Monday 15 July 2013

Before my time.

I was scratching around on Google yesterday (as you do on a grotty day) on a completely different topic and this photograph popped up.
It shows what appears to be the Avro 616 Avian IVM ZK-ADQ (c/n R3/CN/435) refuelling on what looks suspiciously like the main street through Saltwater Creek at Timaru.
ZK-ADQ was constructed as G-AATV for Shell Mex Company of Egypt.
It gained its UK C of A on 30-01-1930 and was cancelled in March of 1933 to take up the Egyptian marks SU-AAG.
It took up its old G-AATV registration again from 12-09-1934 with Flying Officer Geoffrey Twyford Jarman of 47 Squadron RAF, Khartoum, Sudan.
Its UK registration was cancelled on 02-03-1935 and it then became ZK-ADQ on 05-05-1935 with K R Johnstone of Timaru. 
Other owners that I know about were P W Wilton; Charlie Liddell of Wellington from 10-05-1942 and then Southern Cross Aviation Services Ltd from 19-05-1948.
It crashed at Willowbridge (near Waimate) on 13-06-1948 with ownership going to J H Craig on 05-07-1948 and was cancelled on 29-10-1948.
At some point it was fitted with a DH Gipsy Major engine..

3 comments:

  1. Hey, that's a most interesting find.
    I presume that the 'Sprague' mentioned is from the same family as Ernie Sprague who used to partner Leo Leonard in motor racing back in the 70s.

    ZK-ADQ's final accident was a heavy landing.

    ReplyDelete
  2. If anyone has got a copy of Dad's book "wings over South Canterbury" (first published in 1993 and then again in 1996) you will see this photograph and caption between the Forward and Prologue sections, and another photograph of Zk-ADQ on page 44. Interesting history about South Canterbury activity.
    cheers, Paul

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hello Blue Bus, thanks for solving the issue of this picture. I was amazed by this image because the semplicity of use of carpump for the biplane. Not a common image. THen I decided to make an artwork using this as inspiration as I do with airplanes. But I had to learn excactly what airplane and car were it. No problems for the car. For the plane I have to thank you because I made a long search and I was first thinking about a Redwing Robinson II, but the tail and the gears not fitting. I discovered the Genet II version Major of the engine, then searched for AZ-AD... and found with Genet Major the AZ-ADQ and came out with your notes. Thank you very much. I now can make my artwork. Just 2 notes: 1- I discovered on my research that the airplane version is AVRO 616B AVIAN MKIVM B (Avian IVM fitted with one 100 h.p. Armstrong Siddeley Genet Major powerplant).
    2- the engine was refitted in some moment ok, but the engine alternative fitting this airframe was the Cirrus Hermes II engine.
    I found another image with the new engine, but it is impossible to recognize the motor. It would be interesting to see other pictures of this airplane.
    One of the hidden data is the Year. I assume we are in the summer because of the raysun inclination and we are after 1935. I am sure before 1939 because a research that I made says that the Plume Brand Logo you can read on the top is changed with a redhorse in 1939. So let's say we are between 1935 and 1938.
    What else, thanks again.
    Mauro from Veneto (Italy)

    ReplyDelete