De Havilland DH 83 Fox Moth NZ 566, 1943 to 1948

Design:
A E Hagg

Company:
De Havilland

Australia
De Havilland

Canada
De Havilland

Wing Span:
30 ft 10 3/4 in

Wing Area:
247 sq ft

Length:
25 ft 9 in

Height:
8 ft 4 3/4 in

Ceiling:
12,800 ft

Speed: at Sea Level
123 MPH

Range:
486 Miles

T/O Weight:
2,100 lb

Crew:
1 Pilot
4 Passengers

Role:
Light Communications
Forest Fire Patrol

Total Manufactured:
UK 98
Aust 2
Canada 52 DH 83C

First Flight:
29 Jan 1932

Armament:
Nil

Years Served:
1943 to 1948

Qty Served:
1

Tail Nos:
NZ 566

ENGINE

Type:
De Havilland Gypsy Major
4 cylinder, in line, inverted, air cooled

Bore:
4.646 in

Stroke:
5.512 in

Volume:
373.6 cu in 6.124 L

Max RPM:
2350 RPM

Take Off Power:
130 BHP

Fuel:
73 Octane

Oil:
OMD 370

Length:
48.3 in 1227 mm

Width:
20 in 508mm

Height:
29.6 in 752 mm

Weight:
298 lb

Power to Weight Ratio:
0.393 BHP/lb

NZ 566

Constructors No.: 4097
The last of the UK production
Shipped into NZ 8 Dec 1934
Registered ZK – ADI
To Air Travel NZ Ltd, Hokitika 29 Jan 1935
Impressed into RNZAF
Cost 1,300.00.00 pound [$2,600] 12 Apr 1943
To Communications Flight, Rongotai
To 42 Sqn
to Rotorua on forestry fire watch duties 15 Oct 1945 – 19 Apr 1948
Sold to NZ NAC 1,200.00.00 pound [$2,400] 16 Jul 1948
Named Mimiro
Registered ZK – ASP 6 Aug 1948
To W Wakeman, Christchurch 3 Dec 1953
Used by Aerial Sowing Canterbury Ltd
For Top dressing
To Air Contracts Ltd, Masterton
For Charter work 28 Jul 1954
To A Blechynden, Hamilton
For West Coast white bait operations 18 Jan 1957
To R Rae, Rotorua 6 Apr 1959
To S Marker, Christchurch 10 Nov 1960
To J Switzer, Christchurch 9 Oct 1961
To A Evens, Auckland 29 Jul 1968
Badly damaged after engine failure at 500 ft 30 Jul 1968
Repaired at Ardmore
To M Robertson, Auckland 18 Mar 1970
Damaged in a landing accident at Turangi
Hit a sheep when making a precautionary
Landing in a paddock 18 Mar 1970
Taken to Hastings for repair
Test flown 14 Jul 1970
Flown 7366 Hrs
To D Lilico, Auckland 20 Apr 1971
To M Robertson, Auckland 15 Nov 1972
Shipped to USA
Still owned by Myles Robertson Apr 1975
De Registered 15 Jul 1975
Registered N 83 DH
To Hamburg Aerodrome Inc, Lakeview,
New York 23 Sep 1975
Based at Aero Plaza Airfield, Washington
De Registered Dec 1984
Registered G – ADHA
To B Woodford, Hamble, England 3 Dec 1984
To Wessex Aviation and Transport Ltd,
Hamble, England 15 Apr 1985
To G Grocott, Switzerland
De Registered 3 Feb 1997
Registered ZK – ADI
To Croydob Air Services, Gore 4 Feb 1997
Currently airworthy

Photos through the Ohakea Museum

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