Clarence Clifton Waite

[agviser1970]

I am researching Clarence Clifton ("Clarry") Waite who was killed in a collision between two planes demonstrating a "dogfight" between a Gypsy Moth and a Desoutter on Goodfellow's Paddock airfield near Te Aroha on 29th November 1934. I particularly want to obtain a good quality photo of Clarry Waite. I already have a poor quality photo published in the Newspaper at that time. The pilot of the other plane, Mr Blackwood of Hamilton, landed safely.

[madmax]

Clarrie Waite was known for his aerobatic displays at Rongotai in the early 1930s, he may have learned to fly with Wellington Aero Club
He was flying DH60 ZK-ADF when it collided with Desoutter ZK-ACJ, Clarrie was 29 at the time of the crash

[Peter Lewis]

The pilot of the Desoutter 1 ZK-ACJ was Stan Blackmore. That aircraft lived on, to be finally written off in 1950.
I have the date of the crash at Te Aroha as 28th November.

It is believed that the Moth, which was imported from Australia as VH-UMR in mid-1934, never wore is allocated registration of ZK-ADF as this was not issued until July 1935 - after the crash.


The remains of the Moth were sold to Auckland AC but never rebuilt,  going to Australia where it was eventually rebuilt at Boonah, QLD by Bill Finlen and appearing as VH-UMK in 2015.

Moth VH-UMR, believed to be in NZ

[errolmartyn]

My entry for Clarry Waite's fatal accident published in the AHSNZ's Aero Historian a few years ago:

TUESDAY 28 Nov 1934
Martin A. Scott’s de Havilland DH.60M Moth ZK-ADF
and Waikato Aviation’s Desoutter I Monoplane ZK-ACJ
Some 300 spectators were present in the afternoon at a small air pageant held at the Te Aroha Aero Club grounds on George Goodfellow’s farm at Waihou. Although five aeroplanes were expected only two turned up for the event. The original programme included a mock dogfight between two Moth biplanes but this was amended to one between Moth ADF, piloted by Clarry Waite, and the Desoutter, piloted by Stan Blackmore, in the absence of the second Moth. Blackmore’s monoplane with its enclosed cabin offered only limited visibility compared to that of the Moth and was also less manoeuvrable, so it took up the role of a defender and the Moth that of an attacker. The two machines took off at about 3 o'clock and climbed to 1500 feet to begin the fight. Waite carried out four attacks but on his fifth collided with Blackmore’s tail. Right-hand wing struts of his Moth were seen to shatter and fall away, following which the biplane began to spin down rapidly, shedding fabric as it did so before crashing on the airfield, killing the pilot.

Blackmore was able to maintain control of his damaged Desoutter, though not without some difficulty, and managed to safely land in an adjoining field. His propeller struck the ground, however, causing the monoplane to overturn as it came to a halt. The propeller was damaged and the left tailplane severed. Blackmore was able to crawl out from his cabin suffering only a broken nose and some concussion. The pageant was promptly abandoned following the accident, the first fatal collision in New Zealand skies.

The Desoutter had been shipped to New Zealand following a long-distance flight from England to Australia by New Zealanders H. L. (‘Pip’) Piper and C. E. (‘Cyrus’) Kay during February-March 1930. It was finally written off in an accident in 1950.

† Flying Officer Clarence Clifton (‘Clarry’) WAITE, NZAF, aged 29 (Karori Cemetery, Wellington)
Waite was an experienced and talented pilot. He obtained his ‘A’ Licence (No 149) (with the Hawke’s Bay & East Coast Aero Club?) in August 1930 and his ‘B’ (49) in October 1931. In the following month he was appointed to a commission in the NZAF, with whom he was still serving at the time of his death. A long-time member of the Wellington Aero Club, with whom he served as club captain, in April 1934 he transferred to Te Aroha to take up employment there with garage proprietors Waite & Grant. He was the local aero club’s club captain at the time of the accident. As mentioned earlier, he was also at one stage co-owner with Frank Gresser and Mr Connor of Avro 504K ZK-ACT. In his memory, Wellington Aero Club members later competed for a Waite Trophy for forced landings.

Stanley James (‘Stan’) BLACKMORE, aged 34
Blackmore obtained his ‘A’ Licence (No 163) in September 1930 and his ‘B’ (36) three months later. He was involved in a number of accidents during his career but probably none so life-threatening as his collision at Te Aroha.

Errol

[madmax]

ZK-ADF/VH-UMK does or did reside at Boonah however it was recently offered for sale.
Its interesting to note that it was rebuilt recently by Bill Finlen as it also has c/n Genairco 9 which suggests the rebuild my have been started by the General Aircraft Company, Mascot which began building aircraft in the late 1920s.

The General Aircraft Company was incorporated in February 1929 and initially repaired and rebuilt DH60s for the RAAF. They also built three copies of the DH60x which they neither had the approval or licence from De Havilland to do so and this caused some problems

Following this they built two of their own designs, one with open cockpits which seated two passengers abreast in front of the pilot, the other a DH83 Fox Moth look-a-like which seated five including a pilot.
It seems the company built 11 aircraft with construction numbers 1 and 10 to 19. Why c/n 2 to 9 were not allocated has never been adequately explained however there was suggestion some years ago these numbers were allocated to other aircraft rebuilt by the company. Perhaps ZK-ADF was one of these.
VH-UMK is today finished with a black and maroon fuselage, silver wings and carries the name "Golden Quest" on its engine cowlings

[agviser1970]

Thanks everyone for your prompt and comprehensive replies. This website is a great resource! I still hope someone might come up with a good quality photo of Clarry Waite, as the one we have is too blurred. Perhaps I should explain the reason why we want it: I and a small group of Te Aroha historians intend erecting a memorial board at Goodfellow's Paddock displaying its aviation history. In 1922 Arthur Upham was the first to use the field, landing his Avro 504k there. Then in the 1920s and 30s local enthusiasts formed an Aero Club, built a hangar and had occasional air pageants there. Jean Batten landed there in 1934 to attend a ball held in her honour (600 attended!) and Charles Kingsford Smith landed in March 1934 before taking four Te Aroha people on a two-week tour of New Zealand. We think that rich history should be commemorated.

[errolmartyn]

Dec 15, 2021 13:14:17 GMT 12 agviser1970 said:

Thanks everyone for your prompt and comprehensive replies. This website is a great resource! I still hope someone might come up with a good quality photo of Clarry Waite, as the one we have is too blurred. Perhaps I should explain the reason why we want it: I and a small group of Te Aroha historians intend erecting a memorial board at Goodfellow's Paddock displaying its aviation history. In 1922 Arthur Upham was the first to use the field, landing his Avro 504k there. Then in the 1920s and 30s local enthusiasts formed an Aero Club, built a hangar and had occasional air pageants there. Jean Batten landed there in 1934 to attend a ball held in her honour (600 attended!) and Charles Kingsford Smith landed in March 1934 before taking four Te Aroha people on a two-week tour of New Zealand. We think that rich history should be commemorated.

Just a minor point, the Avro 504K was not so much Upham's as that of the New Zealand Flying School (an aircraft on loan to them from the Goverment), Upham being on the NZFS staff at the time.

Cheers,
Errol

[agviser1970]

Thanks Errol,
You wouldn't happen to have a photo of the Avro? Ours is poor quality and we are not even certain it is his plane.

[errolmartyn]

You would first need to confirm which of the NZFS Avros it was. They had a number of them. Some information about them can be found in E. F. Harvie's Pioneer Aviator - Goerge Bolt.

Cheers,
Errol

[McFly]

Ohinemuri is not very far from Te Aroha. There might be some interesting tidbits in this article on Avro aircraft in the Paeroa area.?

Aviation and Paeroa Go Back 80 Years

[Peter Lewis]

Dec 15, 2021 15:49:14 GMT 12 agviser1970 said:

Thanks Errol,
You wouldn't happen to have a photo of the Avro? Ours is poor quality and we are not even certain it is his plane.

It would help if you could narrow down the date within 1922.

The land-based NZFS Avros current in 1922 were H5240 H2986 and possibly H2989.

[agviser1970]

Thanks Peter,
It was 27th, 28th and probably 29th March 1922.

[Peter Lewis]

By a process of elimination,
H5240 had been seconded to Hastings in December 1921, and was later reported as still being there in December 1923 having had no use for 18 months.
H2989 was sunk in Nelson Harbour in late February 1922, and was probably never repaired.
H2986 is known to have still been active up to February 1923, so seems to be the most likely candidate for being Arthur Uphams Avro.

[thomarse]

I might possibly have a lead on Clarry Waite. My technology doesn't allow me to read the inscription on his headstone

wellington.discovereverafter.com/search-results?search_first=clarence&search_last=waite&cemetery=&site=wellington&advanced-search=Search

Can anybody read the details? Failing that I'm prepared to visit the grave when I get a chance

Cheers

[agviser1970]

Thanks Peter,
Anything more you can find would be gratefully received. We have a poor quality photo of what we think might be Arthur's 504k sitting in a rough paddock (rough = force landing?) but the lettering on the tail is not clear and the numbers on the fuselage are obscured by the lower wing.

Thanks also Thom,
If we could contact Clarry Waite's descendants or relatives that might be a good lead to getting a better photo of him.

[thomarse]

Well we've struck the jackpot agviser70 - I've tracked down an old workmate who does happen to be Clarry's nephew and does have suitable photos!

Want to PM me your email address?

Cheers

[agviser1970]

Thanks Thomarse!
I have just got back from Xmas break and read your post. Great news! I have sent you a PM

[thomarse]

Hi Andrew

Have just emailed you the contact details. Keep us all posted as to how it goes.....

Cheers

[agviser1970]

After many frustrating delays we finally managed to erect our aviation memorial board yesterday, commemorating early aviation at "Goodfellow's paddock" Waihou. Not sure how to post a photo of it here.

[Dave Homewood]

Please send me the photo to [e-mail] and I will slip it into your post.