Air New Zealand DESIGNED planes?

[Dave Homewood]

From the Newsbriefs section of NZ Wings, April 1979

"America's most powerful single engined Ag-aircraft, the Air New Zealand designed Emair MZ-1B, is now being marketed by the Harlingen, Texas, Emair company as the Diablo 1200. The big biplane, basically an oversized Stearman, is powered by a Wright R1820 of 1200hp. Although a NZ design the type is best suited to the US market and not likely to be attractive to the NZ ag operator."

So, what does it mean Air New Zealand designed? Did their engineering department do it as a project? Is it a typo? Did they design other aircraft?

[Bruce]

Yes the Emair was "designed" and built by Air New Zealand at Mangere. It did use a substantial portion of a stearman though, so it wasnt 100% thier own work. I have seen photos of it in a Classic Wings mag a few years back. If I recall the biplane wings had no flying wires, but the interplane struts were angled warren truss - style. Only one was built in NZ before the deal went flop for some reason.

[Dave Homewood]

I found this page and I see they designed it under contract for a Hawaii based firm, Murrayair

www.1000aircraftphotos.com/HistoryBriefs/EmairMA1.htm

[Peter Lewis]

It was known here as the Murrayair MA1, a conversion of the Stearman.
Arthur Arculus in Auckland did a big study on this prototype, and kept tabs on it for several years. I see he is registered as a member here - if you tracked him down he would have all the details.