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Post by Peter Lewis on Sept 27, 2015 19:23:51 GMT 12
Following up on the Percival aircraft thread, I am now working on similar coverage of NZ's Miles aircraft.
I am aware, of course, of the current activities of Messenger ZK-CMM, Gemini ZK-KHW, and the location of Gemini ZK-ANT and Hawk Trainer ZK-AYW.
However, over the years there have been unconfirmed reports of the continued existance of some parts of the following Miles aircraft:
Whitney Straight ZK-AUK - said to be at Forest Field, Canterbury with Greg Macdonald
Hawk Trainer III ZK-ATE - parts said to be with Graham Orphan at Blenheim
Messenger 4 ZK-ATT - parts said to be with Colin Sutherland at Rotorua
Messenger 2A ZK-AUM - last reported as in a shingle pit at Balcairn in 1972. Any further sightings?
If you know of any other NZ Miles survivors, I'd certainly like to hear about them.
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Post by baz62 on Sept 27, 2015 21:21:39 GMT 12
Whitney Straight ZK-AUK - said to be at Forest Field, Canterbury with Greg Macdonald Yep correct. |
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Post by isc on Sept 27, 2015 21:29:50 GMT 12
First saw AUK with a damaged undercarriage in a hangar at Harewood in 1966, along with AQZ. About the same time there was a Miles Messenger at Taieri, over in one of the old airforce hangars, used to have a photo of the Messenger and other aircraft in that hangar. isc
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Post by thomarse on Sept 28, 2015 19:58:19 GMT 12
Not greatly relevant but as an Airport Kid I was lucky enough to see two Messengers at once - the resident BED was out in the sunshine and AWE arrived from Waiouru. Paraparaumu, 29 September 1962.
BED lived at PP for a while - it was in pristine condition, in an attractive burgundy and black scheme.
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Post by davidd on Sept 29, 2015 12:12:17 GMT 12
I saw AUM at Balcairn at about the same time that Peter saw it, white with green trim - it was in a sorry state then, and going downhill fast. It was owned by a local by the name of Lamb who was the local County Council engineer. He had purchased AUM some time before as a source of spares for his own Messenger (BED I think, the blue one with the day-glo orange tail surfaces), but this had already been sold if I remember correctly. He had purchased AUM cheaply in Queenstown and managed to convince Civil Aviation to issue him a ferry permit to get it home, which he did. ZK-ATT was the old Canterbury Aero Club machine (in appropriate silver and red) which mouldered away at Taieri over several years.
David D
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pvsjetstar
Flight Lieutenant
email: rassie6@optusnet.com.au
Posts: 97
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Post by pvsjetstar on Sept 30, 2015 10:37:05 GMT 12
Peter - Greg MacDonald is a pilot with Mount Cook Airlines as far as I know. Perhaps you could contact him through Mount Cook.
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jaybee
Squadron Leader
Posts: 125
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Post by jaybee on Sept 30, 2015 13:15:16 GMT 12
I think you will find that Stan Smith at Dairy Flat has a Miles Messenger and a Gemini.
Cheers
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Post by Peter Lewis on Sept 30, 2015 19:44:57 GMT 12
I am aware of what my friend Stan has.
What I am looking for right now is any nebulous leads or confirmation of rumours.
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Post by denysjones on Oct 6, 2015 14:03:56 GMT 12
Not huge in stature Peter but at Ferrymead we have the fins and rudders of AWE.
They came many years ago from Timaru the old memory says but could be wrong though I believe she was at Balcairn for some years, Dave Duxbury may be able to recall greater detail.
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Post by shorty on Oct 6, 2015 19:02:27 GMT 12
Whitney AXD was displayed on top of a garage at Drury for a number of years, from there it was taken to another garage in the Maramarua area where it mouldered away for a few more years, I have a coloured slide I took of it sitting there which I took in the early seventies. From there it was acquired by John Chambers. In The mid seventies John arrived at my Married Quarter at Ohakea and deposited in my back yard. By this stage it all fitted on a standard backyard trailer. It sat there for almost a year while I did research on it and then I unexpectedly got posted and it had to be shifted. I took it down to Paraparaumu where it joined John Regans and Ross McPhersons collection of artifacts. I lost track of it then.
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Post by Peter Lewis on Oct 6, 2015 22:44:32 GMT 12
Thanks Shorty.
I remember seeing it both at Drury and at Maramarua.
I think the Maramarua place was more of a farm machinery dealer than a car garage.
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Post by Peter Lewis on Oct 20, 2015 21:42:36 GMT 12
I will be moving around in Otago next week.
If anyone has any Miles remnants in the garage or under their bed - or knows of anyone who has - I'd be keen to be able to inspect them. Let me know.
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Post by Peter Lewis on Feb 17, 2016 22:11:55 GMT 12
Can anyone elaborate on the activities of one Harold Edwards.
He lived in the Wellington area at least from 1937 to 1947, and obviously had connections with the Wellington aero club.
Edwards bought Miles Whitney Straight ZK-AFG into NZ in mid-1937 and either leased or sold it to WAC.
When the Whitney was released back ito civilian life in 1946 after serving as NZ579, Edwards again took ownership of it.
However, he did not then keep it for long as it went to Airwork in Christchurch by 1947.
Who was Edwards? I am assuming he was a Wellington bisinessman who needed to get around the country a bit, and thus either flew the Whitney or arranged for a WAC pilot to fly him in that aircraft.
Any leads welcome.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 17, 2016 22:55:23 GMT 12
Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 48, 26 February 1937, Page 6
Aeroplane for Business. A Miles Whitney straight aeroplane has been purchased by Mr. Harold Edwards. contractor. of Wellington. for use in his business as a builder (says a Press Association message). This is the first instance in New Zealand of a business man purchasing his own aeroplane with the intention of operating it himself. Mr. Edwards gained his flying license at the Wellington Aero Club. His aeroplane will be used by the club for training and for general purposes, the club maintaining it and paying Mr. Edwards a percentage of the fees earned by it. The machine is expected to arrive in New Zealand in the middle of April.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 17, 2016 22:57:55 GMT 12
Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 92, 15 October 1937, Page 11
The Wellington Aero Club's Whitney Straight, piloted by Mr. Harold Edwards, with one passenger, left Rongotai at 8.50 this morning for Blenheim, and returned at 12.45 p.m. It left again, piloted by Mr. L. Loasby, with Mr. S. B. Smith as passenger, for Christchurch. They expect to return tonight. The New Zealand Air Force Percival Gull arrived at Rongotai from Blenheim at 12.45 p.m. today, piloted by Flight-Lieutenant S. Burrel.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 17, 2016 22:58:56 GMT 12
Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 133, 2 December 1937, Page 13
AIRPORT NEWS
The Wellington Aero Club's Whitney Straight, piloted by Mr. Harold Edwards, and with Mr. J. R. McKenzie as passenger, left for Rotorua at 8.30 this morning.
The Government Whitney Straight, piloted by Mr. A. Pritchard, left this morning for Rotorua on departmental business.
The Marlborough Aero Club's Waco, piloted by Mr. A. Crichton, arrived from Blenheim at 12.10 today, and left on the return journey at 12.30 with three passengers.
The Wellington Aero Club's Miles Hawk, piloted by Mr. Sheldon Belton- Smith, returned from Palmerston North this morning.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 17, 2016 23:06:01 GMT 12
Harold Edwards made good use of his aeroplane.
Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 156, 30 December 1937, Page 11
AIRPORT NEWS
The Wellington Aero Club's Whitney Straight, piloted by Mr. Harold Edwards, with one passenger, left Rongotai for Blenheim today, and will return later.
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Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 38, 15 February 1938, Page 11
AIRPORT NEWS
The Wellington Aero Club's Whitney Straight,, piloted by Mr. Harold Edwards, with Mr. G. McCullogh as passenger, arrived at Rongotai from Blenheim this morning.
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Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 45, 23 February 1938, Page 13
AIRPORT NEWS
The Wellington Aero Club's Whitney Straight, piloted by Mr. Harold Edwards, returned to Wellington from Auckland this morning.
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Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 92, 20 April 1938, Page 10
AIRPORT NEWS
The Wellington Aero Club's Whitney Straight, piloted by Mr. Harold Edwards, with one passenger, left 'for Nelson at 8.45 this morning.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 17, 2016 23:07:33 GMT 12
Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22494, 31 August 1938, Page 10
New Hangars at Gisborne
The Harold Edwards Construction Company has started work on the foundations for new hangars which Union Airways is building to house three machines at the Gisborne aerodrome. The new hangars, which are to replace the present buildings which are now too small for the machines being used, are expected to be completed in three months, together with administrative offices and provision for workshop and staff quarters. A radio station building is also to be erected on the aerodrome under the direction of the Public Works Department. Press Association.
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Post by madmax on Feb 17, 2016 23:13:57 GMT 12
Peter,
Harold Edwards was a builder. From memory he built either Cook Strait Airways hangar or passenger terminal at Nelson and if I recell correctly he also constructed the Wellington Aero Club club house which was still standing when I last visited Wgtn about a decade ago.
I do have information on Harold back home in Oz but I will not be there for anther three weeks. If I come across any interesting additional info I will post it then
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 17, 2016 23:19:18 GMT 12
Harold Edwards built some of Wellington's sky scrapers, so not just a regular house builder.
This is an extract from "ERA OF PROGRESS" in the Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 29, 4 February 1927, Page 10
..."BUILDING HIGH."
The three "sky-scrapers" alluded to above are the new "Evening Post" building, a narrow structure for "VV. J. Seater and Co. in Customhouse Quay; and a seven-story warehouse and office building in Victoria street for the Colonial Carrying Company of New Zealand, Ltd.
A description and reproduction of the architect's sketch elevation of The Post" building was published some weeks ago. The contract will be commenced as soon as possible after, it has been let, probably before the end of March. The Seater structure, which is to be erected on a site which has been occupied for many years by the shop of Messrs. Morrison and Gilberd, and the premises of S. George Nathan and Co next to the Bank of Australasia has presented the architect, Mr. H A Jones, with some problems in structural engineering, and it has a frontage of only 30 feet, and the extreme height has necessitated careful calculations in wind stresses. The construction is to be in steel frame and concrete, and there are to be eight floors The lower part of the face will be built up in light coloured stone, and the upper portion will be ornamented with metal panels. The greater part of the building is to fitted out in office suites. The old buildings are now being demolished, and the contract, which is expected to be completed in seven months, is in the hands of Mr. Harold Edwards.....
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