AA62 ...
My apologies for being a bit of a laggard ... but Mrs Coff had me on gardening duties today
The Tiger in Fiji is still flying and in the hands of the RNZAF Historic Flight under Reg NZ622.
She appears to have had quite an interesting career ...
Previously T5763. Built at Cowley, UK and assembled in NZ.
Shipped to New Zealand on 05 July 1940 on "Rangitikei".
BOC Unit 18 Rongotai 04 October 1940.
With No.4 EFTS Whenuapai 1941-1942.
With No.2 EFTS New Plymouth/Ashburton 1942-1943.
Issued free to New Plymouth Aero Club from No.42 Squadron on 29 January 1946 and entered the New Zealand Civil Aircraft Register as ZK-AIE on 18 January 1946.
To Aircraft Services NZ Ltd., Auckland on 04 September 1951 for use as topdresser named "Doh Doh".
To D. Freeth 27 August 1956 and restored to normal configuration.
To R. Simpson 22 September 1958. To S. Askew 11 April 1960.
To A. Bell 08 April 1961.
To W. Christofferson 25 August 1965.
Registration cancelled 10 September 1965 as exported to Fiji.
Registered as VQ-FAG on 24 August 1965 and first flown in Fiji during early October 1966.
Grounded in October 1970 and stored at Nausori until 1973.
To G. Kingsbury, Mid Canterbury in 1973 and imported into New Zealand but not restored to register.
To RNZAF in early 1985 for restoration to NZ662 as part of RNZAF Historic Flight. First flight after restoration was at Wigram on 08 January 1987.
Currently airworthy in that role with RNZAF Historic Flight.
Best ...
Coff
