ZK-ALX de
Havilland D.H.82A Tiger Moth
(c/n DHNZ70)
ZK-ALX was a Rongotai built
Tiger in 1941 (ex NZ820). It was sold to the Wellington Aero
Club in 1947. It
was converted to an aerial topdresser when sold to Aerial Work
Marlborough
Ltd in 1950. It was
withdrawn from use when owned by the Wigram Gliding Club in 1965
ostensibly
to be used for spares, and was stored in the club's
hangar at Wigram for some years before being
removed. It was resurrected
in 1981 and had severeal different owners until it crashed at Foxpine
Aerodrome after diving into the
ground on 5 January 1986. The pilot and passenger were seriously
injured and ZK-ALX was badly
damaged. Resurrected again in 1993, it appeared that
this old bird
just wouldn't die. It crashed one more time into an orchard near
Tauranga on 11 November 1994
seriously injuring the pilot. It is currently believed to be
stored at Omaka awaiting it's eighth major
rebuild.