Percival Proctor III ZK-ATW

[kiwichappers]

Dora Wings Percival Proctor III finished as ZK-ATW.

DSC_0139 by kiwichappers, on Flickr

port rear by kiwichappers, on Flickr

[johnnyfalcon]

That - is - sublime! What scale?

[Dave Homewood]

Wow, that is gorgeous. Well done.

Can you tell me more please? What era does this depict? Who owned ATW while in this scheme, and where was it based?

[kiwichappers]

Thanks Dave and Johnny for the complimentary comments.

It's the 1:48 Dora Wings kit, number DW48016, Percival Proctor III [Civil service], which offers markings for ZK-ATW as an option, albeit of questionable accuracy.

ZK-ATW, previously G-AJTS, was a five year old Percival Proctor III purchased from Shackletons in December 1949 by Phil Lightband and Peter Hobart, for £400. Phil and Peter were a couple of New Plymouth Aero Club members who planned to fly it back to New Zealand. Their whole adventure is documented in the London to Sydney chapter of 'Bell Block, A local aviation history, New Plymouth Aero Club (Inc.) 75 years 1928 - 2003 by Elaine Priest, Bruce Bellini and Peter Dobson, ISBN: 0-473-09076-7.

The account notes when purchased it was pearlescent blue and silver. Photographs at the time of it's purchase also show pinstripe lining to the fuselage and spats. There is a photograph of Phil Lightband and his father Bert with ZK-ATW which was taken either in Sydney or possibly at Bell Block. Either way it's a photograph at the end of the adventure and shows the plane still in its original livery including the pinstriping.

Peter Lewis's site has photographs showing ZK-ATW one of which in what I have assumed is a repainted scheme some time after its arrival at Bell Block. The pinstripe lining on the wheel spats has disappeared. Dora Wings suggest it should be red and silver however the Dora Wings people acknowledge their suggestion is based on an interpretation of a black and white photograph.

Phil Lightband's father purchased The Proctor from him in Sydney and shipped it back to New Plymouth where it became his personal aircraft until mid January 1952 when it was destroyed in a hangar fire.

There you go Dave, after about two and a half years on this one that's the sum of what I know.

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks very much. That is very cool. I used to correspond with Phil Lightband before his death, he'd flown Corsairs in the RNZAF during WWII. We were planning to meet up and do an interview, but sadly he passed away before that could happen. I think from memory he also flew topdressers?

And also, a nice connection, I seem to recall from memory that he and I first got in touch because he used to read this forum.