Friday 4 June 2010

Kiwi Currie Wot ZK-CYB

The Currie Wot was designed in the 1930s by JR (Joe) Currie and 2 examples were built by Cinque Port Aviation Ltd in 1937.  Unfortunately these 2 aircraft were destroyed during WW 2.  Apparently the name Wot came about when Joe Currie got tired of questions about what the aeroplane would be called and said "Call it Wot you blooming well like!".  After the war 2 more examples were built by the Hampshire Aviation Club under the supervision of JO Isaacs (of the later Isaacs Fury).  These aircraft had 60 HP Walter Micron motors.  Later the plans were sold to homebuilders and the first homebuilt Currie Wot flew in 1963.

The dimensions of the Currie Wot were:  length 5.58 metres (21 feet 3 inches), wingspan 6.73 metres (22 feet 1 inch), and the wing area was 140 square feet.  Empty weight was 250 Kg (550 pounds) and MAUW was 408 Kg (900 pounds).

We have had 2 Currie Wots in New Zealand.

Currie Wot ZK-CYB (c.n AACA/64) was commenced by Jack Moon at Blenhiem and the project was first registered on 11/9/68.  It was sold to Alex Turner of Mosgiel on 22/9/72, and he completed the aircraft and painted it in the same colour scheme is his earlier Jodel D 9 ZK-DBS.  It was sold to Alan Ruck and F Crequer of Christchurch on 7/10/82 and then to a syndicate of Alan Ruck, Morris Tull, Kim Twenytman and Colin Winrtburn of Christchurch.  It was re-engined with a 2100cc Revmaster motor in January 1987 and ownership transferred to Alan Ruck on 11/2/88.  The above photo was taken at Harewood around 1988.  It was the re-engined with a a Continental O-200 motor in 1998.  It moved North to Pikes Point with Morris Tull where it was based for a while, then finally back to Alan Ruck in Christchurch, where it is still current.  It is named "Jessie".


ZK-WOT (c/n PFA 3012), seen here at the Pikes Point airfield in 1995, was the second Currie Wot to fly in New Zealand.

This Wot was built in the UK using 3rd of 3 fuselages built by Hampshire AC, Eastleigh, 1958-59. Balance of the aircraft was built at Winchester, starting in 1970. Powered by Walter Mikron 3, f/f Compton Abbas March 1972 as G-AXOL registered to E F Tomlinson, Winchester as from 26/9/69 with the c/n of PFA3012.  Ownership of G-AXOL was transferred to B L Dyke & D C Ford, Compton Abbas in June 1973, to J A Espin, Popham 22Jan1974, A Kennedy, P Metson & G Brinkman, Bishops Stortford 8Jun1974, and R G Boyes, Winkleigh in May1990.  The aircraft was then sold abroad, with the UK registration being cancelled as from 2Nov1994.

It appeared on the NZ register as ZK-WOT on 8/11/94 for M J M Sanders, Auckland. The registration was revoked by CAA on 13/6/99, but reappeared on 30/7/02 for the same owner at a Whangarei address.
D R Walker, Whangarei took ownership from 20/7/04 but ZK-WOT was again cancelled on 30/8/05 as withdrawn from use.

3 comments:

  1. Thats the one, thanks.
    Blue Bus has also sent me some photos of CYB and tells me that it is still current.

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  2. I had it reengined with aGPU at Eaglescot airfield by Percy Symonds, enjoyed it, sorry to hear it's withdrawn from service

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  3. Hi I flew her for about a year out of whitianga, so lovely to stumble across this. Steve

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