Cessna 180s in NZ

[madmax]

I photographed BLL on floats on Rongotai airfield around Christmas 1955 it was on its way to be demonstrated in the S.I. It looked very nice in white with bronze trim
BDF was flown to Rongotai in 1957 where it was disassembled and shipped to Aussie. Cannot recall the trim colour of this aircraft was, but overall it was a very,very pale pink

[Peter Lewis]

After ZK-BEK failed to become airborne on takeoff at Rongomai, Eketahuna in March 1959 and then collided with a fence before overturned into a creek, the remains were gathered up and returned to Rural Aviation at Bell Block.

Within just a few months some major portions of this airframe had been incorporated into a newly-built 'bitsa' Cessna 180. This became registered as ZK-BMP on 19Jun1959 to Rural Aviation. As a nod to its mixed heritage, the c/n of this rebuild was given as 'RA/1/59'.

The aircraft was then passed on to Mount Cook Air Services Ltd. based  at Timaru and became part of their tourist fleet.

I don't think it ever became an agplane, even its short stint with Keith Wakeman appears to have taken place when he had already moved on to charter work.

After a number of South Island owners ZK-BMP disappeared on a flight from Big Bay to Riversdale, Southland, 15Aug78. Pilot Cyril Crosbie and three passengers. No crash site has ever been found.

ZK-BMP visiting Christchurch in 1960.

[johnnyfalcon]

One of life's mysteries in NZ aviation...somewhere, one day...?

[Peter Lewis]

I see we now have over 40,000 views on this thread.
A lot of C180 fans out there!

[kiwiduster1]

Makes all your hard work worth while Peter. Well done !!

[Peter Lewis]

and others.

[Peter Lewis]

Cessna 180 ZK-BMS came into the country second-hand, as it first flew as N3177D in 1955. It seems to have remained with Cessna until exported in late 1959.

Bought on charge by Mount Cook Air Services Ltd, Timaru on 10Dec1959, it has no apparent agricultural history. Still current at Queenstown.

ZK-BMS at the opening of the Browns Road Airport, New Plymouth, 5Mar1967

[Peter Lewis]

Cessna 180 N2225C had at least two private owners in the USA after being built in 1953 before coming to New Zealand in 1958.

Imported by Aucklander Vince Draffin, he registered the aircraft as ZK-BMT on 12Dec1958.
Draffin operated a charter business, trading as Rent-a-Plane Services from a base at Whenuapai.
This operation was not involved in agricultural aviation.

On 3Oct 1961 Draffin was flying solo from Wellington to Auckland, encountered low cloud in the Waikato area, and crashed into a cloud-covered ridge at Te Akau South, near Raglan.

ZK-BMT outside the company office at Whenuapai, February 1961
Note the SPANZ DC-3 in the background.

[kevsmith]

Re ZK-BMT: Memory says that Draffin was known as "Roy Draffin"

[Peter Lewis]

Cessna 180 ZK-BMU was a rebuild of ZK-BGM, and already covered under that listing.

N5245E became ZK-BMW on 21Aug1959, with Rural Aviation. As far as I can see it spent its time with Rural in a non-ag role before moving to Auster Air Services of Timaru in February 1961.

Presumably ZK-BMW worked as a topdresser with AAS, their entry in the 1963 Whites lists one as part of their fleet.

In August 1966 this aircraft was sold to Paul Presland of Wanaka, and has remained in South Island private ownership since that time. Currently based in the Blenheim area.

ZK-BMW shown carrying Rural Aviation titles during its short tenure with that firm

[planewriting]

May 13, 2017 19:34:30 GMT 12 kevsmith said:

Re ZK-BMT: Memory says that Draffin was known as "Roy Draffin"

His full name was Vincent Roy Draffin but was known as Roy Draffin. Visit aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=63263 and he is covered in my co-authored book Taking Off-Pioneering Small Airlines of New Zealand 1945 - 1970. ISBN 0-473-09365-0 page 202 etc.

[Peter Lewis]

N9340T was imported to become ZK-BMX with Rural Aviation on 31May1960.

After assembly, this Cessna 180 then went to Air Services (Wairarapa) Ltd. of Masterton in September.
It was operated steadily for the next five years, usually flown by Niel Middlemiss.

ZK-BMX was destroyed in a hangar fire at Masterton on 15May1965, along with fellow 180 ZK-BFE.

Cessna 180 ZK-BMX at Hood airfield, Masterton, April 1961



Now carrying the Air Services (Wairarapa) titling and the name 'Niel Middlemiss', Masterton December 1963

[johnm]

thanks for those pics Peter - Neil Middlemiss was my farther and always remember the cowl pattern - the 3 triangles. All the neighbourhood kids used to pile into BMX - I think we wriggled in at the main door into the back behind the hopper - I don't think there was another hatch. From memory there were a stack of brace wires for the hopper that were good enough to hang on to. We'd loaf around adventuring the farmers farm or got to know the farmers kids - or go flying. Dad said one time last load of the day - it was he, loader driver (Ray Wells) and various kids in the back - did the sow run then back home before dark - great days indeed

The hangar fire I remember well - we lived say a mile away ........... and there was so much car traffic trying to see what the fire was (rubber neckers) that dad jumped on a push bike and stroad off with much effort - for some reason the front wheel disengaged from the bike and shot off across the road - never could figure out how a bike wheel could do that

[Peter Lewis]

Thanks John.
To jog those memories out into the public domain is exactly why we take the time and make the effort to do this sort of stuff.

[Peter Lewis]

Cessna 180 N3299D  became ZK-BNE on 13Dec1955.
Initially registered to Rural Aviation, in March 1956 ZK-BNE moved over to the Manawatu Aerial Topdressing Company at Feilding. It carried their fleet number 5.

On 21 April 1966 pilot Jim Aitcheson was unable to out-climb rising ground ahead while working and had to forced-land ZK-BNE in a gully at Utuwai, near Mangaweka, Northern Manawatu. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair in the incident.

ZK-BNE at the agricultural aviation event at Palmerston North 9Nov1956



Needing a wash, Paraparaumu July 1957



ZK-BNE at home base, Feilding, February 1964



Post-forced landing, April 1966

[Dave Homewood]

Ouch!!

[Peter Lewis]

N9147T became ZK-BPP with Rural Aviation on 17Nov1959.

In May 1960 this Cessna 180 went to Mt Cook Air Services Ltd. of Timaru where it was employed in their agricultural aviation section.

On 15May1968, with Allan Hogan flying, ZK-BPP failed to become airborne, struck a fence and overturned while operating from a farm strip at Simons Pass, Putaki, Mackenzie County.

ZK-BPP in early Mt Cook colours, Timaru 1961



A later photo, showing a more fetching colour scheme
(linked from another thread here: rnzaf.proboards.com/thread/12357/topdressers )

[Peter Lewis]

The new Cessna 180 that arrived as N4690A became ZK-BQA with Rural Aviation on 10Feb1956.

After assembly at New Plymouth this aircraft went to Hastings in May the same year to work for Reeves Transport (Air Services) Ltd.

In 1958 Bill Reeves bought new Piper Cubs ZK-BOX and ZK-BPL off Airwork to replace ZK-BQA, and the Cessna was traded in at Airwork for these two purchases. ZK-BQA was registered to Airwork in November 1958.

I don't think that ZK-BQA was used operationally by Airwork, and the registration was cancelled on 17Feb1960 on its sale to Hazair Agricultural Service based at Orange, New South Wales.
It took up the registration VH-BBM there, but did not last long as that registration was cancelled in September 1960.

ZK-BQA in Reeves service at Bridge Pa, Hastings



and cleaned up and tidy outside the Airwork hangar at Christchurch

[Peter Lewis]

I don't know if this one had an aghistory, but I've included it here as no doubt someone can confirm or deny.

ZK-BQI arrived as N4976A and was registered to Rural on 1May1956.
In August it went to private owner R H W Lowry, Hastings.
Don Nairn formed Lake Taupo Airways Ltd. to operate ZK-BQI in January 1959 and the Cessna was therefore equipped with the amphibious floats previously on ZK-BLL.
This enterprise did not last very long, and I have a note that Peter Collins of Otane refitted it as a landplane before it was onsold to James Aviation (Rotorua) Ltd. in March 1960.

By October 1960 ZK-BQI was in the hands of Mt Maunganui-based ag operator Airspread Ltd.
I am uncertain if Airspread operated it in the agricultural role, as I have no photographs of it with that company. They did lease ZK-BQI to Bay of Plenty Airways at some stage while they owned it, so it may have remained in passenger configuration.

In any event when Ron Graham sold Airspread to James Aviation in December 1962 he sold his Cessna fleet separately and ZK-BQI moved to Australia where it became VH-SSJ with  Superspread Aviation, Melbourne, in March 1963. The aircraft became VH-RAB in 1968 and was destroyed in a crash in August the same year.

Cessna 180 ZK-BQI at Mangere in June 1957



Web-footed at Paraparaumu March 1959

[Peter Lewis]

C180 ZK-BQJ was registered to Rural Aviation 0n 1May1956 having previously been allotted the factory registration  N4975A.

This aircraft joined the company's operational fleet, and was among those displayed by Rural Aviation at the Agricultural Aviation expo at Palmerston North in November 1956.

It then continued to work in the Taranaki area, and became the favorite mount of Don "Goose" Erceg. Both Don and ZK-BQJ became famous when the engine departed the airframe after propeller failure during a positioning flight on 1March1958, and Don was able recover control sufficiently to carry out a subsequent forced landing:
"In the vicinity of New Plymouth, New Zealand, in March 1958 a Cessna C-180, ZK-BQJ engaged in aerial topdressing suffered a propeller failure which threw one blade.
The resultant imbalance then threw the engine completely out of the airframe almost instantly.
As it departed the engine forced the top cowling over the windscreen, and also impacted the starboard main-wheel, cutting the tire.
The moment the engine came off the Cessna was thrown into a vertical snap roll, so rapidly that the pilot’s crash helmet was cracked when hitting the windscreen pillar!
Then followed a flat spin, from which normal spin recovery was successful.
To counter the pitch-up resulting from the rearward c of g change, the pilot applied full forward elevator, and lowered the flaps.
The ensuing flight path was controllable sufficiently to affect a successful force landing, with no further damage to the aircraft.
The free flying engine impacted in the farmer’s wood pile with no other damage to any person or property, but gave the farmer’s wife a severe fright as she hung out washing.
After a calming cup of tea, the pilot checked in with his operating company and reported that he needed a replacement aircraft, and when asked why, responded that the engine was missing.
“Have you checked the plugs?”
“No point, I can’t even find the engine!”
They took him at his word and duly arrived in a replacement aircraft, complete with engineer ready to replace plugs etc!".
Three days later after some remedial work, The 180 took off from the field and was ferried to maintenance for some rather more substantial work

ZK-BQJ moved south to Ritchie Air Services, Te Anau, in August 1960 and then became part of the NZ Tourist Air Travel fleet when that company took over Ritchie in late 1964.

On 12Mar1965 the Cessna was on a tourist charter flight piloted by Eoin Buckham with three overseas tourists as passengers. It crashed into the mountainside near Gertrude Saddle, Darran Mountains, Milford Sound. All on board died in the crash and the wreckage was found the following day.

Cessna 180 ZK-BQJ takes a schoolboy's interest when part of the Rural Aviation display at Milson 9Nov1956



ZK-BQJ at Paraparaumu in 1958. Erceg's 'Goose' logo can be clearly seen.