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Post by TS on Sept 21, 2013 12:45:31 GMT 12
Can we have more aircraft handlers dressed in pink, please? Hmmmm my thoughts exactly and where are the aircraft in this photo anyway...
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Post by kiwithrottlejockey on Nov 4, 2013 15:57:18 GMT 12
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Post by kiwithrottlejockey on Jul 25, 2014 13:47:55 GMT 12
For those who've not yet listened to the latest WONZ Show episode, Warren Denholm asked if anyone out there who might have photos or history of his Widgeon ZK-AVM, he'd love to see it. In Air-Britain's new book, “ The Grumman Amphibians — Goose, Widgeon & Mallard” by Fred J. Knight with Colin R. Smith (see HERE for more info), I note that in the Appendix 5: Aircraft Names section of the book, ZK-AVM c/n.1466 is listed as having carried the name “ Snafu” at some point in its career. It doesn't say which operator of the Widgeon used that name, though. Perhaps somebody at this group may know.
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bae
Flying Officer
Posts: 67
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Post by bae on Jul 25, 2014 23:40:02 GMT 12
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Post by mrwidgeon on Feb 5, 2015 19:01:37 GMT 12
I just found this thread again and to answer your question, about 2 or 3 Widgeons and 13 SCANs were refitted with the Lyc. R-680 radials. Only a few remain, the rest having crashed or been refitted with other engines. It's known as the Mansdorf or PACE conversion and it's without doubt the worst and least liked Widgeon conversion ever done. It's top heavy and has a higher thrust line making the airplane want to skate or slide sideways on the water, to combat the skating tendency 2 stub keels were added to the hull bottom.
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rakiura
Leading Aircraftman
Posts: 3
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Post by rakiura on Feb 5, 2015 22:12:18 GMT 12
I wonder how AVM is progressing. She was the "Islands" aircraft when I first shifted to Stewart Island in '69, and had had many years here before that. She was retired from here when the airfield at Ryans Creek was completed, and went up to the Bay of Islands. I chartered her several times to deliver parts to my Fishing vessel in Fiordland .... cheaper than two days steaming back to Bluff and return for a fan belt. In those days new mums and babies had their first flight back to the Island free, and both our children enjoyed this nice welcome to Stewart Island. Johnny Hassard was the first pilot I met, and I spent many hours in the air with him. Murray Donald also flew AVM, as did a really nice fellow whose name I forget, and who sadly was later killed while filming up in the Hauraki Gulf. I last saw her sitting on a Beach in the Bay of Islands, and that was in the early '90's from memory. A aircraft with a significant part in Stewart Islands history.
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Post by Peter Lewis on Feb 6, 2015 8:48:11 GMT 12
. . . as did a really nice fellow whose name I forget . . Roger Poole
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Post by TS on Feb 9, 2015 21:26:18 GMT 12
Not AVM but still good to watch. Sorry if it has already been posted before.
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Post by mikeandtricia on Feb 11, 2015 14:42:21 GMT 12
We had a flight in Zk-AVM at Paihia in July 1997 and I got to sit next to the 'driver'!! Unfortunately I haven't figured out how to paste my scanned pictures of the aircraft and views from it during the flight
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 11, 2015 21:09:28 GMT 12
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Post by mikeandtricia on Feb 13, 2015 6:49:04 GMT 12
Thanks I'll give it a try
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Post by mikeandtricia on Feb 13, 2015 7:17:47 GMT 12
Here are my photos from our flight in ZK-AVM at Paihia in July 1997, this was my second visit to NZ from the UK and my wife's first, we've made 7 more since then.
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Post by mikeandtricia on Feb 13, 2015 7:22:10 GMT 12
Hmm looks like it didn't work I'll read the instructions again It helps if I copy the correct link - Know what to do now!
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Post by kiwithrottlejockey on Feb 18, 2015 15:05:29 GMT 12
Bruce Packer seated in his office.... (click on each photograph to view the source and more info)
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Post by kiwithrottlejockey on May 25, 2017 14:19:52 GMT 12
I just discovered an interesting Facebook page about ZK-AVM • CLICK HERE
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Post by planecrazy on May 25, 2017 15:38:07 GMT 12
Here she is arriving on Lord Howe Island, have no idea if this is when she had left or when she was returning to New Zealand, perhaps someone can date this pic via the livery she is wearing?
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Post by kiwiduster1 on May 25, 2017 15:41:09 GMT 12
Great find KTJ.
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Post by kiwithrottlejockey on May 25, 2017 16:46:41 GMT 12
Here she is arriving on Lord Howe Island, have no idea if this is when she had left or when she was returning to New Zealand, perhaps someone can date this pic via the livery she is wearing? According to the entry in The Grumman Amphibian Bible for Widgeon G-44A c/n.1466 (ZK-AMA/VH-WET), the aeroplane departed Auckalnd on 25th May 1987 to cross the Tasman Sea after finishing service with Sea Bee Air, so presumably that photograph was taken on 25th, or 26th, or 27th May 1987. I presume it would have flown via Norfolk Island and Lord Howe Island and was obviously still wearing the Sea Bee Air livery. The exact date would depend on how many overnight stops the Widgeon made enroute to Australia.
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Post by planewriting on May 25, 2017 17:51:48 GMT 12
Here she is arriving on Lord Howe Island, have no idea if this is when she had left or when she was returning to New Zealand, perhaps someone can date this pic via the livery she is wearing? According to the entry in The Grumman Amphibian Bible for Widgeon G-44A c/n.1466 (ZK-AMA/VH-WET), the aeroplane departed Auckalnd on 25th May 1987 to cross the Tasman Sea after finishing service with Sea Bee Air, so presumably that photograph was taken on 25th, or 26th, or 27th May 1987. I presume it would have flown via Norfolk Island and Lord Howe Island and was obviously still wearing the Sea Bee Air livery. The exact date would depend on how many overnight stops the Widgeon made enroute to Australia. To put it another way, for what it's worth, she departed Auckland 30 years ago today and herein lies a story. Back in 1987 I spent many a lunch hour at CAA updating my records to match theirs and vice versa. The registrar at the time mentioned she had a problem in that she could not find the card for AVM. I pointed her to the section marked "Amphibians" and hey presto, there was AVM's card enabling her on 18 June 1987 to cancel the registration and for the VH registration to proceed.
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Post by planecrazy on May 25, 2017 20:24:20 GMT 12
Thank you plainwriting, a mystery solved so when she flew back to New Zealand in, I think the 1990's, she had the rego P2-WET, so her regos had been ZK-AVM, then VH-WET, then P2-WET. Here is my pic of her as P2-WET on her way back to NZ, I do have a slide somewhere showing this rego.
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