DH Heron ZK-TAJ

[Peter Lewis]

Someone at the Key forums have discovered three photos of a Vincent Aviation Heron taken at Palmerston North in the early 1990s:
www.flickr.com/photos/duncanbayne/437501235/in/set-72157600032384568/
www.flickr.com/photos/duncanbayne/437509473/in/set-72157600032384568/
www.flickr.com/photos/duncanbayne/437501231/in/set-72157600032384568/
The poster of the pics has googled the history of Vincent Aviation, and deduced that the aircraft is ZK-TAJ, although I cannot make out a visible registration marking on any of the three photos.

Now we know that TAJ had a very brief life with Vincents, as terminal corrosion was discovered in the airframe before the aircraft became operational. After this dicovery, the aircraft never flew again. The engines were removed and fitted to Heron VH-KAM, which Vincents leased from Australia for 14 months - see
www.kiwiaircraftimages.com/heron.html

Now the question is - are these pictures of ZK-TAJ or VH-KAM?
One way to settle the question would be to know if either aircraft were or were not painted up in Vincent colours. Anyone?

TAJ in happier days in the Cooks:

[Bruce]

I would suggest that it is 'KAM rather than TAJ. During the CityJet clean up exercise I was based out of the Vincent Hangar for a week or so, and I was shown the pictures of the corrosion on TAJ (used as part of a court case against CAA) the corrosion was terrible - serious stuff. I dont believe TAJ ever wore the vincent colour scheme as it was ferried in the Air Raro scheme and immediately went into maintenance for a tidy up and reapint before entering service. It was during this strip down at Fieldair that the corrosion was found. The wing was sent to Australia to be assessed for rebuild, but this proved impractical. The fuselage was scrapped a year or so later.

[Peter Lewis]

Interesting points raised there Bruce.
However - we know that KAM did carry a Vincent colour scheme (Auckland 20Nov92):



and looking at the colours on the flick photos:



Ron Cuskelly makes the point
"VH-KAM was delivered to Vincent on 26JUN92 and returned to Airlines of Tasmania on 21SEP93. The Heron in the Flickr photos is wearing a different colour scheme from what KAM was carrying in NOV92. Is it likely that Vincent would have repainted KAM between NOV92 and SEP93? I don't know but I suspect not."

Any further comments welcome . . .

[Bruce]

Looking at that picture the Palmy Heron most likely is TAJ then, as it doesnt have the bare metal belly. The photo would heve been taken before KAM arrived as TAJs engines were were fitted to KAM for the duration of its lease. As TAJ was taken apart quite substantially to investigate the corrosion, this may have been the few days between when it arrived in Palmy and when work commenced, or it could have been roughly put back together and parked outside whilst they were working out what to do with it. It also looks likely then that TAJ was repainted during repairs carried out prior to the ferry flight from Fiji ( probably the paint was holding it together for the ferry flight - the corrosion was really dangerous!)
Although it barely flew in NZ, TAJ is historically very significant as the fallout and court cases prompted a significant restructure of the NZ Civil Aviation Authority, and a rethink of who actually takes responsibility for saying an aircraft is airworthy.

[Dave Homewood]

That is definately ZK-TAJ in the photos on Flickr

A photo of TAJ can be seen in identical scheme but without the VINCENT AVIATION markings on page 9 of the December/January 1991 issue of NZ Wings, in the Dennis Thompson International Ltd advert. It was for sale and the details state:

DH RILEY HERON COMMUTER ZK-TAJ
Low Cost Entry Level. 15 Pax Com.Only 10,000 Hrs since new. New Lycom. IO-540 Engs. 1,185/1.13_1,298/946 Since O/H. King IFR Avionics, 2 KX-175B, VOR/LOC, 2 Kr-85 ADF, KN-65A DME Transponder, HF, Intercom. Complete Records From Day One. Extensive Spares Package. New C of A and Major Check. Excellent paint and interior.13,500 or 12,500 MCTOW. 8.708 Lbs Empty. Immediate Delivery. All Manuels Included. Type Training Avail.
Price: $365,000 + GST
Delivered Ex Ardmore

It occurs to me that the likes of Dennis Thompson Iternational probably have an amazing archive of photos of so many aircraft in NZ's aviation history. I wonder if researchers have ever considered approaching the dealers when looking for a particular aircraft shot?

[Dave Homewood]

There's a different side-on photo of TAf in the same comapny's advert page on page 9 of the June 1990 issue of Wings too.

[Peter Lewis]

Thanks for that info Dave. It does seem to settle the question. So much for "New C of A and Major Check."
I note that Phil Treweek's site says "The aircraft had completed approximately 20 hours in Vincent's service, on ferry and training flights." so it did get some use in NZ.

[Dave Homewood]

This report appears on page 5 of the June 1991 New Zealand Wings magazine. Author not noted so i assume it was Ross Macpherson.

CLASSIC SHAPE BACK IN NZ SKIES

A once familiar sight in Wellington's skies is due to return by month's end. This time the type sports four Lycoming IO-540s instead of two brace of de Havilland Gipsy Queens; a de Havilland Heron is to be based out of Wellington on general tourist and charter work for Vincent Aviation.
ZK-TAJ, previously operated in the Cook Islands by Air Rarotonga, was withdrawn from service with the introduction of the Bandeirante and advertised in WINGS by Dennis Thompson International. Peter Vincent, a former SAFE Air pilot who was instrumental in the formation of Classic Air and the re-introduction of the DC-3 to NZ airways, has purchased the veteran for charter work - with particular interest in the Chathams run.
The 170-175 knot cruise Heron has just under eight hours endurance, ample for the Chathams route with flight times aroundtwo and a half hours outwards, and under three on return.
The 15-passenger Riley Heron - so named because of the Florida based conversion to Lycoming engines by Riley Aeronautics - is being ferried to New Zealand later this month by DTI pilot Mark Mullins. Peter Vincent told WINGS that, initially, the aircraft will be crewed by contract pilots including ex-SAFE Air pilot Giles Goulden, Kelvin Sissons and Andrew Vincent (ex RNZAF engineer).
"The Heron is one of very few aircraft of its size available for regular charter work in New Zealand." said Peter. He noted the availability of the Heron for group work, mentioning the Easter 1992 Warbirds Over Wanaka as a possible charter. Owned from new by Shell Oil company in Venezuela as a corporate aircraft before being sold to Air Rarotonga, the single seats and large windows should prove attractive to tour groups.

[Peter Lewis]

Just come across the following photo of TAJ. This would seem to settle the question about the application of Vincent titles.
Wonder if the pic was taken at Palmy or in Australia?

[Bruce]

The hangar looks a little small and cluttered to be Fieldair's (although I havent ever really been into their hangar...) but looks a little like the Vincent Hangar at Wellington. There appears to be work being carried out on the wing - note the skin rolled back, and as the major work was odne in palmy and aussie, I'd say the latter location is most likely.

[shorty]

Here's a shot I took of KAM outside the Mt Cook/CAC hangar at Harewood

[Peter Lewis]

That looks to be VH-KAM after being repainted at the end of her NZ career.
This colour scheme is the same as currently worn at the Caloundra museum:

[ron]

It is generally accepted that ZK-TAJ was scrapped in Australia. Thanks to David Swiggs we now have photographic proof. David took these images at Launceston, Tasmania on 06NOV96 as the dismembered remains were carted off by a local scrap dealer. There has been some speculation that the fuselage of ZK-TAJ may have become the famed hunting lodge in the wilds of Tasmania but this is now known to have come from VH-CLT.

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[Peter Lewis]

Thanks for that clarification Ron.
I now needn't feel so annoyed about not visiting the hunting lodge site during my time in Tassy.

[Dave Homewood]

Ray Deerness has emailed me with the following message:

I'm in the process of getting a couple of new PC's up and running so it's up and down and round about.

I can add that ZK-TAJ was flown from Norfolk to Auckland on 7 Feb, 1992. One of the pilots was Barry Cowley who was working for Peter Vincent.
On Feb 24th, I was in Palmerston North when the Heron flew over. Peter had flown it up from Wellington and that was to be it's last flight.

After the 1992 Warbirds over Wanaka I had a couple of nights in Blenheim. I took Barry to Woodbourne on the morning of 22nd April, and he flew to Wellington in a Fieldair DC-3. The intention was to go to Palmy, test fly the Heron and fly it to Invercargill and then fly it to Tassie the next day. At about 10.30 that evening there was a knock on the door and Barry had returned. Seems that Fieldair in in Palmy decided not to sign the aircraft out and it never flew again.

The managed to lease the Australian aircraft using the engines from ZK-TAJ and that was a regular visitor to Wanganui after dark.

Regards,

Ray