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Post by Bruce on Oct 8, 2005 9:54:54 GMT 12
O.K, for the quiz bunnies out there, another tricky NZ civil aviation quiz:
1. When NAC retired the former Union Airways Lockheed 10 Electras, which company brought them, and which NZ airfield did they end up?
2. What was the nickname of the first topdressing DC3 in NZ?
3. Which engines were originally fitted to the NZ Grumman Widgeons?
4. Which airport did SPANZ build to service Taupo before the current on was built?
5. Which aircraft were the first 4 engined airliners in NZ?
6. Which of TEALs S30 Flying boats had the higher manufacturers serial no?
7. which airline operated the aircraft that struck wires in Tory channel in the 1980s?
8. which NZ airport has its runway crossed by Railway tracks?
9. Which Bird features on NACs logo?
10. Which British aircraft was designed primarily for NZs agricultural industry, but was not an economic sucess for its manufacturer, despite a reasonable number of machines flying here?
get the books out and start researching.....
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 8, 2005 10:39:35 GMT 12
1. When NAC retired the former Union Airways Lockheed 10 Electras, which company brought them, and which NZ airfield did they end up?
Rural Aviation at Palmerston North, where they were broken up for spares
5. Which aircraft were the first 4 engined airliners in NZ?
Sikorsky S.42 flying boat Pan American Clipper II
6. Which of TEALs S30 Flying boats had the higher manufacturers serial no?
The first one, ZK-AMC/AMA - (ratehr than ZK-AMA/AMC - believe me, it's a confusing tale of swapsies with the registration
8. which NZ airport has its runway crossed by Railway tracks?
Darton Field, Gisborne - caused by the RNZAF having the airfield extended but forgettig to tell NZ Rail who were putting their track on th perimeter of the original field!
9. Which Bird features on NACs logo?
Is it a Tern?
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Post by Bruce on Oct 8, 2005 15:02:56 GMT 12
#1 half right,
#5 Nope, sorry try a little bit earlier
#6 Correct - The 'boat that spent most of its life as AMC was actually the first off the line (some seriously confusing identity swaps happened when they entered service....)
#8 Correct
#9 sorry, try another little birdie.....
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Post by corsair67 on Oct 8, 2005 15:33:49 GMT 12
Geez, where do you find these questions? Even though I have no idea what the answers are for most of these, you guys certainly are increasing my knowledge of NZ aviation.
Anyway, here's my 2 cents worth.......
7. Air Albatross?
9. Godwit?
10. Auster Agricola?
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Post by Bruce on Oct 8, 2005 19:48:22 GMT 12
Well done Corsair - 7, 9 and 10 are correct.
Unfortunately a few years ago our last airworthy Agricola (and enough spares to build several more) returned its country of origin. Pity, it had much more relevance to us Kiwis, its just not many people realised that.....
Questions still to answer :
#2, 3, 4 and 5 and half of #1
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Post by DragonflyDH90 on Oct 8, 2005 22:50:46 GMT 12
3. Which engines were originally fitted to the NZ Grumman Widgeons?
Its either the 400hp Ranger or Lycoming 0-480.
Ill go for the Ranger..
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Post by corsair67 on Oct 9, 2005 18:32:40 GMT 12
And another bite of the pie.......
5. DH86 Express?
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Post by Bruce on Oct 9, 2005 19:27:00 GMT 12
Cool , a couple more correct.
#3 the engines originally fitted to both Amphibian airways' and Tourist Air Travels machines were Ranger 6-440 s however subsequent to that they were re-engined, some to Lycoming O-480s, and others to Continental IO-470s. Eventually all were converted to Continental power.
#5 DH express, which entered service with Union Airways in 1936, Edwin Musick's Sikorsky S42 arrived in 1937.
I'll let the the remaining questions run a few more days.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 10, 2005 14:09:15 GMT 12
Oh blast... I should have known it was a DH86 for question five. I love the Express. When is Mandeville going to ressurrect the type Ryan?  1. Is the half-answer to this Rural Air Services rather than Rural Aviation? In question 2, do you mean a nickname of a specific aircraft? Or a type nickname, as in like the Blunty for Strikemaster type nickname? If you mean a specific aircraft, was it James Aviation's DC-3 ZK-AZL "Hi Land Duster"? I don't even know where Taupo airport is now, as opposed to where it first was. What dates are we talking about it's opening/closure? I did find out the DC-3 in Taupo nowadays at McDonalds is an ex-SPANZ example. Look at these photos including its interior, wow, it's in great condition! myaviation.net/search/search.php?view=&place=Off-Airport%20-%20TaupoI somehow think that's not the original seating layout though ;D |
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Post by Bruce on Oct 10, 2005 21:07:42 GMT 12
Hi Dave, Rural Aviation is correct, however the location isnt - (Clue- you had the initials of the town right - just the wrong order  ) ZK-AZL "Hi Land Duster" is correct - the local connection being this aircraft was converted at Hamilton, tested in the Hills behind Cambridge, and now sits in the Fieldays site at Mystery creek - unfortunately its not in great condition..... Your obviously hunting the SPANZ airfield - the clue is this is still a currently used airfield, near a prominent pub on the Napier - Taupo road - grab a map (an aviation chart would be even better) and see what you find. The Pub plays a role in the saga as it was used as the passenger terminal! (the story of SPANZ is really great - with a lot of parallells to the Modern CityJet Saga I was involved with. ) Not many more to go - come on guys! |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 10, 2005 21:54:14 GMT 12
OK, Rural Aviation was based at New Plymouth, but the aircraft were apparently stored at Palmerston Nth when sold to them. Did they shift the aircraft to New Plymouth?
Do you refer to the Rangitaiki Hotel and district? My map has no aeroplane there though at Rangitaiki. There is one at Wharewaka which must be the newer airport?
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Post by Bruce on Oct 11, 2005 7:45:58 GMT 12
Yup, you got em... The Electras ended up being scrapped at New Plymouth - the company was primarily after the R985 engines, in order to support its fleet of Beavers. Some chunks of Electra remain - namely the fuselage at MoTaT and some tail fins etc at the Taranaki Aviation Transport Museum.
Rangataiki is indeed a current airstrip, but not used by Scheduled services (Taupo Air Services do hunting charters out of there to remote bush strips in the Kaimanawas on a regular basis though) The strip was built by Stevensons and Co, who own the land it is on, Lochinvar Station. After a few years operating, a storm scoured out some of the Pumice strip, which meant DC3 operations ceased for a while until the new airport at Wharewaka was built. The Rangataiki airstrip is visibel from the Napier Taupo road a few km past the pub.
Well done - all answers are now complete:) do you guys want another next week?
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Post by corsair67 on Oct 11, 2005 11:56:54 GMT 12
Yep Bruce, bring it on. These are quizzes are great; except I don't like learning about the idiots whom went about chopping up perfectly good aeroplanes!
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 11, 2005 15:52:47 GMT 12
Cheers Bruce. I agree, chopping up the beautiful and historic Electras just to re-engine boring old Beavers is maddening. At the time it would have been a different story.
I believe the complete Electra at Motat that nasquerades as a Union Airways one was also pulled from a fire dump. Phew!
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Post by Bruce on Oct 11, 2005 17:12:11 GMT 12
Yeah, that one had been written off in a landing accident - the mainspar is actually bent - and was not far off being torched!
I think Rural did try to sell the Electras overseas before scrapping, but in the 1950s there just wasnt interest in old outdated airliners. Thems the practical realities I guess, Big pity though.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 13, 2005 20:33:45 GMT 12
Yes I believe that is the case that Rural hoped to sell the Electras. I'd forgotten that. I had no idea the Motat one was bent, it looks simply gorgeous. I wish someone would restore the genuine Union Airways fuselage and find it some wings and things.
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