In my previous existence I used to work for the New Zealand Forest Service... Here are some great photos from the Archives New Zealand collection of fire patrol flights (Archives Reference: AAQA W3347 6506 box 21 [8/22])... That would have been a great job, but that it was before my existence of any description...
 |
| RNZAF de Havilland DH83 Fox Moth NZ566 patrol plane on landing strip Kaingaroa – photo E.P. Christensen, Kaingaroa 1945. NZ566 had previously operated on the West Coast as ZK-ADI with Bert Mercer's Air Travel (NZ) Ltd. After the war it returned to the West Coast operating flights from Hokitika to South Westland and north to Greymouth and Westport as ZK-ASP with NAC. |
 |
| De Havilland DH80 Puss Moth fire patrol plane and landing strip in Kaingaroa Forest 1945 – photographer not known. Any theory as to which of the RNZAF's Puss Moths it is? I think it is either NZ567 or NZ594. |
 |
| James Aviation's Forest Fire Patrol Auster J/1B Aiglet ZK-AZT passing Kakapiko lookout in Whakarewarewa Forest 1954 , photographer W. Wilson |
In my previous existence I worked for P F Olsen & Co Ltd...and my forest health surveillance experience quickly ensured that any forestry flying (fixed or rotary wing) was a task to be endured! Good thing about helicopters...they don't need an airstrip on which to land! Re the early days of NZ Forest Service fire patrols...I'm sure that novelty soon wore off!! Now in 2021...are there any forest fire lookouts left...or forest airstrips for that matter??
ReplyDelete