PETER RYE COLLECTION
No. 6006. Bristol 170 Freighter Mk.31M (NZ5904 c/n 12927) Royal New Zealand Air Force
Photographed at Perth Airport, Western Australia, Australia, ca. 1966, by Peter Rye

Bristol 170 Freighter Mk.31M

02/28/2008. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "This aircraft was registered to the manufacturer as G-AMCR on July 11, 1950, but was reregistered to the 'Class B' register as G-18-101 on January 18, 1952. It was sold to the Royal New Zealand AF and delivered on April 16, 1952, the 'Class B' registration was cancelled the following day. From March 19 to June 28, 1954 the aircraft was loaned to Straits Air Freight Express (became S.A.F.E. in 1958, around 1970 became safe air) for 60 hours of spraying trials, registered as ZK-BEV.

The aircraft was withdrawn from use February 10, 1977, and sold by tender on June 19, 1978. It was registered as VH-EPB to Dwen Airmotive NZ, Ardmore Airport, the company eventually had eight Freighters. However, VH-EPB was not sold, and by August 1986 it had partly been broken up, the fuselage is currently sitting in a farmer's field somewhere south of Auckland, being used for 'storage'. A sister-ship, complete with spares, is still for sale at Ardmore Airport."


Created December 22, 2006