Saturday 25 June 2011

Question time # 130 roundup.

Following on from the original blog at
I am still not fully convinced that the nearest aircraft is ZK-CEW and the other is ZK-CKP.
I have a problem in that ZK-CEW was listed to Mount Cook Air Services on 23-05-1963 and crashed on the Albert Glacier on 23-10-1965.
ZK-CKP went to Mount Cook Air Services on 16-03-1965 and remained as a ski plane until late 1987.
So there was roughly a seven month period when both were operated at the same time.

My problem is that I was working offshore between September 1964 and March of 1966 - So CKP was not around when I left and CEW was not around when I returned.
The only positive photograph I have of ZK-CEW comes from my shoe box of misc photos from unknown persons.
Written on the back of this B&W print  is:-
"Cessna 185 ZK-CEW. Crashed on Albert Glacier after severe turbulence stalled the 'down' wing in a steep turn 500 foot above the snow.
Note: two passengers in sleeping bags on the wing in foreground"
The colour scheme looks about right with the original pic re-posted below..
The more distant aircraft (ZK-CKP) is shown below in a shot taken at Timaru on 14-03-1966. (after my return to NZ)
This also fits in pretty well with the original QT 130 shot.

So what do you make of that then ?

10 comments:

  1. I am actually beginning to have second thoughts about this colour slide.
    Maybe I didn't actually take the photo and that perhaps my old dad did using one of my cameras.

    Whatever way - it has been an interesting topic.

    I thank you all for your feedback.

    So it is ZK-CEW and ZK-CKP until proven otherwise.

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  2. "Elementary, my dear Watson" :-)

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  3. Closest one CEW has the 1963 factory colour scheme and CKP has the 1965 scheme...must have been taken in 1965 shortly before CEW's demise..

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  4. Thank you Ian & Wildwing.
    I humbly bow to your superior knowledge.

    Please accept one cyber chocolate fish.
    I would give you a genuine one but - our grandaughter is staying with us at the moment - so all gone.

    Any chance you offer a photo of ZK-CEW for the archives ?

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  5. Choc fish would be good but I'll buy you a beer someday for hosting this great blog!!
    Photos of CEW seem to rare...ironically probably hundreds in American attics in those long forgotten slide boxes.

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  6. Thanks Blue Bus, we have a Cessna 185 in our fleet, so i am quite interested.

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  7. Just received a postcard I purchased showing a ski-equipped
    C180 BMS and a C185 at the old Hermitage strip.
    The 185, who's reg I can't read,is in the 1962 scheme a la CEW but is a reddish colour...??

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  8. oops...meant 1963 scheme

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  9. From my memory at the time of the crash of ZK-CEW in October 1965, the colour was red and white. As a matter of curiosity, do you have any idea how that photo of the snowfeild scene came to be in your shoe box.

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  10. Evening there Anonymous.
    Flick your email address to me at paulldj@xtra.co.nz & I will get back to you off blog about that.
    Meanwhile I will try & cast my mind back that far.

    ReplyDelete