HELP - Is this ATC Glider Painted Correctly?

[Dave Homewood]

The following was just posted to the Air Force Museum of New Zealand's Facebook page

Ex-ATC cadets, or officers - we need your help. We aren’t entirely convinced that the paint scheme of this former Air Training Corps glider is authentic, and we want to ensure we have it right before we put it out on display.

We are interested in the scheme it wore during the latter part of its service with the ATC. We know that the Hastings Division of the Air Force Association purchased the glider in 1975 for No. 11 Squadron ATC in Hastings. What we are ideally after is a colour photograph of it during its time with that unit, but if anyone can recall any details at all about this particular glider, we’d really appreciate you getting in touch.

The aircraft is a Schleicher Ka-4 Rhonlerche II, registration ZK-GBQ. It has been in storage for more than two decades since it was refurbished and displayed in the Museum’s Atrium to mark the 50th anniversary of the ATC in 1991. The plan is to suspend it in the front window of our new extension to mark the ATC’s 75th anniversary this year.

[Peter Lewis]

Ask Peter Layne - NZ's vintage glider expert.

[Dave Homewood]

Will do.

[planewriting]

I have circulated several people who are likely to know. One says "I recall the ATC had their own version which had a red gull in the centre." I believe that is correct. Another will be in Christchurch in late July and plans to call on the museum with photographs. Hopefully his visit will remove any doubts as to the correct livery.

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks Peter.

[flyjoe180]

I remember flying in ZK-GKE at Hobsonville, as will others who were ATC cadets. The ATC roundel had the 'gull' symbol in the red inner. I think that may have been an ATC Auckland Gliding Trust symbol as opposed to an ATC roundel. So that is not to say the photographed one above is incorrect for the era in which it might be depicted.

S2k will remember he soloed in it.

[flyjoe180]

[isc]

I had a look at the glider yesterday in the workshop at Wigram, the "engineers" are arguing about how it should be hung in the Museum, although every one else think it should be fairly straight foreward, it's only 250lb?kg what ever, compared to the Vampire, so there it sits for now. isc

[sqwark2k]

The roundel on GKE is the ATCANZ logo... Air Training Corp Association of NZ. The colours were Black leather material from the landing skid/wheel to the bottom of the frame, then grey, dark blue and white on top. Thats me in the photo with Rob Owens instructing in the back. Photo taken from one of the Piper Cub towplanes for the 1989 Northern Area Gliding Course.

[planewriting]

What is the argument about? Consider the following from which a solution should be found.

Five of the six gliders at Classic Flyers are hung from the ceiling fully rigged. They are wings level with a hint of a dive to provide a sense of realism. They look very effective and there shouldn't be any problem for the Wigram engineers mounting the Rhonlerche in a similar fashion. There are also gliders hung up in the Museum at Ashburton.

[isc]

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[Dave Homewood]

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