De Havilland DH 86 Express, NZ 552 to NZ 554, 1939 to 1946

Design:
A E Hagg

Company:
De Havilland

Wing Span:
64 ft 6 in 19.66 M

Wing Area:
641.0 sq ft 59.55 Sq M

Length:
46 ft 1 ¼ in 14.05 M

Ceiling:
17.400 ft 5,300 M

Speed:
145 MPH 233 KPH

Range:
764 Miles 1,230 Km

T/O Weight:
10,250 lb 4,650 Kg

Crew:
2 Pilot
1 Navigator/Wireless Operator
10 Passengers

Role:
Light Communications
Navigation Trainer
Radio Trainer
General Reconn

Total Manufactured:
62

First Flight:
14 Jan 1934

Armament:
Nil

Qty Served
3

Years Served:
1939 to 1946

Tail Nos:
NZ 552 to NZ 554

ENGINE

image source

Quantity:
4

Type:
De Havilland Gipsy 6 – 1

6 cylinder, inverted, in line, air cooled

Bore:
4.646 in 118 mm

Stroke:
5.512 in 140 mm

Volume:
560.6 cu in 9.186 Ltr

Compression Ratio:
5.25 : 1

Horse Power:
200 BHP

Max RPM:
2350 RPM

Fuel:
73 octane

Oil:
OMD 370

Length:
62.126 in 1578 mm

Width:
19.9 in 485 mm

Height:
32.4 in 832 mm

Weight:

468 lb

Power to Weight Ratio:
1 : .427 BHP

---

Notes:
Originally These were the Main Trunk Aircraft of Union Airways

SFTS = Service Flying Training School
GR = General Reconn
Sqn = Squadron
C of A = Certificate of Air Worthiness
B O C = Brought On Charge

NZ 552

Constructors No.: 2330
Registered ZK – AEF 14 Aug 1935
Issued with UK C of A 23 Sep 1935
Shipped on SS Waipawa
To Lyttleton 20 Nov 1935
Named Kotuku
To Union Airways Ltd 10 Dec 1935
Impressed into RNZAF
Cost 2,600.00.00 pound [$5,200] 15 Sep 1939
Code letter/No.: 1
To Air Gunners and Observers School, Ohakea 14 Nov 1939
Total flying time At handover 3846 .00 hrs
To 3 SFTS Ohakea 28 Oct 1940
To 2 GR Sqn Nelson Jan 1941
Shipped on SS Karetu
To Fiji 8 Mar 1941
To Fiji Detatched Flight, Nadi 13 Mar 1941
To 4 GR Sqn Nadi 8 Oct 1941
To Comms Flight at Nausori 25 Jun 1942
Ran into a ditch while being taxied by a
Ground tradesman [probably an Engine tradesman]
In strong winds at Nausori and badly damaged 7 Dec 1943
All serviceable parts removed and shipped
Back to NZ Jan 1944
Written off 12 Jul 1944

NZ 553

Constructors No.: 2331
Registered ZK – AEG 14 Aug 1935
Issued a UK C of A 8 Oct 1935
Shipped on SS Waipawa
To Lyttleton 20 Nov 1935
Named Karoro
To Union Airways Ltd 10 Dec 1935
Impressed into RNZAF
Cost 2,600.00.00 pound [$5,200]
B O C Unit 27 Hobsonville 13 Oct 1939
Total flying time At handover 4021.06 Hrs
Code letter/No.: 2
To Air Gunners and Observers School, Ohakea 14 Nov 1939
To 3 SFTS Ohakea 28 Oct 1940
To 2 GR Sqn Nelson Jan 1941
Shipped on SS Karetu
To Fiji 8 Mar 1941
To Fiji Detatched Flight Nadi 13 Mar 1941
Shipped to NZ On HMS Moniwai 21 Aug 1941
Returned to Union Airways at Palmerston North
For overhaul 11 Sep 1941
Test flown At Milson 15 Dec 1941
To 1 SFTS Wigram
To Comms Flight, Nausori Fiji Aug 1942
Crashed on take off from Nadi
A/C left the runway in a strong cross wind and hit a drain
Causing the U/C to Collapse 19 Dec 1942
Returned to De Havilland Co, Rongotai for rebuild 23 Feb 1942
To Woodbourne for storage 16 Nov 1944
Loaned to Union Airways Ltd 28 Feb 1945
Registered ZK – AHW
Named Koromako
To Union Airways 9 Mar 1945
Returned to RNZAF 30 Sep 1946
Flown 1289.20 Hrs with Union Airways
De Registered 21 Oct 1946
Written off Apr 1947

Ohakea 1940

NZ 554

Constructors No.: 2332
Registered ZK – AEH 14 Aug 1935
Issued a UK C of A 31 Oct 1935
Shipped on SS Port Wyndham
Arrived at Lyttleton Dec 195
Named Koromako
To Union Airways Ltd 17 Dec 1935
Impressed into RNZAF
Cost 2,600.00.00 pound [$5,200] 25 Oct 1939
Code letter/No.: 3
To Air Gunners and Observers School, Ohakea 14 Nov 1939
Total flying time At hand over 3925.22 Hrs
To 3 SFTS Ohakea 28 Oct 1940
Failed to get air borne on take off, crashed
Through a fence and a line of trees at Ohakea 13 Nov 1940
Damaged beyond repair written off Jan 1941
Total flown Since new 4267 Hrs

ZK – AHW

The remains of NZ 522 and NZ 533
DHNZ Constructors No 2332
Withdrawn from use Oct 1946
Scrapped at Ohakea Nov 1946

unsourced photos from Ohakea Museum

with thanks to son-of-satire for the banner