Percival Proctor with serial number H.32 was built by F. Hills and Sons as Mk. II, and was rebuilt to the Mk. III standard while still in the RAF military service, as BV538. After the war, in 1947, it was sold to Southern Aircraft (Gatwick) Ltd., with the civil registration G-AJTS, and two years later went into the hands of Mr. Charlton Higgs from Reading. Shortly afterward, Mr. Higgs sold it for £ 400 to two friends from New Zealand – Phil Lightband and Peter Hobart. The machine was to be sold at a profit in New Zealand.
The machine was repainted, re-registered as ZK-ATW, and in December 1949 she set off on a journey to New Zealand, which lasted up to six weeks, partly by flight, and finally from Sydney to Auckland – by sea.
Reassembled in Auckland, ZK-ATW flew to New Plymouth, where Phil’s father Herbert bought it. Unfortunately, less than two years later, the machine burned to the ground in a hangar fire.
The Dora Wings kit went very nicely – fairly well-fitting parts, almost no flash on the parts – but some short shots also happened, especially on the ailerons. Built straight from the box, using the etched fret also from the box.
Decals did a great job (especially the silver stripes).
The model is definitely worth the interest, but I would not recommend it to beginner modelers.
Painted with Mr. Hobby H33 and Dark Aluminum from the Vallejo Metal Color series. Weathering (very moderate) with the use of Dark Earth and Smoke pigments and Engine Oil from AK.
Hope you like it 🙂
Kendzior's Way 