70 Years since first civil aircraft were impressed

[Dave Homewood]

Tomorrow marks the 70th anniversary of the first impressment of civil aircraft into the Royal New Zealand Air Force.

I'm assuming the first batch to be impressed were Tiger Moths, DH60 Moths and other light trainer types that ended up serving with No. 2 EFTS, Bell Block. Does anyone know an exact list of aircraft that were impressed on the 2nd of October 1939? And do any still exist today?

[angelsonefive]

There is one at least still around.

DH82A Tiger Moth ZK-AGI, impressed 1/10/39 as NZ 721,
re-entered the NZ Civil Register in '46 as ZK-AIA, and currently airworthy I believe.

[Damon]

Tiger Moth ZK-AIA is indeed still around. It was at North Shore airfield in the old CAF hangar on Sunday.

[Peter Lewis]

To widen the net a bit, there are quite a few ex-RNZAF impressed civil aircraft are still around:

Fox Moth ZK-ADI impressed 12Apr1943 as NZ566, later ZK-ASP, B83DH, G-ADHA, ZK-ADI
Tiger Moth ZK-AFO impressed 1Oct1939 as NZ720, later ZK-ASO, ZK-AFO currenlty stored with J P Galpin, Te Puke
Moth Minor ZK-AHK impressed 13Sep1942 as NZ597, later ZK-AKM now with G S & G A Smith, Dairy Flat
Rearwin 9000L ZK-AGQ impressed 7Oct1942 as NZ599, later ZK-ALF now under restoration with J P Galpin, Pongakawa
Tiger Moth ZK-AGZ impressed 10Oct1939 as NZ704, later ZK-ALK now with The Strome Farm Trust, Auckland
Moth Minor ZK-AHI impressed 7Oct1942 as NZ596, later ZK-ALN now stored with J P Galpin, Te Puke

A few more, a bit less obvious:
DH60M Moth ZK-ACE impressed 6Oct1939 as NZ509, Cr New Plymouth 9Jul40. SOC 21Nov40. Remains stored at Balclutha, to Colin Smith of Gore
DH80A Puss Moth ZK-ACX impressed 28Jun40 as NZ593, later NZ567 ZK-AJN, last flown mid-1958, WFU, Reg canc 31Jul68, stored at Harewood, then Tai Tapu, to ZK-AJN & under rebuild at Mandeville with Colin Smith
DH60M Moth ZK-AEJ Impressed 19Oct39 but not used, restored Jun40
Waco UOC ZK-AEL impressed 5Oct1939 as NZ575, later ZK-ALA O/turned on landing Jul58 & stored. Sold to G E Gilltrap Ltd., taken to Australia for museum, now reported under restoration there
DH80A Puss Moth ZK-AEV impressed Sep1939 as NZ590 later issued to CAA as spares 31May46. Fuselage to Colin Smith of Gore, said to be rebuilt at Mandeville with wings off ZK-ACX as static display for RNZAF Museum at Wigram
DH89A Rapide ZK-AGT impressed 18Nov1939 as NZ558, later ZK-AHS Last flight New Plymouth - Ardmore 5Jun74. To MoTAT.
Beech C17L ZK-AEU impressed 24Oct1939 as NZ573, later ZK-AJS VH-BOU VH-PMG VH-TOT Cr on t/off Cooktown, Q, 30Aug67. Reg canc 30Aug69 Reported under restoration Sydney during 1990s
Rearwin 9000KR ZK-AHN impressed 12Oct1942 as NZ569, later ZK-AKA WFU Wellington 6Oct68, stored at Masterton
Rearwin 9000KR ZK-AHM impressed 12Oct1942 as NZ568, later ZK-AKF WFU & stored A W Payne, Napier
Moth Minor ZK-AHL impressed 23Sep1942 as NZ595, later ZK-ALD Not rebuilt after WFU 1965. Stored Auckland
Porterfield ZK-AFT impressed 9Oct39 as NZ581, to ZK-AHJ, impressed 7Oct1942 as NZ598, to ZK-APJ WFU & Stored Temuka. To RNZAF Museum, then Ashburton Aviation Museum. Donated to AAM 7Apr91.

[Dave Homewood]

It would be great to have a fly-in/reunion of the impressed aircraft.