Druine Turbulents of New Zealand (6)

The late 1960's Turbulents - we are getting there!

The photos are from the Keith Morris collection unless otherwise credited.


ZK-CQC (its c/n is recorded as AACA/14 but I think it must have been AACA/29. Merv Meredith was AACA member number 14 but Abram Waters was AACA member number 29). ZK-CQC was a little different - it was constructed by Abram Waters in Holland and shipped to New Zealand by him when he immigrated here. He then finished the aircraft in New Zealand and it was registered on 1/7/66. It is photographed here early on in its life at Ardmore. This was one of the first Turbulents to have a bubble canopy and it had really nice lines.

Bram Waters went on to form Aero Trading Australasia Ltd and he was instrumental in developing the successful Airmaster variable speed propellor which was proved on Europa ZK-UBD. In this photograph taken at the 1972 AACA flyin at Masterton where ZK-CQC is painted up with Aero Trading signage. Can anyone post more details about Mr Waters?

ZK-CQC was sold to N W and K J Lawrence of Frankton in 8/73, then to N G George of Hamilton in 3/76, and then on to Norm Bottcher of Feilding in 2/77.

Norm Bottcher owned ZK-CQC with a succession of co-owners in the Feilding area, and he refurbished it and painted it in this very attractive colour scheme, as shown in the photograph taken at Feilding. Norm sold it in 1/00 to Ultraflight NZ Ltd who redesignated as a Class 1 microlight. It was finally sold to Alan Murgatroyd of Kerikeri in 11/01 and it is still current.

ZK-CVX (c/n AACA/40/1) was built by Ron Muncaster at Nelson and was first registered on 15/11/67. Ron sold it to Robert Trewavas in 11/72 and Robert did many flights in it all over new Zealand (Robert Trewavas also owned Turbulent ZK-CBN). It is photographed here at the AACA flyin at Blenhiem in 1973. It was then owned by R Smith of Paihia, D F R McMillan of Kaikohe, L A Compton of Masterton, and A P K Turner of Masterton. At that time it was named "Tweety Bird". It then went to Max Saunders of Wellington who redesignated it as a Class 1 microlight.

Finally it was sold to Stuart Harris of Rangiora who renamed it "L'Enchantresse" as in this photograph taken at Rangiora by Blue Bus. ZK-CVX is also still current.

ZK-CWI (c/n AT14) was the first aircraft built by Max Clear, at Te Kowhai. It was first registered on 17/1/68 and its first flight was in 2/69. This was also a very fast Turbulent and looked very smooth. The cheat line was a blue/green colour as I remember. Max Clear went on to build the Pitts Special ZK-EEU and has since developed the Bantam microlight aircraft which have been so successful in New Zealand and also overseas. That is another story to be told!

Max sold it to Ray Knox of Ngaruawahia and it then went to D Gunn of Cambridge, B W Ford of Matamata, D M Taylor of Matamata, S B Tiedman of Havelock North, and back to Matamata with L E Walker. It was redesignated as a Class 1 microlight in 4/99. This photo of it was taken at the 1998 AACA flyin at Matamata, and it shows the good use of the Corby Starlet cowlings and canopy that was originally developed by John Buchanan (for his Starlet ZK-DEO that started life just up the road from Matamata) - quite a few Turbulents have used these components.
ZK-CWI crashed on landing at Waihi Beach airfield on 2/9/01 and it was cancelled on 4/9/01.


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