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Post by Peter Lewis on Dec 14, 2020 15:49:39 GMT 12
Indeedy.
The dayglo applied to the Barr Bros Fletchers suffered similar degradation.
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Post by Peter Lewis on Dec 14, 2020 15:57:13 GMT 12
ZK-BPA was allotted to Cub 150 c/n 18-6175, which Airwork registered on 21Nov1957. In March 1958 this Cub moved south, to Farmers Aviation based at Invercargill. Three years later, in March 1961, it returned back to Airwork ownership and presumably then earned its keep as part of their operational fleet. During January 1966 ZK-BPA was rebuilt by Airwork prior to sale, and was fitted with a set of floats. Apparently it then did some flying from either Lake Forsyth or Lake Ellesmere, but the floats were soon removed. The floats were manufactured by Edo Corporation, Long Island, USA, in July 1965. By March 1966 Dannervirke-based Lance Hislop took ownership of ZK-BPA. It has since then been operated variously as a glider tug, a venison recovery vehicle and a flying school trainer. It is still current in Westland. ZK-BPA in May 1960, said to be taken at Christchurch but I suspect elsewhere  |
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Post by martymonsta on Dec 14, 2020 22:01:14 GMT 12
ZK-BPA was allotted to Cub 150 c/n 18-6175, which Airwork registered on 21Nov1957. In March 1958 this Cub moved south, to Farmers Aviation based at Invercargill. Three years later, in March 1961, it returned back to Airwork ownership and presumably then earned its keep as part of their operational fleet. By March 1966 Dannervirke-based Lance Hislop took ownership of ZK-BPA. It has since then been operated variously as a glider tug, a venison recovery vehicle and a flying school trainer. It is still current in Westland. ZK-BPA in May 1960, said to be taken at Christchurch but I suspect elsewhere |
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Post by martymonsta on Dec 14, 2020 22:02:50 GMT 12
Suspect BPA pictured at Invercargill
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Post by Peter Lewis on Dec 15, 2020 21:25:55 GMT 12
Airwork registered Cub 150 c/n 18-6170 as ZK-BPB on 21Nov1957. In February 1958 ownership was transferred to Air Rentals Ltd., Christchuch. As the name implies, this firm leased out aircraft to operators who needed the use of an aircraft either to cover a temporary shortage in their fleet or who could not afford to buy the aircraft outright themselves. I do not know who leased ZK-BPB over the next few years, but in April 1961 ownership changed to Aircraft Holdings Ltd. of Wanganui. As you could expect from the location of that firm, Wanganui Aero Work were operating the Cub when it crashed at Soar's Piriaka airstrip near Taumaranui on 27Aug1961. Apparently a wing tip struck the ground while approaching to land in gusty wind conditions. Pilot seriously injured. The registration ZK-BPB was cancelled on 19Nov1961. However, Airwork rebuilt the aircraft by early 1962 and bought it back on line as ZK-BYW. ZK-BPB at Harewood in August 1958, already showing signs of hard use. At Palmerston North May 1960 At Wanganui May 1961 Piriaka airstrip in its heyday |
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nobody
Pilot Officer
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Post by nobody on Dec 16, 2020 10:00:57 GMT 12
BYW was another venison Cub.
That's a great picture of the Piriaka strip with the Ceres and the Fletchers parked along the sides. You pretty much never see such a concentration of ag-planes nowdays!
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Post by Peter Lewis on Dec 16, 2020 14:34:28 GMT 12
Air Rentals acquired a second Cub just two days after they got ZK-BPB. This was Cub 150 c/n 18-6171 which had been registered as ZK-BPC to Airwork on 21Nov1957. Over the following three years ZK-BPC would have been hired out to a number of operators until, on 19May1961, it moved north to work with Wings Fertilisers at Napier. Just over a year later, in August 1962, it headed back south to Timaru into the hands of Auster Air Services. However, just one month later, it moved across to Oamaru to join Otago Air Services. While working at Temuka in the hands of Roy Rath ZK-BPC suffered an incident on 28Nov1962. Repaired, it continued to fly on until being sold to Aerial Sowing (Canterbury) Ltd. of Christchurch in June 1965. Just a year later, in June 1966, it reverted back to Airwork ownership. However, they do not seemed to have used ZK-BPC operationally before removing the agricultural equipment and selling the Cub to Oakair Aviation in March 1968. ZK-BPC soon became NZ's second float-equipped Cub, wearing the floats that had been trialed back in 1966 on ZK-BPA. It first took to the air as a floatplane on 14Dec1968. It operated as such in the Christchurch area until eventually 'landing' at Christchurch Airport on 8May1970 where the floats were then removed. After an eventful time working in venison recovery, glider towing and private ownership it was eventually destroyed in a landing incident at Paraparaumu on 12Apr1998. ZK-BPC outside the Airwork hangar at Harewood Similar location, in 1960 And just because I can, and I like waterborne aircraft, ZK-BPC on floats.jpg)  |
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Post by Bruce on Dec 16, 2020 15:15:22 GMT 12
ZK-BPC soon became NZ's only float-equipped Cub, operating as such in the Christchurch area around 1970/71 before reverting to landplane status. PA18-105 ZK-KSS has been on floats recently too, splashing around the Wanaka region. |
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Post by starr on Dec 16, 2020 15:16:56 GMT 12
Didn't realise so many super cubs were used in the ag field. I only saw a few of them, namely two for the Glen Murray Topdressing Syndicate and Barr Bros. Barr Bros one was destroyed in the Waiwhui area just north of Warkworth. This was a fatal accident.
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nobody
Pilot Officer
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Post by nobody on Dec 17, 2020 6:05:56 GMT 12
ZK-BPC soon became NZ's only float-equipped Cub, operating as such in the Christchurch area around 1970/71 before reverting to landplane status. PA18-105 ZK-KSS has been on floats recently too, splashing around the Wanaka region. And ZK-UCR........ |
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nobody
Pilot Officer
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Post by nobody on Dec 17, 2020 6:13:23 GMT 12
ZK-BPC soon became NZ's only float-equipped Cub, operating as such in the Christchurch area around 1970/71 before reverting to landplane status. After an eventful time working in venison recovery, glider towing and private ownership it was eventually destroyed in a landing incident at Paraparaumu on 12Apr1998. "Destroyed" might be too strong a term. I saw it in Canterbury a few years after the accident at Paraparaumu and the current custodians thought it intact enough to request the registration back from the owners of the Carbon Cub now registered ZK-PBC. Love those pictures of it on floats. Peter, I don't suppose you got any photos of BPC when it was operated out of the Clevedon River? |
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Post by Peter Lewis on Dec 17, 2020 7:28:04 GMT 12
OK, I regret saying ZK-BPC was the only Cub on floats. Well, at least it was during last century  I'm told that ZK-CIA/3 is/has been on floats as well, so that makes four. No, nothing on Clevedon. |
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Post by Peter Lewis on Dec 17, 2020 21:39:00 GMT 12
Yet another of the new Cub 150s registered to Airwork on 21Nov1957 was c/n 18-6190 which became ZK-BPD. This one was rigged as a sprayer and went to Paul Bartrum's Bay Airspray Ltd. based at Hastings in March 1958, replacing Tiger Moth ZK-AQH. However this business failed in August that same year, and ZK-BPD was repossessed by Airwork, returning to their ownership on the 29th. It then worked operationally for Airwork until it was destroyed in a fatal crash on 4Feb1965. Pilot David Schuster was working off a strip on Sherwood Station, Waiau, Canterbury, and on returning from an sowing flight attempted to 'beat up' the strip. Pulling out too low the aircraft entered a high-speed stall and pancaked into the ground. ZK-BPD at Paraparaumu in August 1958 |
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Post by errolmartyn on Dec 17, 2020 22:29:37 GMT 12
It then worked operationally for Airwork until it was destroyed in a fatal crash on 4Feb1965. Pilot David Schuster was working off a strip on Sherwood Station, Waiau, Canterbury, and on returning from an sowing flight attempted to 'beat up' the strip. Pulling out too low the aircraft entered a high-speed stall and pancaked into the ground. David George SCHUSTER, aged 23 Errol |
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Post by Peter Lewis on Dec 18, 2020 16:30:10 GMT 12
The next Cub 150 of the 21Nov1957 batch was c/n 18-6191 which became ZK-BPE with Airwork. This one moved up to Rongotai to join the Aircraft Engineering Co of NZ Ltd. on 1Feb1958. That company ran a topdressing subsidiary, Airlift, and ZK-BPE would have worked for them. Airlift ceased operating at the end of 1959 and in June 1960 Aerial Farming of NZ Ltd. of Milson took ownership, but did not retain this aircraft for long as in August it moved south to Farmers Aerial Topdressing at Invercargill. It was damaged in a failed takeoff on 22Aug1961, but was rebuilt and flying again by April 1962. By 1964 Farmers ATD was upgrading to Pawnees so traded ZK-BPE back to Airwork in February that year. However, this move must have been premature, as ZK-BPE returned to Farmers ATD in September. Finally, in August 1966, Airwork again became the owners and then on-sold ZK-BPE to Dave Philpotts of Rangiora in November. It then moved around the country doing most of the tasks Cubs do until it was eventually sold into the USA in 2003 and became N78026. ZK-BPE loading at Paraparaumu in June 1958 while working for Airlift  Not the best photo, but shows the colours ZK-BPE wore while operating from Invercargill |
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nobody
Pilot Officer
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Post by nobody on Dec 19, 2020 6:58:19 GMT 12
ZK-BPE and BPF were actually assembled and the Airwork ag mods done by the Aircraft Engineering Co. at Masterton.
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Post by madmax on Dec 19, 2020 11:41:23 GMT 12
Aircraft Engineering Ltd was a Wellington based operation and although a subsidiary Airlift [NZ] Ltd operated out of Masterton their aircraft flew to Rongotai for maintenance. Around the time ZK-BPE and BPF arrived Aircraft Engineering was in the process of relocating to a new hangar at Paraparaumu as Rongotai was in the process of gradually closing down as work was well underway on building the new Wellington International airport.
Although the registered owner of both aircraft was listed as Aircraft Engineering they were operated on Airlift's aerial work licence. I saw both BPE and BPF operating topdressing sorties out of Paraparaumu on several occasions where the two B & W images above look to have been taken.
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Post by Peter Lewis on Dec 19, 2020 22:16:10 GMT 12
Cub 150 c/n 18-6192 became ZK-BPF and followed the same path as ZK-BPE, coming on strength with the Aircraft Engineering Company on 19Feb1958 and also operated under the Airlift licence. This Cub was involved in an incident at Ohariu Valley, near Wellington, on 9Apr1959 while being flown by Tim O'Neill. Following the closure of Airlift ZK-BPF also moved across to Aerial Farming at Milson, with the official ownership being taken rather later, in March 1961, so it may have found other employment during 1960. ZK-BPF returned to Airwork in April 1963, and was then quite quickly onsold to Cookson Superspread based at Wairoa. However, by December 1963 it was back down with Airwork. Although Airwork then owned this Cub until early 1966 they do not seem to have used it in the agricultural role. Well known deer hunter-pilot Tony Hawker took ownership of ZK-BPF in February 1966, the first of three Cubs he operated, and in later years Oakair Aviation used it in the training role. The end came with a fatal crash at the Mussel Point strip near Haast on 11Sep1968. ZK-BPF being loaded at Paraparaumu June 1958 |
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Post by errolmartyn on Dec 19, 2020 23:17:40 GMT 12
Well known deer hunter-pilot Tony Hawker took ownership of ZK-BPF in February 1966, the first of three Cubs he operated, and in later years Oakair Aviation used it in the training role. The end came with a fatal crash at the Mussel Point strip near Haast on 11Sep1968. Bryan Robert ANTILL, aged 34 (killed) John James SINCLAIR, aged 27 (survived) Errol |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 20, 2020 10:01:22 GMT 12
When I read about all the deaths on this thread I am beginning to wonder which aircraft type used in the agricultural aviation industry in New Zealand has had the most fatalities, and was it the Super Cub?
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