Airlift (Southland) and its Flying Tadpole

Miles M57 Aerovan IV (c/n 6427) ZK-AWW Was one of two Miles Aerovan aircraft ordered by the Royal New Zealand Air Force for experimental work in aerial topdressing. It began its life at the Handley Page plant at Reading in the UK in 1949 as G-21-3. It went on to become NZ1752 with the Royal New Zealand Air Force. The two RNZAF Aerovans arrived in New Zealand in November 1949 and January 1950. The initial plans for NZ1752 to be used for topdressing trials were changed and instead it was equipped for airborne magnetic survey work in association with the Department of Science and Industrial Research. It was operated by the Research and Development Flight which was a part of 41 Squadron based at Whenuapai.

The RNZAF's Miles Aerovan NZ1752 at Wigram in 1950 or 1951 with some of its magnetometer equipment visible. RNZAF Official Photo.

In November 1950 it was announced that the two RNZAF Aerovans were to be sold. The Press reported that one has flown 67 hours and the other 103 hours. Soon after assembly at Rongotai, one machine was fitted with a hopper and carried out aerial topdressing. The other aircraft was fitted with a magnetometer and carried out a geothermal survey in the Wairakei-Taupo district. A spokesman at Air Force Headquarters said that the aircraft had been originally purchased because no machine in the R.N.Z.A.F. could be economically modified for the work required. Now they had completed their tasks and there was no further use for them.

NZ1751 was sold to Airwork (NZ) Ltd of Christchurch becoming ZK-AWV on the 16th of April 1951. NZ1752 was sold to Southland Aerial Fertilisers Ltd of Invercargill becoming ZK-AWW on the 28th of September 1951. Initially it was used for topdressing but proved unsuitable for this type of work. Subsequently it was converted by Airwork (NZ) Ltd for passenger and freight work with a 10-seat cabin.

Miles Aerovan ZK-AWW the civilian in 1951. Photo taken at Whenuapai. I Granger Collection

Miles Aerovan ZK-AWW at what looks to be Paraparaumu. Photo : D White Collection

Southland Aerial Fertilisers was established on the 16th of August 1950 with a capital of £1800 in £1 shares. Subscribers were l. C. Frederic (350 shares), A. B. Chambers (200), and L. Hutchins (350), all three being from Invercargill, C. W. (Bill) Hewett (500) from Waikaka and M. J. Wilson (400) from Hokonui. The company was operate aircraft for carriage of goods and passengers and sowing manure and seeds and incidentals. Bill Hewett was the pilot and the aircraft was branded with Airlift (Southland) titles.

Other aircraft registered to Southland Aerial Fertilisers Ltd were -

De Havilland DH82A Tiger Moth

ZK-API (c/n 82372), from 10 November 1953 to 11 October 1956 when it crashed in the Waikawa Valley
ZK-ARJ (c/n 3357) from 24 July 1950 to 21 November 1957
ZK-ARU (c/n DHNZ99) from 16 May 1951 to 25 May 1953  

From late 1953 the topdressing aircraft were registered to Hewett Aviation Ltd of Mossburn. Other aircraft registered to Hewett Aviation were –

De Havilland DH82A Tiger Moth

ZK-AIW (c/n 83462) from 1 February 1965 to 16  December 1965;
ZK-AJC (c/n 83463) from 17 December 1953 until it was withdrawn on an unknown date;
ZK-BAP (c/n 83076) from 9 October 1953 until it was destroyed at Tuatapere on 27 April 1957;
ZK-BFW (c/n 86147) from 28 March 1957 to 20 July 1960
ZK-BGJ (c/n 83824) from 23 August 1954 until it crashed at Woodslea Downs in Southland on 6  February 1958, ZK-BJK (c/n 86475) from 6 January 1958 until it was destroyed at Hillend, South Otago on 5 December 1963,

Cessna 180

ZK-BDD (c/n 30463) from 2  March 1956 to 21 December 1965
ZK-BDE (c/n 30459) from 17 January 1961 to 16 February 1967
ZK-BEI (c/n 30629) from 17 June 1957 until 27 August 1964 when it was destroyed at Ohai

Cessna 185A

ZK-CCM (c/n 185-0505) from 30 November 1965 until it was destroyed at Gore on 14 August 1966

The Aerovan, however, remained registered to Southland Aerial Fertilisers. Based at Mossburn in Southland the aircraft was used in the southern half of the South Island for passenger and freight charters, including aerial sightseeing on the West Coast, and the carriage of fruit.

Miles Aerovan ZK-AWW after being civilianised. Photo taken probably taken at Invercargill. The RNZAF lightning flash has been removed and the registration looking smarter. Photo source unkown

A Russell Troon photo of ZK-AWW at Mossburn in 1951 with Airlift Southland titles. The script under the cockpit window describes the company's activities - "Air ambulance, scenic flights, charter flights, freight service, supply dropping, lime sowing, superphosphate, poison pollard, grass seed". Photo R Troon

On the 4th of March 1952 the Press reported that The first large scale freight-dropping flight to South Westland took place this morning when a Miles Aerovan, "The Flying Boxcar," left Hokitika early today with sections of huts destined for the use of campers and mountaineers in the Franz Josef and Almer Glacier regions. The huts - in prefabricated sections - were dropped by parachute in drops of 12 sections at a time. The plane, piloted by C. W. (Bill) Hewett, of Mossburn, with Andy Hindmarsh as assistant pilot, circled the area, which was pinpointed by smoke signals from guides attached to the hostel. The aircraft is capable of carrying loads of up to one ton and has been used for all purpose freight and passenger work throughout the country. Its operations have extended from aerial topdressing in the Canterbury area, to running fruit and produce, between Nelson and Roxburgh; light cars have also been carried with ease by the aircraft.

The work carried, out to-day is part of a Government contract and is expected to be maintained for a period of a week - given favourable weather. The loads today weighed in the region of 1000 lb and each section has one parachute attached. A static line - a similar arrangement as is used by paratroopers - is hooked inside the aircraft; part of the rear fuselage is removed and the bundles are then pushed out, the static line opening the 'chutes automatically. Most of the drops today were made from a height of between 6000 and 7000 feet, the operation ensuing flying around Mount Cook prior to each drop. Work on the construction of the huts is expected to start almost immediately and should prove a boon to sportsmen in South Westland. Each trip takes a matter of two hours - returning to Hokitika Airport each time for fresh loads and to refuel. The first flight-originally scheduled to leave at 6 a.m. was delayed for over four hours because of low cloud and poor visibility. The first load of the contract, beds, mattresses and fittings, weighed a little over 1000 lbs.

The Miles Aerovan is of an entirely unorthodox design and when it first landed here yesterday afternoon attracted considerable attention. The pilot, Bill Hewett, has had considerable experience in civil aviation and since the end of the war has logged over 3000 flying hours in country-wide operations. Prior to its arrival at Hokitika, the plane had been engaged at Queenstown. Although primarily intended as a general freight aircraft, it can be adapted in a matter of minutes to a nine seater capacity passenger plane. It is owned by Airlift Ltd., and its operations range from passenger charter flights to aerial top-dressing, or it can easily be adapted as a flying ambulance if necessary.

In 1991 long-term guide at Franz Josef Peter McCormack talked to South Westland-historian Dorothy Fletcher about the building of the Almer Hut. Materials for this hut, weighing nearly five tonnes, were packed to the site by foot. This hut had to be replaced by 1952 because the weight of the snow had burdened the structure. This third Almer Hut is sited on a more exposed ridge, 200 metres above the site of the old hut. The site was chosen by guide Harry Ayres. It was' hoped that the wind would play a bigger part in taking the snow away. Four men did the foundations for the hut. This required an enormous amount of stone work and rock shifting. Material to build the hut was air dropped from an Aerovan, piloted by Bill Hewett. The material was in bundles and each had a big parachute. Very little was broken or went missing. Building the hut began in March 1952 and was completed by the end of 1953.

On the 25th of March 1952 disaster struck the company at Franz Josef. The Press reported that a Miles Aerovan aircraft owned by Airlift (Southland), Ltd., was seriously damaged when it was on the ground by high winds at Waiho, South Westland, on Tuesday. The craft, piloted by Mr W. Hewett, of Mossburn, had been dropping equipment for the erection of huts in South Westland area, under a Ministry of Works contract. Extensive structural damage to the machine included a broken propeller and damaged tail plane and fuselage. Although no wind velocity figures are available for that area gusts in Hokitika reached speeds of between 55 and 65 miles an hour.

Airlift (Southland)'s Miles Aerovan ZK-AWW at Franz Josef in March 1952. A lighter colour lightning flash has been painted above the company titles. Photo : P McCormack Collection

And on a better day at Franz in March 1952. Photo : R Troon

In early May 1952 it was reported that the Aerovan was being repaired using parts salvaged from Airwork’s Aerovan ZK-AWV which also had been overturned in high winds at Wellington in 1951.

The work on ZK-AWW was completed by the end of the year and on the 11th of December 1952 the Press reported that, Rebuilt from the fuselage of one aircraft and the wings of another, a Miles Aerovan freighter will be used this week to drop materials for the construction of the new Mueller Hut in the Mount Cook region. The aircraft, which was assembled at Harewood by Airwork (N.Z.), Ltd., was flown to the West Coast by Mr C. W. Hewett on Tuesday. Nine months ago, Mr Hewett was engaged in dropping materials for mountain huts which are being built by the Ministry of Works for the Tourist and Publicity Department. After dropping material for the Aimer Hut, which overlooks the Fox Glacier, he started a similar task in the region of the Mueller Glacier, where the old hut had been destroyed by an avalance. While the Aerovan was on the aerodrome at Waiho it was caught by a strong wind, blown over, and badly damaged. 

When the damaged aircraft was brought to Christchurch, it was found that only the wings could be used. Another Miles Aerovan owned by Airwork (N.Z.), Ltd., was therefore “cannibalised” as was frequently done when tanks and vehicles were repaired during the Second World War. The second Aerovan had been badly damaged in an accident at Rongotai, and only the fuselage could be used. There was some delay in the building of the new aircraft from the remains of the two, as essential parts had to be obtained from England.

A Peter Lewis collection photo of Miles Aerovan ZK-AWW. This looks to be sometime soon after its rebuild using the fuselage of ZK-AWV.

A Miles Aerovan freighter aircraft, based at Hokitika, dropping building materials by parachute on top of the Sealy range, close to the Hermitage. The materials are for the construction of a mountain hut. The Press, 26 December 1952

On the 27th of February 1954 the new aerodrome was opened at Roxburgh. The Christchurch Press of that day reported, Today the Minister in charge of Civil Aviation (Mr T. L. MacDonald) will officially open New Zealand’s newest airport at Roxburgh. The 1450 yard airstrip, placed midway between the hydro works and Roxburgh township, is the longest airstrip in inland Otago and Southland, and the largest privately-owned aerodrome in New Zealand. Douglas airliners chartered from Dunedin and Christchurch will carry visitors to the opening ceremony and its attendant aerial field day, organised by the Roxburgh Aero Club. Capable of handling aircraft as big as Bristol Freighters and Douglas DC3’s, the Roxburgh airstrip will be of considerable value to fruit growers of the surrounding region. With Bristol Freighters and, possibly, a Miles Aerovan owned by Southland Aerial Fertilisers, Ltd., which has developed the air strip, fruit growers will be able to send their produce to the rest of New Zealand much faster than in previous years.

In addition to the Aerovan, Southland Aerial Fertilisers will operate an Auster for unscheduled passenger and scenic flights, and five DH82’s for topdressing. Until hangars and passenger facilities are built the company will continue to use Mossbum, 30 minutes’ flying time away, as its headquarters. Work began early in October to bring the Roxburgh landing field, established by the Roxburgh Aera Club about 20 years ago, to a standard permitting its use by aircraft such as the 19-ton Bristol Freighters. Before this most recent effort by the Southland company Ministry of Works men had levelled a strip 800 yards long, but it was not until October 8 that three carry-alls began work, forming the airstrip, 1450 yards long and 400 feet wide. Drainage of the new field is said to be excellent (the base is sand and gravel) and there is, apparently, no risk of its becoming waterlogged. Surface soil, removed in levelling operations, was kept and spread our to give a base for grass. The Roxburgh airfield is 103 miles from Dunedin, and it is considered likely that it could serve as an emergency landing field if Taieri and its present alternative field at Hildethorpe, 90 miles from Dunedin, were fogbound.

The day before the opening, on the 26th of February 1954, Bill Hewett was flying the Aerovan from Mossburn to Roxburgh but was unable to land due to fog. Other alternate airfields were not available and with darkness approaching and low fuel the pilot decided to divert to Ranfurly. Mervyn Gillick wrote to the Southland Times about the demise of the Aerovan… "On his approach to the airfield he got a reflection from his lights off wires and gave both engines full throttle. One engine ran out of fuel causing the wing to drop, hence the crash landing." The aircraft was badly damaged and was deemed unrepairable. The wreck was returned to Christchurch with the fuselage later being used as a caravan.

Hewett Aviation continued to operate its topdressing business until February 1967 when it was taken over by Rural Aviation (1963) Ltd.