Livery and modification notes:
Fin flash size is much reduced
The white fern leaf has been added to the roundel.
A black stripe has been painted behind the heater exhaust to mask the soot marks.
City of Auckland coat of arms on the fin.
History
Bristol Freighter Construction No: 13060
Allocated G18-114 to Bristol Aeroplane Company 1 Dec 1952.
It was a dual control model and was immediately ferried to New Zealand.
Brought On Charge at RNZAF Whenuapai 22 Dec 1952 as NZ5907.
Radio call sign ZMZBJ.
Port engine feathered out of Jesselton near Kota Kinabalu, Sarawak, Malaysia, 11 Jul 1961. Engine replaced 2 days later.
Its military tour of duty included service in Vietnam, being one of the last Allied aircraft to depart Saigon 21 Apr 1975.
NZ5907 was withdrawn from military service after its final flight with No. 1 Squadron, Whenuapai 20 May 1977 and was stored at Whenuapai, Auckland.
Sold by Gov't Stores Board tender to R S Dwen 19 Jun 1978.
Registered to Dwen Airmotive NZ Ltd as ZK-EPD on 17 Aug 1978.
Ferried from Whenuapai to Ardmore on 31 Aug 1978.
After some years in storage at Ardmore, ZK-EPD was prepared for export and repainted early in August 1982.
It arrived in the UK 23 Aug 1982.
The registration ZK-EPD was cancelled 8 Sep 1982.
Registered as G-AMLK to Instone Airline Ltd. Stanstead, England on 10 Sep 1982.
After less than two years’ service in the UK it returned to its former identity of ZK-EPD with Dwen Airmotive NZ Ltd 5 Apr 1984.
Cancelled from UK register 4 Apr 1984.
It left the UK 13 Aug 1984 and flown back to NZ, arriving 27 Aug 1984.
Sold to Hercules Airlines Ltd., Auckland, 27 Aug 1984.
Based at Ardmore 1984-87.
ZK-EPD left NZ for the final time on 19 Sep 1987 for Canada.
Cancelled from NZ register 29 Sep 1987.
Registered to Trans Provincial Airlines Ltd, Terrace, BC, Canada as C-GYQS.
To Hawkair Aviation Services in 1993.
It was seen engineless at Terrace, BC, early 1994.
Later in 1994 it was acquired by MRS 4000 Investments Ltd., Vancouver, BC.
Restored to an airworthy condition with first flight 9 Jul 1997.
Further service with Hawkair Aviation Services Ltd., Terrace, BC on mining contracts until 1999.
Being the last remaining airworthy commercial Bristol Freighter in the world at the time, it made its final commercial flight on 23 Oct 1999.
Stored at Terrace, British Columbia from the end of December 1999 until Sep 2004 in the hope that a museum would be interested in the aircraft.
This veteran made the final Bristol Freighter flight of any of the type when it was ferried from Terrace to Wetaskiwin on 6 Sep 2004 and presented by Hawkair Aviation Services for display at the Reynolds-Alberta Museum, Canada.
Total hours 17,174 and 21885 landings.
Registrations in chronological order:
G-18-114, NZ5907, ZK-EPD, G-AMLK, ZK-EPD, C-GYQS
www.adf-serials.com.au/nz-serials/nzbristolfreighter.htm
www.kiwiaircraftimages.com/b170list.html
Video snippet of C-GYQS taking off from Bronson Creek, Canada.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4a11U97fkI
Photo: RNZAF Photo Neg 9123, 15 Nov 1955.
Tags: RNZAF B170 Bristol Freighter Auckland Whenuapai NZ5907
Image from the Des White personal collection.
Source credit: Photo Image No: DWNZ5907b
Air Force Museum of New Zealand
Some Rights Reserved
fotoweb.airforcemuseum.co.nz/
Tags: RNZAF Freighter B170 White Wigram NZ5907 No. 41 Squadron 41 Sqn New Zealand Bristol Freighter
Photo: Tony Holt, RAF
Photo Ref: CH0459
www.rafchangi.com/archives/05-ch0401-ch0500/ch0459/
Tags: RNZAF B170 Bristol Freighter NZ5907 Changi Singapore
Photo: Courtesy of Steve Jenks steve.jenks@me.com
from the collection of his father, Wing Commander Cliff Jenks.
Tags: RNZAF B170 Bristol Freighter NZ5907 Whenuapai Auckland
© All Rights Reserved
9 Oct 2020, Pilot of NZ5907, Gerry Brown comments:
"15th & 16th Nov 1958.
Freighter NZ5907 diverted to Ipoh, Malaya, due to inclement weather over the intended drop zone. After landing and proceeding to terminal area, a request was made to clear the small park area. In doing so the aircraft sank into an underground drain. The aircraft was unloaded by the New Zealand Amy, before being dug out by the Pilot, Gerry, with help from Singapore Base Flight Commander. I flew the aircraft back to RAF Changi where an inspection revealed a crack in the port undercarriage leg."
Photo: Gerry Brown, Pilot
Tags: B170 Bristol Freighter RNZAF NZ5907 Ipoh Malaya