Peter's Easter Trip

[Peter Lewis]

Moving on to the post-war jets, de Havilland DH112 Venom Mk1 ZK-VNM (3rd itteration) is a Venom Mk FB1, built in Switzerland by F+W Emmen in 1956, Serial No. S-296. Swiss Air Force S/No. 840, and when sold moved to the  Swiss civil registration HB-RVA.

Arriving in New Zealand, it was registered to Wanganui Sea and Air Charters (2006) Ltd. on 10Oct2012.  First flight locally was on 11Nov12.

It wears the RAF colours of WE434, as did ZK-VNM the first back in 1987-91.

As Omaka's runways are grass, these jets operated out of Woodbourne for their airshow display routines.





The other classic British jet at the show was BAC 167 Strikemaster Mk.88 ZK-STR.

This has a long local history with the RNZAF as NZ6370 before spending time in Australia as VH-RBA.

It returned to NZ recently and became ZK-STR in April 2011.

[Peter Lewis]

The Eastern Bloc was represented by two Aero L-29 Delfin jet trainers, both operated by Soviet Star Ltd., Timaru, and these are operated on commercial warbird flights.

ZK-SSU is ex-Romanian Air Force where it flew as '64'.

It then passed on to an owner in Norway in late 2006 before transitting through the USA to New Zealand, where it was registered to Pacific Airways Ltd., Auckland in March 2008.

Carrying out its initial flight testing at Ardmore, it moved to its Timaru base in July 2011.





The second L-29 was previously flown by the Ukraine Air Force as '45'.

It then passed to a civil operator in the Ukraine as UC-BCB in September 1996 before transitting through to New Zealand where it became ZK-VAU with owner Coromandel Pharmacy Ltd. in May2006.

The aircraft was active in the Tauranga area before moving south in 2009.

[rayo]

Peter, Thanks very much for posting these lovely photo's and I am really enjoying the bits of background and history you are including with them. Some which I knew and some I didn't. Either way it's really interesting and nice and concise.
It seems a pity this information is going to eventually get buried amongst the myriad of other threads and topics in the forum.
Do you have your own site where you publish these gems.
I think this thread should be renamed Peter's quick guide to New Zealand Warbirds then you can keep it going.

[Peter Lewis]

I did come up with a proposal some time ago to have a 'historic aircraft' section within the AHSNZ website.
However, this idea was scuttled by the-powers-that-be for fear of trespassing on the copyright of the Whites Air Directory vintage aircraft section.

Dave may be able to come up with an alternative idea.

Right now, I'm racing to get this finished before I depart overseas in 26 hours time . . .

[Peter Lewis]

The RNZAF were able to give us a display on each of the three days of the show.

The latest addition to their fleet, the Beech T-6C Texan, was represented by NZ1404, which commuted down from Ohakea each day, did a simple flypast, and then returned home.

This aircraft arrived in the country on 8Oct2014 as N2842B.

It seems a little odd to me that they would buy a trainer aircraft that apparently cannot use grass runways, but what do I know?





Rather older is the Lockheed P-3B-70-LO Orion NZ4201, which has been guarding our shores since 1966 and seems to be destined to carry on the task for many more years.





Marking the final appearance of the type at a public airshow was the Bell UH-1H Iroquois.

NZ3816 was delivered 1996 as replacement for the destroyed NZ3813. Operated by No. 3 Squadron RNZAF.

As well as local use, this squadron operated in East Timor as part of the United Nations INTERFET and later UNTAET units from 21 September 1999 to 10 December 2002. Each of the helicopters was required to display a UN identity code during this time. NZ3816 is known to have been allocated UNO-076 during service in that area.

NZ3816 gave its traditional display of troop insertion and recovery.





At the conclusion of the RNZAF session on the third day, NZ3816 did a final flypast displaying the NZ flag.



As the Iroquois replacement, NH90 NZ3308 gave quite a comprehensive demonstration of its capabilities







While NZ3305 reamined static throughout, alternating between being coverered with clambering small boys and covered with as many tarpaulans and tags as possible.



Also in the static park was Agusta-Westland A109LUH NZ3405, which then departed after the show on the final day

[rayo]

Something to think about.
Safe travels.

[errolmartyn]

Jun 15, 2015 8:03:20 GMT 12 rayo said:

It seems a pity this information is going to eventually get buried amongst the myriad of other threads and topics in the forum.

Thanks to Peter's excellent captioning and identification of subject matter, his images can still be easily accessed through the forum's Search facility long after they are first posted.

Errol

[rayo]

Jun 15, 2015 12:43:54 GMT 12 errolmartyn said:

Thanks to Peter's excellent captioning and identification of subject matter, his images can still be easily accessed through the forum's Search facility long after they are first posted.

Errol

Yes I agree Errol and thanks for that. I am familiar with and do use the search facility on this site and other sites frequently. However I am also aware that many people struggle with search engines and get frustrated by the amount of information they get and the time it can take because they don't understand the filtering processes to use online. I have created a favourites link for myself.

I think back to the great Kiwi Aircraft Images Web site which was a useful source of mostly accurate information but which has now largely fallen into disrepair.

[Peter Lewis]

Other aircraft at and in the airshow that caught my eye are, in no particular order:

Amateur-Built DR-107 One Design ZK-XSG, which peeped out of its Omaka hangar at one stage.
Registered to a local partnership as a new aircraft in January 2014



Cessna 180 ZK-KMK, which had a previous history in Norway and Sweden.
Went to the UK in 2004 as G-CCYK, and that owner there brought it into NZ in 2008



Schleicher ASH 25 E ZK-GOA was towed into the air each day and then showed us exactly how agile these unpowered aircraft can perform.

Orginally operated in Mexico, then travelled to NZ via the USA. Now locally owned.



Precision Helicopters Hughes 369D ZK-HRF transitted into the Omaka zone at one stage, possibly for refuelling.



Mission Fellowship Cessna U206G VH-UBV was on static display throughout.

The 35 year old aircraft has been in service with MAF for a number of years and was retired in 2014 after a career in Cambodia and most recently in Arnhem Land.

Has since moved to Ardmore to become ZK-MAF/2



Nanchang VH-XXJ was also in the static display. Prominantly displaying 'For Sale' signs, so will no doubt appear on the NZ Register at some stage.



I had not seen this particular Cessna 305A Bird-dog before.

Ex-Wisconsin Air National Guard, it came to NZ after civil use in the US and was registered as ZK-DAJ to a Drury owner in December 2012



A local identity is Nanchang CJ-6A ZK-STP



Rather more garishly painted is this local Nanchang.

Its a recent arrival from Australia where it plied warbird rides as the ad indicates, and became ZK-KWI in February this year.





One of the many Harvards present was Ardmore-based ZK-WAR. Still don't really like it in those colours, but hey it's theirs so they can paint it how they like.



And yes I do hav a soft spot for marine aircraft.
ZK-WET is a Progressive Aerodyne Sea Rey appropriatly based in Dunedin, and it too previously operated in Australia.



and finally, Instra Aviation's Pilatus PC-12/47E ZK-TFL was open for inspection throghout the event and then departed for home on the Sunday evening.

[scrooge]

C180 CMK? That's a funny c on the side of the aircraft in the piccy. Just cause the taxi is in the drive way with the meter running is no reason to allow your standards to slip

[scrooge]

I think it was in nz aviation news that I read ZK-MAF is to be used for MAF training and recruitment in NZ

[Peter Lewis]

Moving on once the airshow was over, Woodbourne gave us two recently acquired Sounds Air aircraft.

Cessna 208B ZK-SAW came in from the US, and was registered in December 2014



While the Pilatus PC-12/45 ZK-PLS arrived from Australia in March



At Nelson, the Motueka-based Nelson Aviation College have taken over the ex-Nelson Aero Club hangar. Cessna 172R ZK-NAE posing.



Cessna 170B ZK-SJK was one I'd not seen previously.



The tubo-Fletcher ZK-DDX has been flying since March 1971. Despite being owned by Ravensdown Aerowork, famous for their signwriting, it favours the caspar look.



then they pushed it outside, even better!



Over to Motueka, where there was pretty crappy weather for the days we were there. Most of the Nelson Aviation College fleet was parked and well wrapped up for the Easter break.

Cessna 152 ZK-TUT was previously owned by my good friend Judith Grant.



Ex-Mt Cook Group Cessna 185E ZK-CYE has recently moved up to Motueka from the deep south.



While the Moyes Dragonfly C ZK-DGF earned its living by towing tourists in paragliders.



One overcast day day, the Nelson Aviation College chased out the moths with some circuits.
Rheims/Cessna FA152 ZK-NAJ used to be ZK-JZT



while C172 ZK-NAE popped over from Nelson



On the same day, hangar doors popped open and Titan T51 Mustang ZK-WUH came out for a session.



Heading back to the Strait ferry, Cessna U206G Stationair ZK-MCG now seems to be the Picton-based floatie.

[Peter Lewis]

Arriving back in the North Island, we got as far as Levin that night.

Next day, the weather had turned really foul, so we decided to travel via the west coast. Even so, at one stage we actually had to pull over and stop at the side of the road as the rain reduced vizability to zero.

Wanganui was wet, windy and desolate.

The Beck Helicopters base outside Eltham had escaped the worst of it, and gave us Bell 206B JetRanger II ZK-HKO. Remarkably, this machine hase survived 38 years in the agricultural role.



At New Plymouth we were just in time to see Agusta AW139 ZK-HNO depart on one of its regular resupply flights to the offshore oil rig



While at the GA hangars Pitts S-1 Special ZK-EES was outside in a spot of sun.
This is the original Max Clear-built machine from the 1970s.



Tracking up the road to Te Kuiti, Cresco 08-600 ZK-LTK was getting its semi-annual washdown.
The chatty Ravensdown Aerowork pilot told me that they have had a really busy season, which is great to hear.



While at the other end of the fuel pumps Cresco ZK-LTT of Superair was about to be put to bed.



Running out of daylight, we then headed straight for home.

15days, 2270km, no blood spilt - a well worth-while trip.

[kiwiduster1]

Great job there Peter, Nice to be able to take part in your trip. Great photos all with very informative narrative and shows how lucky we are in NZ to have such a diverse collection of aircraft and many with a great history! Thank you so much for sharing and when can we go again. Cheers.

[baz62]

Jun 15, 2015 22:02:55 GMT 12 Peter Lewis said:

Cessna 170B ZK-SJK was one I'd not seen previously.

This is owned by one of the Auster owners (ex RNZAF Auster J5 whose rego escapes me.....BQL I think) John and Sally Kelly, hence the rego. Imported from the US a couple of years ago and given the (as it turned out totally unnecessary) SIDS treatment she is a mint example and is based in Nelson.