Way back on 20-08-1962 Rural Aviation Ltd of New Plymouth registered the Cessna 180A Skywagon c/n 185A-0482 as
ZK-CCC.
Photo above of ZK-CCC was taken at Ardmore on 02-04-1964. Pilots name Alan ? on forward fuselage.
ZK-CCC crashed at Oparue, near Te Kuiti on 30-03-1965 and it was cancelled on 14-04-1965
The aircraft was rebuilt and re-registered as
ZK-CMS with the c/n 185-0482R to Rex Aviation (NZ) Ltd of New Plymouth on 13-10-1965 and was operated by Rural Aviation.
Below is a pic of ZK-CMS, taken on 07-06-1966, parked about where the present international terminal is at Wellington airport. Note the "NERO" on the fuselage.
Below is a view of her at New Plymouth taken on 13-01-1967. (with Lodestar in background).
It was transferred to Mount Cook Air Services of Timaru on 22-05-1967 and is shown below in her new scheme at Timaru in November of 1967.
Below is another view of CMS at Timaru but on 01-07-1968
And below, at Fairlie on 31-12-1970, minus hopper, but still with outlet beneath fuselage. Now with the Ranunculus lyalli on its fin and Mount Cook Airlines script on the fuselage side.
It was damaged a couple of times; 04-07-1969 near Fairlie and again on 20-11-1972 on the Barrier strip. Post repairs it was listed with the modified c/n of R185-0482.
Above is a poor shot of her at Queenstown on 27-12-1971 minus all ag gear. It then went onto skiplane duties and was damaged at least twice. On 28-12-1978 on the Geciki Plateau and on 27-09-1984 on the Tasman Glacier. Ownership changed to Motor Holdings (Aviation) Ltd of Dunedin on 23-01-1985 (presumably following another rebuild. c/n now 1850482). It then went to C R Deaker of Te Anau (Air Fiordland) on 29-09-1986. Pic below taken at Christchurh on 26-03-1987.
It was relisted to Fiordland Experience Group from 05-08-1993.
It does not appear to have changes much since about 1986. Above as seen at Te Anau on 17-03-1991
Above at Taieri on 10-02-1998
Above. As spied at West Melton on 31-01-2010 with threee bladed prop and mud flaps.
Latest pic above shows it at Avtek Timaru on 10-10-2011
