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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 19, 2007 20:12:25 GMT 12
Does anyone have photos of the Grumman Goose (geese?), Widgeons and Mallards that have operated in NZ?
I'm especially interested in any shots of Goose ZK-DFC during its various career paint schemes, including its most famous as the Cold Water Surf plane.
Were any of the NZ Grumman amphibs actual wartime veterans?
Was DFC still flying as a Great Barrier Airlines airliner whilst in the Surf scheme? Or had it already retired and become a private warbird?
What a shame it left NZ, only to crash into the sea.
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Post by Kereru on Feb 19, 2007 20:49:15 GMT 12
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Post by Bruce on Feb 19, 2007 20:58:57 GMT 12
I did have some pics of Goose DFC and Widgeon CFY(?) but I cant find them right now  DFC stayed with Sea Bee / Great Barrier Airways until it was sold overseas, although the last few years (after Sea Bee was Brought out by GBA and mechanics bay closed as a seaplane base) it was pretty well static at Ardmore. The Surf Commercial was filmed approx 1987, but the aircraft was still in those colours when I started at Ardmore in 1990. Before export it had some fairly major tidy up work done by GBA - there was certainly plenty of corrosion to deal with. It was ferry flown from Ardmore to the Waitemata harbour, still in the Surf Scheme but with lots of primer patches, and lifted onto a container vessel for shipping to the USA. That would have been its first flight for at least 3 years, and its last in NZ. GBA then started work on CFY for owen Harnish. I flew in that aircraft on a scenic flight from Paihia, and it was certainly a great experience. If I was ever in the position to buy a warbird, A Goose would be top of my shopping list - a great aeroplane with heaps of character, and within the ability of a lowish houred pilot (with a twin and water rating) You can also chuck a pile of camping gear on board and take the mates or family off to some lake somewhere for a weekend! |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 19, 2007 21:14:38 GMT 12
Fantastic photos, thanks Colin!
I didn't realise there were still Widgeons here in NZ as late as 2000, and on checking the ZK register ZK-AVM and ZK-CFA are still registered. I assume they still operate at Paihia?
I had always thought DFC was the last Grumman amphibian in NZ.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 19, 2007 21:19:37 GMT 12
Bruce, I remember DFC sitting at Ardmore during the 1990 airshow there. I wished it had flown, but was thrilled just to see this "film star". I never realised it was in poor condition then.
I would also love to own a Goose, and I'd paint it up just like Cutters Goose from "Tales of the Gold Monkey", classic. They'd make great fishing trip vehicles.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 19, 2007 21:26:21 GMT 12
Here are a couple of make-believe NZ Grumman Goose flights, pretty cool!
Sea Bee Air (that was Fred Ladd, right??) over Auckland
And Mount Cook Airlines at Queenstown
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Post by Bruce on Feb 19, 2007 21:40:19 GMT 12
The sims are pretty cool, however they make the mistake of showing the aircraft water taxiing with the gear up, certainly on the Widgeons at least, they taxi with the gear down to provide additional control.
Yeah, thought I had the wrong rego on the Widgeon I flew in, it was CFA. I think both widgeons are currently out of the air at the moment. I saw AVM in the former Gulf Aero hangar at Ardmore last time I visited. The Tail section was off as part of a Cof A renewal. CFA is on the Harnish Families Airstrip at Cleavedon, I think it is also getting some corrosion treatment (the major drawback of owning an amphibian). Hopefully one or both will be back in business shortly.
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Post by Radialicious on Feb 19, 2007 22:08:57 GMT 12
I have a few photos of Goose ZK-ENY that used to park at the flying school I worked at. I don't yet have a scanner but will post them when I can. She was immaculate and operated by Canterbury Planes LTD in and around Banks Peninsula. At one point a company in the Islands dry hired (if there is such a thing for a flying boat) her and in the time she was away, her owner went under (another flying boat pun) and she was sold overseas.
A real shame and I do hope she didnt end up as a dive attraction or something. I still reckon a piston Goose would hold a lot of tourist appeal in NZ. Maybe not in saltwater but maybe Rotorua, Taupo, Wanaka or Queenstown etc. Todays whingers would have a field day about the noise but!
I saw a Lycoming powered Widgeon for sale at Ardmore a few years ago (2003-ish). Lots of work, lots of money but lots and lots of history and charm.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 19, 2007 22:35:47 GMT 12
It would be nice to operate one around Malborough Sounds too, the tourists and locals would like such a shuttle service I reckon.
Taxiing with the wheels down? So land wheels up, put the wheels down and taxi, right?
What about the Walrus, did that taxi wheels down too? I know a couple of ours tried to land in the water wheels down and flipped.
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Post by Radialicious on Feb 19, 2007 22:47:03 GMT 12
I'll bet there were some strict checklists to be followed with regard to where the wheels needed to be and when. I'm sure there are lodges in the Sounds that would support a vintage flying boat operation more than the Cessna floatplane currently in use. Nothing against Cessna etc but I would find a much more memorable experience in a Goose than a 206. I'm sure a luxury lodge would like those sorts of memories associated with their establishment. As soon as I read Goose in the same sentence as 206, I see why it isn't happening. Dollars..............  |
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Post by Peter Lewis on Feb 19, 2007 22:50:58 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 19, 2007 23:04:01 GMT 12
Great stuff Peter. Excellent photos, thanks!
I agree radialiscious that the Sounds lodges would find it a more touristy and romantic aircraft for delivering their guests. They could start their holidays just like in Fantasy Island, with a wierd dwarf yelling "The Plane!! The Plane" and ringing a bell.
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Post by turboNZ on Feb 20, 2007 8:01:18 GMT 12
Beautiful B & W pics !!!!
I remember going down to Mechanics Bay as a young boy with my Dad and watching them taxi up the ramp.
Oh the memories, and the sound, 2 big P&W's revving up the ramp !!
From what I remember, the Widgeons always seemed to really struggle getting up the ramp in comparison.
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Post by flyjoe180 on Feb 20, 2007 8:02:31 GMT 12
AVM finally escaped Aerotech's hangar and spent time outside Flightline at Ardmore prior to flying out one hot sunny evening either at the end of 2005 or start of 2006 (memory has let me down). It had overhauled engines and props and had been taxiing about for days prior to departing. I recall everyone watched as it took off, a rare sight now days. Unsure where it was headed.
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Post by flyjoe180 on Feb 20, 2007 8:04:43 GMT 12
Yeah, I remember watching them operate out of Mechanics Bay as a kid too. Didn't fully appreciate what was going on or what I was watching, but the yellow and black scheme stuck.
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Post by Peter Lewis on Feb 20, 2007 20:05:22 GMT 12
I had many flights on the Widgeons, as my Grandmother lived for quite some time on Waiheke Island. We, as a family, would fly there and back on Christmas Day every year. The only other option was a slow and bumpy ride on the Baroona, the old Waiheke ferry, trundling to the island before the days of the quick cats. The most remarkable part of the trip was the low altitude for the trip - my memory tells me that the aircraft did the entire 12-minute flight in ground effect (sea effect?). No doubt they had to climb high enough to clear Browns Island (about 120ft AGL) but that was as high as it got. The other point that stuck in my mind was how few instruments were actually present and correct in the instrument panel. I guess a basic panel must have been present, but there seemed to be more black empty holes in the dash than actual instruments. We never got a flight with Ladd or Packer on these trips, it was always some seemingly pissed-off young guy who threw the plane around, no doubt annoyed because he had drawn the short straw to work on Christmas day. My only trip on a Goose was a holiday in the mid-1980s on Great Barrier Island, where we flew there and back in a Goose, alighting at Whangaparapara. This was a much more civilised trip than the Waiheke adventures of the late-1960s. By my count there were 9 Grumman amphibians used in NZ, I will post photos later. Just to show that Geese do fly in a flock:  |
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Post by turboNZ on Feb 20, 2007 20:52:16 GMT 12
Very nice pic !!
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 20, 2007 20:54:10 GMT 12
I agree, excellent shot!
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 21, 2007 21:53:43 GMT 12
Watching the computer game landings was much more pleasant than this real Goose landing. Ouch
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Post by flyjoe180 on Feb 22, 2007 7:27:30 GMT 12
Extreme fishing anyone?
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