RNZAF Mosquitoes on the NZ Civil Register

[Dave Homewood]

Apparently a number of ex-RNZAF Mosquitoes were put onto the New Zealand Civil Register. They were:

NZ2381 - became ZK-BCT on 2 Sep 1953. Cancelled from register in May 1957 and scrapped at Palmerston North.

NZ2383 - became ZK-BCU on 2 Sep 1953. Cancelled from register in May 1957 and scrapped at Palmerston North.

NZ2384 - became ZK-BCV on 2 Sep 1953. Was sold to the USA.

NZ2385 - became ZK-BCW on 2 Sep 1953. Cancelled from register in May 1957 and scrapped at Palmerston North.

NZ2386 - became ZK-BCX on 2 Sep 1953. Cancelled from register in May 1957 and scrapped at Palmerston North.

NZ2387 - became ZK-BCY on 2 Sep 1953. Cancelled from register in May 1957 and scrapped at Palmerston North.

Does anyone know what the story was behind these civil Mosquiotes? Who bought them from the RNZAF? They were all registered for almost four years except the one that flew to the USA, so were they actually flown in NZ? If so, in what role? Was it simply a broker hoping to sell them all on? Did any appear at airshows in that period i wonder?

[Dave Homewood]

Also, where is NZ2384 now and in what state is it?

[shorty]

From an old Wings magazine

[Peter Lewis]

Six Mosquitos (as listed above) were bought from the GSB by Aircraft Supplies Ltd. (Cliff? Rolfe), Palmerston North acting for Bob Bean & Arthur Kaplan of Aircraft Sales Inc, Los Angeles, CA and flown Taieri - Milson November 1953.
NZ2384/ZK-BCV was flown NP-WP 10Mar55, Left NZ as N9909F WP-Nadi 11Mar55, Nadi-Canton Is 14Mar55, Canton Is-Honolulu 16Mar55 on sale to Insurance Finance Corp., Studio City, CA.
The NZ Government of the day feared that the Mosquitoes were being exported for use in 'nefarious purposes' and blocked the departure of the rest of them, which then lapsed into dereliction at Milson.
ZK-BCV was registered in the USA as N9909F, which was reported derelict, Whiteman Air Park, CA, 1959-1970. Eventually cancelled 30Dec1970.
Ownership passed some time later to Jim Merizan, Yorba Linda, CA, who was collecting Mosquito bits for a restoration. The collection of parts was eventually traded to the Swedish Air Force Museum, but the last I heard had not left the USA.

[Peter Lewis]

Following up on the above, Eddie Coates saw them all at Milson and later on '09F in the USA so he has a full set of pics (and that saves me the effort of scanning).

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks for those photos. What a shame they were left to rot.