
March 1959 to April 1975
New Zealand National Airways Corp (NAC)
ZK-BRF - c/n 283 - a V.807 series Viscount
New Zealand registered
24 February 1959
First flight from Brooklands Airfield, Weybridge, Surrey, England.
It landed at Wisley Airfield, Surrey, England for fitting out and test flying.
Viscount illustrations by David Carter
12 March 1959
Handed over to New Zealand National Airways Corporation (NAC) as a Type 807, named as 'City of Christchurch' at Wisley Airfield, Surrey, England.
It was fitted with Rolls-Royce Dart RDa6 Mark 510 engines and the cabin seating was configured for 60 passengers.
It then departed to Blackbushe Airport, Surrey, England flown by Captains L J Ransom, C A Merrington and J H Register.
When the NAC crew were at Wisley they met up with some personnel from Aer Lingus. Before they departed they noticed that a small shamrock had been painted on the starboard nose undercarriage door of their aircraft as a sign of good luck. This shamrock stayed on the aircraft throughout its life and even now is proudly displayed on it at the Ferrymead Museum.
14 March 1959
Departed from Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England on delivery to New Zealand.
15 March 1959
Noted at Beirut Airport, Lebanon during the delivery flight to New Zealand.
Arrived at Harewood Airport, Christchurch, New Zealand
23 March 1959
Arrived at Harewood Airport, Christchurch, New Zealand on delivery.
6 April 1959
Entered service on the inaugural flight to Harewood Airport, Christchurch to Palmerston North Airport, New Zealand. The runway at Palmerston North Airport had been extended to accommodate the Viscount operation.
19 July 1959
Landed at Rongotai Airport, Wellington, New Zealand from Whenuapai Airport, Auckland, New Zealand on the first fare paying service to this newly expanded airport with 59 passengers on board. Flight 937 was flown by Captain M D Cullinane and First Officer J W Oakley. Rongatai Airport replaced Paraparaumu Airport for all NAC services.
20 July 1959
Operated the first Viscount service from Rongotai Airport, Wellington to Harewood Airport, Christchurch, New Zealand.
New Zealand National Airways Corporation (NAC) final Viscount livery
circa 1968
Painted in the New Zealand National Airways Corporation (NAC) final Viscount livery.
12 July 1974
Withdrawn from service and stored at Harewood Airport, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Total time 35,795:05 hours and 32,272 total landings and 30,373 hull pressure cycles.
10 April 1975
Donated to the Ferrymead Aeronautical Society Inc.
FURTHER READING
The Illustrated history of New Zealand National Airways Corporation
by Richard Waugh, Peter Layne and Graeme McConnell
The Illustrated history of New Zealand National Airways Corporation 1947 - 1978
The delivery of New Zealand’s first Viscount by Peter Layne
The delivery of New Zealand’s first Viscount
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