Saturday 23 April 2016

Mooney ZK-CKF

I thought it was about time to mention this Mooney.
Mooney M20C Mk21 c/n 20C-2802 was rolled out registered as N7818V.
As such it arrived in NZ on 14-10-1964 to be registered as ZK-CKF on  the same day to the Southern Districts Aero Club at Gore.
It was delivered to Gore on the 17th.
My first view of ZK-CKF was at Gore on 12-03-1965 above - parked outside the Club hangar with  the Club's Victa Airtourer 100 ZK-CDM.  
In the view below you can still read the US civil registration of N7818V on the fuselage side.
And I'm guessing that is the Cub ZK-BTM in the background - which the Club later had on line.   
Below we have ZK-CKF at Ardmore.
An undated shot from the Neville Drake Collection.
(It may well pre-date my shots above).

From about February of 1965 it was used in an air service between Gore and Dunedin replacing the recently failed SPANZ service.
At Gore on 16-03-1966.
It was hired to the South Canterbury Aero Club for a period in mid 1968
Above - at Gore yet again but in a new colour scheme this time on 23-12-1968.
A colour view of the new scheme as seen at Gore in April of 1969.
That is the Club's AESL Airtourer 115 ZK-CXP beyond.

It has a fuel problem on 27-02-1969 and landed 1/4 mile from Christchurch Airport.
A V Martyn and Co Ltd of Timaru took it over from 04-06-1970.
A monochrome view at Wellington on 27-08-1971.
And a colour shot at Christchurch in September of 1971 from CMM.
It then went to G W Weber of Auckland from 01-04-1973
Above it is at Ardmore on 13-11-73.
And below also at Ardmore. Another undated pick from Neville Drake.
It moved back south to Gore for N Mc and D R Falconer from 06-08-1976.
And then to Gilbertson Wool of Gore from 13-07-1982 until transferred to Hugh L Gilbertson of Otama from 22-09-1982.
Above - Back at Gore on 17-07-1983.
It was damage on the Cardrona Strip on 07-10-1986.
Ownership transferred to Sean Gilbertson of Wanaka 08-12-1987.
Parked up at Christchurch on 10-05-1988.
Noted tied down outside the Southair hangar at Wanaka on 14-10-2000.

To Tim Allan, Tim Donaldson and Rob Penny of Christchurch appear on the owners list from 11-12-2006.
It was initially based at Wigram and was seen there on 14-04-2008.
Then noted down at AVTEK in Timaru on 21-08-2008.
After Wigram closed it moved out to Rangiora and is seen above on 01-05-2009.
And Rangiora again - this time on 22-05-2011.
At Masterton on 18-01-2013 with a Kittyhawk and the Corsair behind and Fletcher ZK-DZM in the near background.
Then noted back at Rangiora being pre-flighted on 30-08-2013.
Finally it was listed with Donald McMillan of Kaikohe from 22-08-2015
As seen at Dargaville last Saturday 16-04-2016 by 'Sir Minty'.
And the final view is of ZK-CKF departing Dargaville on 16-04-2016 heading home to Kaikohe.
Pic from Jean210.

3 comments:

  1. Thanks Dave... You have inspired me to look at doing a post on the Gore-Dunedin air service

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  2. she deserves a repaint,maybe one day soon,we hope

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  3. Hi Tim Donaldson here one of the owners from 2006 to 2015. A wonderful aircraft that took us all over NZ from Invercargill to Kaikohe and all inbetween. A great cross country machine that does not achieve the value that it deserves.

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