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Post by shamus on May 5, 2013 18:23:42 GMT 12
Now resident at Dairy Flat, Proctor Mk.5 ZK-AVW has joined the Subritzky collection for eventual restoration. For those that are not aware of this aircrafts history, ZK-AVW was the Proctor flown from the UK as G-AHWW by Arthur Bradshaw in 1949. Any further history would be welcomed on this thread.   |
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 5, 2013 19:13:11 GMT 12
Fantastic, another historic machine. Well done guys.
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Post by ZacYates on May 5, 2013 21:00:44 GMT 12
Outstanding! I love the Percival monoplanes and its great to see one with the Subritzkys.
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Post by steveh on May 6, 2013 1:04:26 GMT 12
Arthur Bradshaw's flight from the UK with his first wife & family was well written up in his autobiography, "Flying by Bradshaw", a really interesting read with a lot of good airmanship in it & well worth tracking a copy down. I remember seeing this plane in Nelson when I was a kid, it'll be good to see it back in the air, thats if they don't take too long.  Steve. |
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Post by thomarse on May 6, 2013 6:29:44 GMT 12
How many other Proctors still exist in some form or other? Where's AQJ nowadays?
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Post by Peter Lewis on May 6, 2013 9:29:22 GMT 12
Thanks for the update Jim.
ZK-AVW seems to have a fairly simple history in NZ.
After passing from Bradshaw to R J de Montalk & T A Gifford-Moore, Rangiora in October 1972 it carried out its last flight the same month.
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 6, 2013 11:27:34 GMT 12
Arthur Bradshaw's flight from the UK with his first wife & family was well written up in his autobiography, "Flying by Bradshaw", . Yes a very interesting book, but be caustious about it because it was never finished by the man himself, the book was compiled from his notes and diaries and logbooks I believe, by two historians, and they have not got everything absolutely correct. For example the book states he flew Hudsons with No. 5 (GR) Squadron, yet that squadron never had Hudsons. As it was in Fiji he'd have been with No. 4 (GR) Squadron there. Just little details but innaccurate all the same. |
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Post by dakman on May 6, 2013 12:26:12 GMT 12
Hi Thomarse re AQJ the last time I saw it ,the late Harry Jenkins was flying it from P/pram probably late 60s early 70.s
Any details on the fate of ARA ? the fuse sat outside the P/North f/school hangar at PN in 1967 .Named Wendy Rose.Wonder if Sid Jensen owned it .?
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Post by baz62 on May 6, 2013 12:41:52 GMT 12
Is this the one Philip Burns had for a time? We actually did a wee bit to it at the Air Force Museum (it was on loan) in the 1980s if it was this one.
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Post by Andy Wright on May 6, 2013 14:12:09 GMT 12
Always had a thing for the Proctor. Great to see she's found a great home. Looking forward to following this.
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Post by John L on May 6, 2013 16:50:24 GMT 12
R J de Montalk - would that be Richie de Montalk? He was one of my first flying instructors at DF back in 1967.
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Post by Peter Lewis on May 6, 2013 17:49:16 GMT 12
Looks like we need to do a photo coverage of the Proctors.
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Post by Brett on May 6, 2013 18:19:53 GMT 12
If the Subritzkys are going to be Proctorcologists then I hope they pull their fingers out! I would like them to get cracking and get some wind under this taildragger.
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Post by delticman on May 6, 2013 18:41:47 GMT 12
Last heard of, I think Ritchie was at Massey, Palmy.
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Post by FlyingKiwi on May 6, 2013 19:21:11 GMT 12
Yes he still works for Massey, still flying too as far as I'm aware in a flight examining capacity.
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Post by errolmartyn on May 6, 2013 19:27:33 GMT 12
Arthur Bradshaw's flight from the UK with his first wife & family was well written up in his autobiography, "Flying by Bradshaw", . Yes a very interesting book, but be caustious about it because it was never finished by the man himself, the book was compiled from his notes and diaries and logbooks I believe, by two historians, and they have not got everything absolutely correct. For example the book states he flew Hudsons with No. 5 (GR) Squadron, yet that squadron never had Hudsons. As it was in Fiji he'd have been with No. 4 (GR) Squadron there. Just little details but innaccurate all the same. Dave, You are quite right about exercising caution. Rightly or wringly Bradshaw felt hard done by by Air Department's Roy Kean, but what he writes on page 31 is little more than a misquided attempt at character assasination: "Roy Champion Kean, a draughtsman employed by the Public Works Department, was the successful applicant [for the job of Aircarft Inspector in the Civil Aviation Branch in 1936]. He had learned to fly at the end of World War One, but arrived in England too late to see active service. It was widely known that his technical knoweldge was backed by little practical experience, so it was little wonder that he required everything to be done "by the book." Compare the above with the entry for Kean in Colin Hanson's 'By Such Deeds - Honours and Awards in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, 1923-1999': "KEAN, Wing Commander Roy Champion, mid. NZ1084; Born Wellington, 20 Oct 1890; British Army (5th South Lancashire, Regt) c.Aug 1915 to 20 Jun 1916, RFC/RAF 21 Jun 1916 to 11 Jun 1919, 3689; RNZAF 24 Apr 1941 to 17 Sep 1947; Pilot, then Engineer. Later Wg Cdr R C Kean, mid, AMIMechE, AFRAeS, MIEI. Chief Inspector of Air Accidents, Air Department, until 1955. Citation Mention in Despatches (29 Aug 1919): In recognition of valuable services rendered in connection with the war while serving at the Aeroplane Experimental Station, RAF Martlesham Heath, Mar 1918-Jun 1919. Wg Cdr Kean’s RNZAF service was mainly as Director of Aeronautical Production. Died Wellington, 26 Oct 1958." Far from having 'arrived in England too late to see active service,' Kean was already there studying engineering when war broke out, having arrived in about March 1914! With the RFC/RAF he had flown at least 11 types or sub-types, though perhaps not built up a large number of hours on them, for he experienced a lot of ill health during most of 1917. While serving with the Experimental Station he attained acting captain rank. He served very briefly in France with the RFC and attended a reunion of his old squadron (No 60) in 1938 or 1939. Errol |
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Post by mit on May 6, 2013 21:07:33 GMT 12
Yes he still works for Massey, still flying too as far as I'm aware in a flight examining capacity. Yes he is, in fact he just brought an Auster......  |
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Post by thomarse on May 6, 2013 21:14:50 GMT 12
Dakman, Harry sold AQJ to some guys in AKL - Dave Gray rings a bell, think he was also tied up with a Dominie. AQJ was still in flying condition then.
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Post by shamus on May 8, 2013 17:13:09 GMT 12
Now an update on Proctors. AQJ is in storage at Ardmore.
With regard to ARA, Don was in the process of buying it some time ago (1967). It was with two partners and he only managed to get the wings from one of them. The other burnt the fuselage so Don gave the wings to Phillip Burns to complete AQK which he still has.
This Proctor, AQK, is in South Canterbury and is for sale. Someone needs to save it.
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Post by steveh on May 8, 2013 18:56:47 GMT 12
For example the book states he flew Hudsons with No. 5 (GR) Squadron, yet that squadron never had Hudsons. As it was in Fiji he'd have been with No. 4 (GR) Squadron there. Just little details but innaccurate all the same. Thanks Dave, I wasn't conscious of that when I first read it, guess I should have another gander at it & check out some detail. & Errol, maybe I should just stick to looking at the pictures.  Steve. |
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