ZK-AKC de
Havilland D.H.82A Tiger Moth
(c/n DHNZ97)
ZK-AKC was on the
strength of the New Plymouth Aero Club when this shot was taken
in 1950. A New Zealand built
Tiger, it was previously NZ847. It was fitted with a canopy
later in its career. By 1971 it
was found stored in pieces in Dunedin, following a crash. It was
later repaired/restored but was damaged again
in a fence strike during a precautionary landing near
Waitahun, Otago in
1999. It regained airworthiness in 2001 following
repairs by Croydon
Aircraft Co,
Mandeville. Crashed at Taieri Airfield after stalling during
take off while towing a
banner on 03 November
2001. The aircraft flipped onto its back causing substantial damage
to the fuselage and wings. The pilot luckily
suffered no injuries. Following major repairs undertaken
by Ray Goulding at Rangiora it regained
airworthy condition in November 2003. It is currently
flying from Taieri with Julian Smith of
Allied Press Ltd. Ivan Prince has kindly supplied a nice
contemporary image of it (below),