ZK-BGP de
Havilland D.H.82A Tiger Moth
(c/n DHNZ174)
Here's a nice clean Tiger parked
at the end of the dirt ramp at Palmerston North in 1955.
Although this was a
New Zealand
built ex RNZAF machine, it was late coming to the civilian
market, being first civilly registered in May
of 1955. Its RNZAF identity was NZ1494. Its
original
owner was WW Contracting Co Ltd of Dunedin. After many private owners
it came
up for
restoration in 1978, and, after several more owners wound up with
Croydon Air Services
of Gore in
1996. ZK-BGP unfortunately crashed in the Taieri Gorge at 1700
hours on 27
September 1997
when the aircraft stalled in a
turn and spun into the ground during a flight
from Alexandra to Dunedin.
Both occupants were killed and the aircraft was destroyed by fire.