Most Siginificant Aircaft in NZ

[Naki]

I was trying to put together a top ten list of the most significant aircaft in NZ's history but the list got bigger & bigger and I now have a top 40. ;D

There is a reason I have included each aircaft but not sure whether some of my aircraft (particularly the earlier aircraft)should be there or I have missed some out. Comments anyone?

The list is sort of chronological:

Walsh Flying Boat
Avro 504K
Bristol Fighter
Lockheed Electra
DH Foxmoth
DH Rapide
DH Gypsy Moth
DH Tiger Moth
NA Harvard
Shorts S30
Airpseed Oxford
Consolidated Catalina
Douglas DC-3
Curtiss Kittyhawk
Chance Vought Corsair
Shorts Sunderland
Lockheed Hudson
DH Vampire
English Electric Canberra
Aerospace Fletcher
AESL Airtourer
Douglas DC-6
Cessna 172
Piper Cherokee series
Cessna 180/185
Vickers Viscount
Bell 47
Fokker F-27
Lockheed C-130 Hercules
Lockheed P-3 Orion
Bell Iroquois
Westland Wasp
Hughes 500C/D
Boeing 737-200
Douglas A-4 Skyhawk
Douglas DC-8-50
Douglas DC-10-30
Micro Aviation Bantam
Boeing 767-200ER
Boeing 747-400

[Dave Homewood]

DH86 Express - our first four engined airliner, first main trunk route airliner, and later the first reconnaissance bomber to fly a specific operation (covering anti-raider defence for the ships of the First Echelon 2nd NZEF).

[Naki]

Good point forgot about that one - maybe this will grow to a list of 50 a/c!

[Peter Lewis]

Ten would be difficult. I would pick:

Walsh boat - founded NZ aviation training
DH Gipsy Moth - made aviation affordable
DH86 - first airliner worthy of the name
DH Tiger Moth - trainer and aerial work pioneer
Short S30 Empire - first international airliner
Boeing 737 - domestic travel workhorse
Douglas DC8 - connected NZ to the world
Bell 47 or Hiller UH12 - foundation of venison industry
Cessna 172 - aviation for the 'common (wo)man'
Curtiss P-40 - RNZAF first frontline aircraft

[corsair67]

Naki, do you really think you're going to walk away from this mission with under 100 aircraft? ;D

My 2c worth -

The Walsh Bros' Boeing Seaplanes?

Piper Pawnee?

Bristol Freighter?

[Naki]

Yep I can see my list getting bigger & bigger ;D

Like your top ten flyerNZL

Piper Pawnee (was it that significant?) not sure about that one.

Yes I agree the Bristol Freighter (not sure why I discarded this) should be there & the Walsh Boeing Floatplanes so my list is now 43

[Dave Homewood]

flyernzl said:

Curtiss P-40 - RNZAF first frontline aircraft

The Lockheed Hudson was fighting on the front line in the Pacific before the P-40 was as far as RNZAF aircraft go. At that time the closest to the front line the fighters were was safe old Tonga.

And the RNZAF also had a lot of other frontline types in Europe too.

[Dave Homewood]

The Short Empire has to be fairly significant, bringing the firt trans-Tasman service to NZ, as well as our first international airline.

[Bruce]

How about the Piper PA18 super cub or Auster series? I would also (from my homebuilt aviation bent) add the Tui Special and the druine Turbulent, and from the NZ aircraft manufacturing point of view possibly the Bennett PL11 Airtruk. All depends on your point of view I guess....

[Naki]

Actually was thinking about adding the Cub & Auster.

Tui hmm (my dad built a 1/3rd scale model of this) so I am fairly familiar with it. Only one aircraft though so maybe no.

I think the Fletcher sort of over rides the Airtruck.

Yes totally agree the Druine Turbulent should be added - first siginificant homebuilt - never really throught about that one - so my list is now 46

Short Empire - what came first the Empire or S30?

Interesting to think about what future aircraft would be siginificant - 787, NH-90, RV-6/7, Tecnam (maybe that can be added now?), Cirrus, Alpha 160, 750XL?

[Dave Homewood]

"Short Empire - what came first the Empire or S30?"

Same thing, I was only stating that it has to be one of our most significant airliners, and perhaps moreso in its day than the DC-8 in ending isolation.

[Peter Lewis]

Depends of whether you are listing the 10 most significant, or just listing as many significant as you can think up. Limiting the list to 10 means some hard choices.

I would rate the Turbulent as significant, not for what is is, but for the precedent it created. Prior to the Turbulent, someone who built an aircraft at home was considered an eccentric. The Turbulent created the systems that allow SAA to flourish today.

[graemewi]

Kind of fitting since one of the last ANZ DC-8s (ex ZK-NZC) is now retired and entering decay

www.airliners.net/open.file/1221650/M/

[30sqnatc]

admin said:

flyernzl said:

Curtiss P-40 - RNZAF first frontline aircraft

The Lockheed Hudson was fighting on the front line in the Pacific before the P-40 was as far as RNZAF aircraft go. At that time the closest to the front line the fighters were was safe old Tonga.

And the RNZAF also had a lot of other frontline types in Europe too.

I think you folks in blue are forgetting your history (although it could be differing in interperation of the term 'frontline'). The first operational mission flown by the NZPAF was in 1929 in Western Samoa using an armed DH60 Moth seaplane embarked on the HMS Dunedin. To me thats frontline so it should be on the list for both making aviation affordable and as first operational Air Force aircraft.

[Bruce]

Thinking about this and the challenge of narrowing it down to the 10 most significant I have come up with the following list - It was really hard to decide which to leave out, but I based it on the long term influence of the particular type, and how it has changed our NZ aviation industry:

Boeing And westerfeldt seaplanes - start of the Boeing company, pioneer of airmail services, first "business" aircraft in NZ (used by Bishop Cleary as such) first truely reliable long range aircraft in NZ

Avro 504K - Foundation of the RNZAF (in practical terms) Air route pioneer

DH60 Moth - First NZ combat aircraft, first aircraft to fly length of NZ in one day, foundational machine for aero club and private flying.

Tiger Moth - Trained thousands of NZ aviators, pioneered aerial topdressing in NZ. First aircraft locally mass produced in NZ.

Shorts Empire -First NZ international air service

Douglas DC-3 - Wartime military transport, used to establish modern airline infrastructure, heavy topdressing pioneer, long time workhorse.

Aerospace Fletcher - key ag aviation aircraft, established NZ aircraft manufacture and design capability.

Piper PA18 Super Cub - Postwar aero club aircraft, made flying accessable to the masses under postwar club subsidy schemes. Ag aircraft, multi role.

Druine Turbulent - Key foundational aircraft for the homebuilt / experimental / sport aircraft sector.

Hiller UH12 - Introduced Helicopters to NZ, pioneered aerial search and rescue, prompted RNZAF to purchase helicopters, key figure in early venison operations.

Future significant aircraft?
for me Avian Adventurer ZK-CKE will be personally of great significance I suspect the social implications of the Airbus A380 may be significant, and the NH90 promises a quantum leap forward in helicopter capabilities.

[flyjoe180]

If youre going to call it aircraft then you need to consider helicopters too?

[fletcherfu24]

Richard Pearses plane at MOTAT.
The humble Cessna 150 pilot trainer.
P-51 Mustang
Spitfire,Hurricane,DH Mosquito,Lancaster & Wellington,Kiwis in WW2.
Hughes 500,deer recovery
DHC Beaver,50 years ag work.

[Dave Homewood]

I could narrow down the ten most significant military aircraft in this country for progressing the course of history:

Gloster Grebe
Vickers Vildebeest
Blackburn Baffin
Lockheed Hudson
Curtiss Kittyhawk
Douglas Dakota
DH Vampire
Lockheed Hercules
Lockheed Orion
Bell Iroquois

[flyjoe180]

No Tiger Moth Dave?

[Dave Homewood]

Well, I couldn't fit it in.