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Post by The Red Baron on May 30, 2017 21:44:34 GMT 12
Always amuses me that the C180 was extremely unpopular in Northland and yet James sent BUJ up north to Advance.
They must have had a reason,with the swathmaster on it maybe it was doing cricket baiting over the summer period,something perculiar to Northland?.
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Post by delticman on May 31, 2017 8:19:02 GMT 12
Always amuses me that the C180 was extremely unpopular in Northland and yet James sent BUJ up north to Advance. They must have had a reason,with the swathmaster on it maybe it was doing cricket baiting over the summer period,something perculiar to Northland?. At the time of the 180 sprayer, the FU24 was not used for spraying as the could not fit a larger pump on the base plate. That came a couple of years later on ZK-CBQ. TATCO were doing spraying with their 180, ZK-BYJ in Northland and they had a Pawnee 235 at Thames. They did have one of their 300HP Fletchers later at Thames as a sprayer but I'm sure none of their Fletchers were ever fitted with spraybooms. R |
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Post by Peter Lewis on May 31, 2017 8:44:06 GMT 12
Always amuses me that the C180 was extremely unpopular in Northland . . . Yet Barr Bros had an extremely good run over many years with ZK-BJX |
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Post by starr on May 31, 2017 11:57:11 GMT 12
As far as I can remember Jack Snow did quite a bit of spraying in Northland for James in a 180 in 1966. Can not remember registration. As far as BJX is concerned, Bill Saunderson used to beat up the cowshed in the mornings when I was still on the farm at Ardmore in the early 60,s. The cows got used to it and never even moved.
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Post by Peter Lewis on May 31, 2017 15:22:17 GMT 12
Carrying the paper registration N9671B, the next Cessna 180 became ZK-BUP with Rural Aviation on 20Aug1957. This aircraft then stayed with Rural on agwork, apparently mostly as a sprayer, until it was damaged in a crash at Mt Curl, Marton, on 3Dec1962. I have no information on that incident, maybe someone can elaborate? The registration was cancelled on 16Jan1963, and the aircraft was rebuilt at Bell Block to emerge later that year as ZK-CDY. Spraying in the South Island, ZK-BUP seen at Christchurch in 1958 and at Paraparaumu in 1959 |
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Post by The Red Baron on May 31, 2017 22:48:01 GMT 12
First photo is a TATco Fletcher spraying with a swathmaster in 1960,they also had a boom Fletcher spraying in early 1970's,I saw it spraying and photo of BIV late '70s shows the boom mounts on top of the flaps,they had been spraying before doing this fert job. I think BJX was mainly based out of Ardmore,Barrs had Fletchers at Dargaville until the Airtruks arrived. BUJ has a swathmaster,but James also had many swathmaster Fletchers in use at this time too. Spraying aside the C180 was not universally popular as topdresser up North as its rather windy up there.I learned to fly out of Whangarei and you were well practised at crosswind landings up there.   Right back to the Cessnas,I'm enjoying this thread.(A thread of every Fletcher ever made would be good too...wink,wink,nudge,nudge..  ) |
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Post by Peter Lewis on Jun 1, 2017 16:41:47 GMT 12
After the damaged C180 ZK-BUP was gathered up and returned to Bell Block in early 1963, it was rebuilt incorporating a number of parts from other defunct Cessna 180s Registered as ZK-CDY to Rural Aviation on 9Oct1963, the rebuild was given the new constructors number RA.4/63 (The RA is quite obviously a reference to Rural Aviation, and for the record the other allocations were: RA.1/59 - ZK-BMP ex ZK-BEK, RA.2/60 - ZK-BWK ex ZK-BGN, RA.3/62 ZK-CBL ex ZK-BUY, RA.5/64 - ZK-CGJ built from parts of ZK-BUW, ZK-BWY, ZK-BUP and ZK-BSZ). ZK-CDY first took to the air as such on 14Oct1963 and few days later was delivered to Adastra Aviation who were based at Mt Maunganui. In Adastra service the aircraft was operated in the spraying role, fitted with a Swathemaster. It was eventually sold into private ownership in September 1968 and is still current, based in the Waikato. The spray rig fitted to ZK-CDY is quite evident here Cessna 180 ZK-CDY at its Mt Maunganui home base |
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Post by Peter Lewis on Jun 1, 2017 22:57:35 GMT 12
(A thread of every Fletcher ever made would be good too.. Let me know when you do it  |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 2, 2017 8:30:13 GMT 12
I am pretty sure we already have that.
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Post by davidd on Jun 2, 2017 11:58:26 GMT 12
I was waiting for BWK to appear in the correct sequence, but then realized that re-built (and re-registered) aircraft were usually hitched to the earlier registration. However this knowledge failed to produce any results (under ZK-BGN) so where has it gone? Somewhere I have some colour slides of BWK at work on our farm strip, in 1960 (cream with dark blue trim), then after a complete repaint in about 1962 (white with red trim). This aircraft was also flown to the Chathams in about 1967/68, still in same basic scheme, but not under its own power - that was provided by a SafeAir B.170, something to do with the crayfish craze at the time I think (have an idea it was owned by the company owned by Tim Wallis, Game Packers?) The pilot in those early topdressing days (1960-62) was always the short and greying Ken Eden (Aerial Sowing Canty Ltd, based at Amberley, then Rangiora), complete with reasonably trim moustache. A very quiet chap from memory (I was only about ten at the time, but very observant!)
David D
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Post by kiwiduster1 on Jun 2, 2017 16:11:36 GMT 12
(A thread of every Fletcher ever made would be good too.. Let me know when you do it MMMM 185s, 188s. F is well down the alphabet Baron. hehehe !! |
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Post by Peter Lewis on Jun 2, 2017 18:20:47 GMT 12
The first new Cessna 180A to arrive in the country was N9698B. The 180A had a slight increase in power, being fitted with a 230hp (172 kW) Continental O-470-K instead of the stock 180's 225hp (168 kW) Continental O-470-A. This aircraft became ZK-BUQ with Rural Aviation on 20Aug1957, and remained working with Rural until moving to Queenstown with Southern Scenic Air Services in July 1962. As SSAS used their 180s interchangeably between pax and ag work, it may have been employed as such with them. SSAS became part of NZ Tourist Air Travel in mid-1965, and ZK-BUQ definitely moved into non-ag work when sold to Oakair Aviation of Christchurch in November 1967. It was kitted out with Robertson STOL modifications in 1970 and is still current in Canterbury. ZK-BUQ as seen with Rural Aviation at Waipukerau in January 1959 |
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Post by Peter Lewis on Jun 3, 2017 12:41:13 GMT 12
I was waiting for BWK to appear in the correct sequence, but then realized that re-built (and re-registered) aircraft were usually hitched to the earlier registration. However this knowledge failed to produce any results (under ZK-BGN) so where has it gone? Just keeping you on your toes David. Anticipation is half the fun. |
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Post by Peter Lewis on Jun 3, 2017 16:20:03 GMT 12
Cessna 180 ZK-BUS had a previous life in the USA from 1954 as N3150C. It was imported second-hand for the Wellington Aero Club, who registered it on 19Aug57. ZK-BUS has remained in private ownership ever since, and has seen no agricultural use. At Wanaka 2004 I'm going to have speed this series up |
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Post by johnnyfalcon on Jun 3, 2017 16:57:47 GMT 12
I was gonna observe Peter; you are on FIRE!
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Post by Peter Lewis on Jun 3, 2017 18:46:13 GMT 12
I depart for foreign climes on the 20th, and would like to get this completed before then.
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Post by Peter Lewis on Jun 4, 2017 8:57:47 GMT 12
Cessna 180A N9720B arrived new and became ZK-BUW with Rural Aviation on 10Oct1957. It initially flew in a passenger configuration until at least early 1958, and was then converted to agwork. It survived less than five years in this role, being destroyed in a crash at Porangahau, eastern Wairarapa, on 24Mar63. The pilot, Stuart Smythe, survived the incident and remained flying with Rural until 1966.
ZK-BUW as seen at Masterton April 1961 |
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Post by johnnyfalcon on Jun 4, 2017 9:08:31 GMT 12
Damn, she looks...used
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Post by kiwithrottlejockey on Jun 4, 2017 13:38:59 GMT 12
It survived less than five years in this role, being destroyed in a crash at Porangahau, eastern Wairarapa, on 24Mar63. Just a wee nitpick....Porangahau is actually in Hawke's Bay, part of the Central Hawke's Bay District Council's territory. |
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Post by thomarse on Jun 4, 2017 14:18:01 GMT 12
Note how many aircraft have had the access flap on either side of the cowls replaced? |
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