Topdressing Super Cubs

[nobody]

Jan 22, 2021 20:43:05 GMT 12 thomarse said:

Sept 16, 2009 21:14:38 GMT 12 thomarse said:

Now the question (who's older than me?): in the early 60s there were two topdressing Cubs at Wanganui, both of which were the only examples I've seen. They were both in the traditional "1957 Cub paint scheme" but one - BNP, then of Aerial Applicators, later Alexander Helicopters- was black and white, and the other, which I guess was Aerial Farmings, was blue and white. What was her rego?

So after over 11 years, we have the answer - thanks Ray. Just shows that the knowledge is out there and very thankfully is being recorded! Looking at the black and white photos, it is quite apparent that BTL was not the standard red

Aerial Farming had two blue Cubs, so part of the mystery remains...

That picture of BNP on Page 8 with Alexander sign-written on it could easily be a black and white colour scheme. I thought it might be dark green - thanks for clearing it up. Unusual that someone would paint a Cub black and white.......

[delticman]

Jan 23, 2021 6:29:37 GMT 12 nobody said:

Jan 22, 2021 20:43:05 GMT 12 thomarse said:

So after over 11 years, we have the answer - thanks Ray. Just shows that the knowledge is out there and very thankfully is being recorded! Looking at the black and white photos, it is quite apparent that BTL was not the standard red

Aerial Farming had two blue Cubs, so part of the mystery remains...

That picture of BNP on Page 8 with Alexander sign-written on it could easily be a black and white colour scheme. I thought it might be dark green - thanks for clearing it up. Unusual that someone would paint a Cub black and white.......

Tom, your first question might have been before my time. ZK-BNP while wth Aerial Applicators and Alexanders was always with black trim. Beryk Dalcom flew it under Aerial Aplicators and Ian Wakeling flew it as Alexanders.

ZK-BNP was Aeril Farmings 1st major rebuild so it would have been painted black at the request of Mike Alexander. All the helicopter support trucks were black and white.

[madmax]

Although ownership of ZK-BTL is recorded as changing to Palmerston North Flying School on 26 April 1969 Peter is correct in assuming the School operated it prior to that date. I flew the aircraft regularly from 23 January and it was operated by the PN school at the time. Another PA18A I flew around that time was Whanganui based ZK-BTI which, if memory serves me correctly, was painted white with green trim in the standard Piper scheme

[thomarse]

Hi folks

In answer to your recent posts (which I greatly appreciate) firstly that explains why BNP was black and white Ray. Nobody, yes unusual but by far the most attractive scheme I've seen. There was a colour photo of her posted once and I thought on this thread but apparently not.

Thirdly, what is it about Wanganui? I agree about BTI, and add that the only three non-red and white Ag Cubs I ever saw were all at WU and possibly all simultaneously.

Who's got the colour shot of Aerial Farming's seminar at PM in December 1961 with 13 Cubs and 3 Ceres? The front two Cubs are both blue, so BTL and . Main suspect is BRP but I'll keep at it until I get there

[Peter Lewis]

In early 1961 Aerial Farming had a scrounge around in their Milson hangar and constructed a 'new' PA18A Super Cub 150 from the parts they found there. This build appears to owe no allegiance to any previous Cub, was registered as ZK-BVH to AirFarm on 26Apr1961, and was given the c/n AF-1.

By November that year this aircraft had moved on to join Cookson Superspread Ltd, Gisborne.

Unfortunately, it did not last long. On 2Oct1963 it was destroyed about three miles north-east of Tiniroto, Gisborne, when it crashed apparently while attempting a forced-landing after experiencing an engine failure during an operation flight. 
Pilot Albert Liebe killed.

[nobody]

Jan 23, 2021 12:31:08 GMT 12 thomarse said:

Hi folks

In answer to your recent posts (which I greatly appreciate) firstly that explains why BNP was black and white Ray. Nobody, yes unusual but by far the most attractive scheme I've seen. There was a colour photo of her posted once and I thought on this thread but apparently not.

Thirdly, what is it about Wanganui? I agree about BTI, and add that the only three non-red and white Ag Cubs I ever saw were all at WU and possibly all simultaneously.

Who's got the colour shot of Aerial Farming's seminar at PM in December 1961 with 13 Cubs and 3 Ceres? The front two Cubs are both blue, so BTL and . Main suspect is BRP but I'll keep at it until I get there

I have a print from a colour slide of BRP at Masterton in passenger configuration. It is in the '57 scheme with the trim in a dark green. There are some Alan Wooler photos of BRP floating around, also at Masterton and the trim is in a much brighter blue. Slide colours can fade or change, but considering I obtained that print in the late 80's and the photo was probably taken in the 70's I have always thought it an accurate representation.

BTI's trim was in Sacramento Green, I have a piece of fabric cut off the fin with the registration on it tucked away somewhere.

[errolmartyn]

Jan 23, 2021 15:20:06 GMT 12 Peter Lewis said:

Unfortunately, it [BVH] did not last long. On 2Oct1963 it was destroyed about three miles north-east of Tiniroto, Gisborne, when it crashed apparently while attempting a forced-landing after experiencing an engine failure during an operation flight.
Pilot Albert Liebe killed.

Albert Martin LIEBE, aged 24

Errol

[Dave Homewood]

This thread has highlighted to me just how many young pilots have died in topdressing accidents in the early days. I knew there were a lot, but seeing their names and ages is really very sad.

[delticman]

Jan 23, 2021 18:39:51 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

This thread has highlighted to me just how many young pilots have died in topdressing accidents in the early days. I knew there were a lot, but seeing their names and ages is really very sad.

These guys were not the early pilots, these were guys that learnt to fly in the late 1950s and became CPL's a few years later.

When I've talked to pilots that started in those days they were employed on the basis that they could fly the aircraft. Some got good training (far from anything the new pilots get these days) and others next to nothing.

Around 1960 there was a push by operators to get Government funding. In those days the Government had to be involved in everything. The flying school was set up and before an aircraft could be purchased, a Cessna 180 was hired from Manawatu Aerial Topdressing to get the school underway.

[johnm]

In the 80"s the cpl requirement changed from 90 to 200 hours - i recall ? - something to do with caso 12 ??  ..

[gtw]

Big Log Book check, I flew BTI from Jan 1964 till march 1965 between BTI and BIT. seeding and super BTI and Super with BIT. BTI was a nice cub to fly, always gave warning when it wanted to stall or miss behave.
The days when pubs closed at 6pm.

[madmax]

I'm sure minimum hour requirements for a CPL during the eighties was 200 hours, this figure was reduced to 150 when "pressure cooker" courses evolved

[Peter Lewis]

In 1957 PA18A Super Cub 150 c/n 18-6180 had been registered as N8475D to E Rudnick, Bakerfield, CA.
Later that same year Elynor Rudnick moved to New Zealand  to operate a helicopter business and brought the Cub with her.

On 9Dec1957 this Cub was registered as ZK-BVJ for Aerial Fertilising Co Ltd, Wellington.
However, on 28Oct1959 Frank Perry had a reported incident near Rongotea, north-west of Palmerston North.

The Aerial Fertilising company was associated with Aerial Farming of NZ Ltd. and ownership was moved to that entity in May 1960. Later, the Aerial Farming (Holdings) name appeared.

In March 1963 the Richardson Brothers, who had previously operated Tiger Moths ZK-AKE and ZK-BAT, took over
ZK-BVJ for use topdressing their own property.
They continued to operate the Cub until, with John Richardson no longer flying, selling it to Rowley Aviation in March 1984.

Peter Rowley converted the Cub back into the spray role, named it 'Lil Squirt', and operating it as part of his four-Cub spraying fleet.
He eventually closed down this operation and passed ZK-BVJ on to one of his employees, Ray Patchett of Blenheim, in November 1992.

This Cub is still active out of Rangiora.

ZK-BVJ at Fielding in topdressing configuration



Now set up as a sprayer, Milson November 1960



and as Rowley's 'little Squirt' at Omaka 6Feb1989 



Steve Lowe photo

[Peter Lewis]

There are still a few more AgCubs to go, but you will need to wait for those as I am now off to The Mainland for a couple of weeks.

[madmax]

Pleased to read you're crossing the ditch, Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane, Peter

[dalcom]

Jan 23, 2021 12:31:08 GMT 12 thomarse said:

Hi folks

In answer to your recent posts (which I greatly appreciate) firstly that explains why BNP was black and white Ray. Nobody, yes unusual but by far the most attractive scheme I've seen. There was a colour photo of her posted once and I thought on this thread but apparently not.

Thirdly, what is it about Wanganui? I agree about BTI, and add that the only three non-red and white Ag Cubs I ever saw were all at WU and possibly all simultaneously.

Who's got the colour shot of Aerial Farming's seminar at PM in December 1961 with 13 Cubs and 3 Ceres? The front two Cubs are both blue, so BTL and . Main suspect is BRP but I'll keep at it until I get there

[dalcom]

thomarse, have a look for bnp under "piper spraying units"

[Peter Lewis]

Jan 24, 2021 18:49:21 GMT 12 madmax said:

Pleased to read you're crossing the ditch, Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane, Peter

More like Stewart Island and Ulva Island.

[madmax]

A tad too cold in that part of the world for me, Peter. I even have some trepidation about a forthcoming trip to Victoria. I suspect I don't possess enough warm clothes!

[Peter Lewis]

Back in the saddle:

PA18A Super Cub c/n 18-6181 was allotted the US registration N8476D at Piper's Lock Haven factory in 1957, but was immediately exported to NZ where it became ZK-BVO on 1Apr1958 with Aerial Farming (Holdings) Ltd., Milson.

After assembly at Palmerston North it appears to have quickly headed south later that same month to go on line with Warren Hart's Harts Aerial Topdressing Company, based in Christchurch.

On 23rd March 1964 Brian Warren had a reported incident in ZK-BVO while working near Oxford.

Restored to health, this Cub was eventually replaced by a new Pawnee and moved on to Aerial Sowing (Canterbury) Ltd. in April 1966. The Hart company became a full subsidiary of Aerial Sowing the following year.

ZK-BVO passed into private ownership in February 1968, and was engaged in the venison recovery industry when it was hit by a wave while taking off from the beach at Longridge Point, South Westland, 16Nov1970. The aircraft was reported to have swing into the surf and then broken up.

However, rather remarkably, ZK-BVO rose again when Southair at Dunedin built up a Cub from the remains of ZK-BKB/ZK-CEX and presumably parts of ZK-BVO and thus a 'new' ZK-BVO reappeared in September 2002. This aircraft is still active in the Westland area. 

ZK-BVO at Christchurch January 1960



and in the same area, leaping into life


 
Still at Christchurch, now May 1961 and showing signs of wear



Back into the Airwork hangar, possibly during the Aerial Sowing ownership