I was scratching around my bookshelf today and stumbled upon my long-forgotten logbook number 1. So, I had a bit of a trip down memory lane noting that the Cessna 150 ZK-BWI featured prominently for the first 45 odd hours.
This airframe, the 508th built, has the c/n of 17507 and is the earliest production Cessna 150 in New Zealand – although it was not the first registered here.
This honour goes to ZK-BPO c/n 17688 which was registered on 17-11-1959 to Rural Aviation Ltd of New Plymouth.
ZK-BWI was initially allocated the US registration of N7707E to Cessna Aircraft of Wichita, Kansas. I suspect that it never flew as such and was test flown with the Cessna test registration of N11B before cancellation on 19-11-1959 on export to Australia.
Here it became VH-RFR from 13-01-1960 with Rex Aviation Pty Ltd. With only 177 airframe hours it was shipped to NZ in February of 1960 and first flew at Bell Block on 15-03-1960 and became ZK-BWI with Rural Aviation Ltd at New Plymouth on 25-03-1960.
I believe it went down to Harry C Sowerby of Temuka and went online with South Canterbury Aero Club at Timaru before joining the Wellington Aero Club from 23-03-1961, supplementing their three Piper PA-18 Cubs ZK-BTV, ZK-BQN and ZK-BSK and the Cessna 180 ZK-BUS.
ZK-BWI outside the Wellington Aero Club building in 1962
Wellington Aero Club line up November 1962.
Cessna 172 ZK-BWW on left, with Cessna 180 ZK-BUS center & Cessna 150 ZK-BWI on right.
Piper Cubs ZK-BTV and ZK-BQN behind.
I last flew ZK-BWI on 01-11-1963 as it was transferred to the Wanganui Aero Club from 14-11-1963.
Slight damaged occurred on take-off on the Tangiwai strip on 01-10-1966.
Noted on 9-12-1966 at Wanganui.
Wanganui on 12-12-1968.
And again at Wanganui – on 06-03-1969.
Unchanged at Wanganui on 14-07-1971.
A new paint scheme was noted on 29-08-1972 at Wanganui.
In March of 1976 at Wanganui.
It remained at Wanganui but with an ownership of T A Gifford-Moore and W R Dines from 21-02-1980.
As noted on 08-12-1981 at Ardmore with another revised paint scheme and with enlarged last three letters of its registration and minus the ‘W” on the fin.
Next move was to J Reed, S Monteith & S Cronin of Manurewa on 02-11-1982.
Then W R Denize of Coromandel picked it up from 21-06-1984.
Parked on Fletcher row at Te Kuiti on 24-08-1985.
Then it went to Pete James of Timaru 15-09-1986, with a change to Allan G Barr Timaru 13-11-1986.
On 14-10-1988 at Ardmore.
Just prior to it going to O P Hill Auckland 10-11-1988
Next in line were B W & K A Brownlee of Whangarei 05-04-1990, and L W A Woodgate of Whangaparaoa from10-11-1993.
At Ardmore on 02-12-1993.Then we see three owners in reasonably quick succession.
A C Albin of St Heliers listed it for just three months from 08-06-1994. then to Jim M Young of Wanaka on 27-09-1994. Noel Stanger & Hutchinson of Dry Acheron Station, Lake Coleridge, listed it from 10-07-1997.
I spotted it on the tie downs at Omarama on 12-04-1998.
It was damaged after take-off on 22-11-1998 on the owners Dry Acheron Station.
Following repairs it was moved on to Inner Bistro Partnership c/- H S McKay of Masterton from 01-04-1999 and to the current owner Ian M Sinclair of Temuka was listed from17-06-2017.
