ZK-AFH Miles M.11
Whitney Straight
(c/n 311 )
Fifty of the
M.11 series of light monoplanes was built by F.G. Miles to a
specification laid down
by Mr Whitney
Straight who operated a series of flying clubs in the southern UK in
the 1930s.
Eight
eventually found their way to New Zealand. ZK-AFH was one
of them, and was operated
by the Public
Works Department in 1939. It was never impressed into service
with the RNZAF
(possibly
because of its government ownership status). This shot was taken
at Hastings circa 1952
. It was withdrawn
from use in 1962 since it had been left outside and exposed to the
elements and
the wings
were damaged by frost. (Today it would have received tender
loving care and been
restored, but
that didn't happen too much up until the 1970s or 80s).
ZK-AFH was scrapped
somewhere
between 1965 and 1968.