copy...... link |
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nobody
Pilot Officer
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Post by nobody on Jan 17, 2016 10:04:19 GMT 12
Thanks guys - does anyone know how to get access to a copy of Janac Geeden's book? According to an article in a local Dannevirke newspaper, "it is possibly the rarest book in New Zealand aviation - The Topdressers, by Janac Geeden, published in 1983." Try your local library system. A search of the Auckland libraries website shows they have seven copies. Wellington Libraries have two. And Christchurch appears to have one. They come up on Trade Me occasionally. This book as been discussed on this website previously. |
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Post by schristie on Sept 9, 2018 10:50:07 GMT 12
Vic Christie is my Grandad my Dads Dad. I will travel to Haast to explore the area soon
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Post by madmax on Sept 9, 2018 23:18:03 GMT 12
I did a lot of flying with Keith Christie in the Waikato in the early 80's.
His wife Nancy, nee Malin, was a passenger in Wellington Aero Clubs Chipmunk ZK-APN when it crashed into Lyall Bay following engine failure in September 1950. The hero of the day was a 13 y.o school boy who stripped off and swam out to the aircraft and held Nancy's head above water until rescuers arrived
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Post by isc on Sept 10, 2018 15:09:18 GMT 12
Went to school with Vic's kids in Dannevirke late 50s to 1960, they lived just round the corner, Gordon St(I think). Later met up with Vic when I was working for Rex Aviation at Dunedin, probably 1967, flying for Rural Aviation, can't remember if it was C-185, or 188. Lost touch after that. isc
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