FlyPast 12.2018

December 2018 FLYPAST 93

A story widely circulated online,

but later rebuffed by the museum,

claims the wings for this aircraft

were accidentally sold off

having been deemed surplus

to requirements!

The CA-28 is joined by a

Transavia PL-12 Airtruk, a

remarkable-looking machine that

epitomises function over form,

plus other agricultural types such

as the turbine-powered Fletcher

FU24, Cessna 188 AGwagon and a

crop-dusting Tiger Moth.

Early air transport is

represented by a striking Fox

Moth, ZK-APT, painted in the

orange, black and red colours of

Air Travel NZ, the first airline in

New Zealand to operate scheduled

air services. It sits adjacent to

DH.89A Dragon Rapide ZK-AHS,

originally pressed into service

with the RNZAF before later

serving with Air Travel and the

New Zealand National Airways

Corporation (NAC).

The rear of the hall is dominated

by US-built twins. Like several of

the aircraft on display, Lockheed

10A Electra ZK-BUT is painted

up as another example, ZK-AFD.

Interestingly, it survived two years

as a fire trainer until passing

to the museum in 1968. Rare

Beech AT-11 Kansan ZK-AHO had

a decidedly less dramatic history,

serving with NZ Aerial Mapping

until its retirement in 1980 when it

was delivered to MOTAT.

These are joined by C-47B

ZK-BQK, which was struck off

RNZAF charge in 1952 and sold to

NAC, in whose colours it is

now displayed.

MOTAT’s collection also includes

various General Aviation and

sports aircraft, ranging from hang

gliders, gyrocopters and ultralights

to a smart Miles Magister, the

classic Auster J-1B Aiglet and a

Victa Airtourer – a type designed

in Australia but produced under

licence by Aero Engine Services Ltd

(AESL) in New Zealand. Registered

ZK-CXU, it holds the distinction of

having circumnavigated the globe

in 1969 in the hands of then-owner

AT

The beautifully restored Mosquito T.43 NZ2305 wears the RNZAF’s period aluminium lacquer

fi nish. This once-derelict airframe was rescued from a farm in 1967 and painstakingly rebuilt to

display condition. ALL KEY - CRAIG WEST

The Pacifi c theatre enclosure includes Lockheed Hudson GR.III NZ2031, which fl ew combat sorties

from bases in New Caledonia and the Solomons.

New Zealand’s sizeable and long-running aerial agriculture sector is represented by a variety of

top-dressing and crop-spraying aircraft, such as the CAC CA-28 Ceres. It was an adaptation of the

military Wirraway, featuring a 600hp P&W Wasp engine and a large hopper in what was originally

the front cockpit.

“Our one-of-a-kind aviation collection

is MOTAT’s jewel in the crown...”

Short S45A Solent Mk.4 ZK-AMO ‘Aranui’ is one of the jewels in the museum’s crown. The fl ying

boat, one of four examples operated by Tasman Empire Airways Limited (TEAL), is the last of the

type still in existence.

The New Zealand National Airways Corporation-liveried DH.89A Dragon Rapide, ZK-AHS, is one of

several airliner types on show at MOTAT.