Post by nzompilot on Nov 21, 2008 8:28:04 GMT 12
As briefly mentioned in Al's Bristol thread rnzaf.proboards43.com/index.cgi?board=Airshows&action=display&thread=2581&page=25 the former Marlborough Aero Club WACO (ZK-AEL) has been bought by an Omaka based syndicate and returned to Omaka
Aviation buffs buy historic plane
Blair Ensor - Marlborough | Thursday, 20 November 2008
Three local aircraft enthusiasts have a big job ahead of them as they attempt to rebuild a relic of Marlborough's aviation past.
Omaka Aero Club president Rex Newman, previous president Jay McIntyre and member Stuart Leslie have bought a fixed-wing single-engine WACO UOC built in 1935 and originally flown out of the club in 1936.
Mr McIntyre said he began searching for the plane after hearing about it in 2003, but had a lot of trouble tracking down the owner.
"He rang out of the blue in March this year to find out if we were still interested in acquiring it."
The aircraft which had not flown since 1958 arrived yesterday and Mr McIntyre said it was not a matter of if it would fly, rather when.
"I would say five years wouldn't be unreasonable, but people will be able to see it in skeletal form at next year's airshow."
The Weaver Aircraft Company, usually referred to as WACO, was founded in Ohio in the early 1920s.
"WACO had a reputation for building high-end luxury and elegant aircraft," Mr McIntyre said.
He said the plane was used as an air taxi for commercial charter and ambulance work, particularly across the Cook Strait.
The Omaka club saw two older model WACOs (UEC and the UIC) in operation in Wellington and decided it would be ideally suited to their needs.
"Back then it was also a big deal to buy an American aeroplane as opposed to British model," Mr McIntyre said.
He said the plane turned up at Omaka registered as ZK-AEL in May 1936 and operated out of Marlborough until the outbreak of World War 2.
Mr McIntyre said the air force impressed, or took over, the plane as a communication aeroplane and registered it as NZ-575.
It was mostly based in Wellington and flew between all the bases for communication duties.
At the end of the war the plane was put up for tender and the Marlborough Aero Club brought it back from the air force and registered it as ZK-ALA.
It was flown out of Omaka until a landing accident in 1948 briefly grounded it.
The Aero Club's longest serving member, Henry Gluyas, was there when the plane crashed.
"It was rather annoying - we didn't want it broken. If I remember right it swerved around. One wheel then folded under and then the bottom wing was damaged."
Mr McIntyre said it was written off by the insurance company and purchased by Blackmore's Flying Service in Rotorua, where it was rebuilt and operated again until 1958 doing tourist flights.
Some time between 1948 and 1958 Blackmore's was bought out by James Aviation, which was once the biggest top dressing company in the country.
The plane had another landing accident in 1958 in Rotorua which ended its flying days.
The Giltraps, a well known motoring family, bought the plane as an exhibit for their transport museum before eventually they moved the museum to the Gold Coast and the plane went with it.
Mr McIntyre said for bureaucratic reasons it was never allowed to fly in Australia so it had not been flown since 1958.
Since then the plane had been through a succession of owners. The latest started rebuilding it in the mid 1980s.
"It was in very poor condition when he started rebuilding it. He ran out of time to do much on it so nothing has happened for about the last 15 years."
Mr Newman said one of the factors that interested him most about the aircraft was the fact that it was the original aeroplane used back in the 1930s and 40s.
The plane also comes with some interesting stories
Mr Gluyas said that in 1936 a woman jumped out of the plane as it crossed Cook Strait and she had never been seen since. "Apparently the lady who jumped out had a very heavy bag full of money but nobody has found it."
Mr McIntyre said there were bound to be many stories about the plane and they would be interested to hear from anyone who may have any to share with them.
www.stuff.co.nz/marlboroughexpress/4767565a6563.html
Aviation buffs buy historic plane
Blair Ensor - Marlborough | Thursday, 20 November 2008
Three local aircraft enthusiasts have a big job ahead of them as they attempt to rebuild a relic of Marlborough's aviation past.
Omaka Aero Club president Rex Newman, previous president Jay McIntyre and member Stuart Leslie have bought a fixed-wing single-engine WACO UOC built in 1935 and originally flown out of the club in 1936.
Mr McIntyre said he began searching for the plane after hearing about it in 2003, but had a lot of trouble tracking down the owner.
"He rang out of the blue in March this year to find out if we were still interested in acquiring it."
The aircraft which had not flown since 1958 arrived yesterday and Mr McIntyre said it was not a matter of if it would fly, rather when.
"I would say five years wouldn't be unreasonable, but people will be able to see it in skeletal form at next year's airshow."
The Weaver Aircraft Company, usually referred to as WACO, was founded in Ohio in the early 1920s.
"WACO had a reputation for building high-end luxury and elegant aircraft," Mr McIntyre said.
He said the plane was used as an air taxi for commercial charter and ambulance work, particularly across the Cook Strait.
The Omaka club saw two older model WACOs (UEC and the UIC) in operation in Wellington and decided it would be ideally suited to their needs.
"Back then it was also a big deal to buy an American aeroplane as opposed to British model," Mr McIntyre said.
He said the plane turned up at Omaka registered as ZK-AEL in May 1936 and operated out of Marlborough until the outbreak of World War 2.
Mr McIntyre said the air force impressed, or took over, the plane as a communication aeroplane and registered it as NZ-575.
It was mostly based in Wellington and flew between all the bases for communication duties.
At the end of the war the plane was put up for tender and the Marlborough Aero Club brought it back from the air force and registered it as ZK-ALA.
It was flown out of Omaka until a landing accident in 1948 briefly grounded it.
The Aero Club's longest serving member, Henry Gluyas, was there when the plane crashed.
"It was rather annoying - we didn't want it broken. If I remember right it swerved around. One wheel then folded under and then the bottom wing was damaged."
Mr McIntyre said it was written off by the insurance company and purchased by Blackmore's Flying Service in Rotorua, where it was rebuilt and operated again until 1958 doing tourist flights.
Some time between 1948 and 1958 Blackmore's was bought out by James Aviation, which was once the biggest top dressing company in the country.
The plane had another landing accident in 1958 in Rotorua which ended its flying days.
The Giltraps, a well known motoring family, bought the plane as an exhibit for their transport museum before eventually they moved the museum to the Gold Coast and the plane went with it.
Mr McIntyre said for bureaucratic reasons it was never allowed to fly in Australia so it had not been flown since 1958.
Since then the plane had been through a succession of owners. The latest started rebuilding it in the mid 1980s.
"It was in very poor condition when he started rebuilding it. He ran out of time to do much on it so nothing has happened for about the last 15 years."
Mr Newman said one of the factors that interested him most about the aircraft was the fact that it was the original aeroplane used back in the 1930s and 40s.
The plane also comes with some interesting stories
Mr Gluyas said that in 1936 a woman jumped out of the plane as it crossed Cook Strait and she had never been seen since. "Apparently the lady who jumped out had a very heavy bag full of money but nobody has found it."
Mr McIntyre said there were bound to be many stories about the plane and they would be interested to hear from anyone who may have any to share with them.
www.stuff.co.nz/marlboroughexpress/4767565a6563.html
