NZDF-SERIALS
Australian
& New Zealand Military Aircraft Serials & History
Mitsubishi
MU-2F (Instructional Airframes)
0222G to 0225G
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In March 2008 the RNZAF issued a Request for Information (RFI) on the availability and budgetary costs of training airframes to replace the obsolete airframes. The tender stated:
"These aircraft are required to provide RNZAF Aircraft and Avionics trades people with cost-effective generic aircraft-based systems training and experience as a precursor to their employment on the squadrons. Tenders are now invited for the supply of up to ten aircraft with associated spares and special to type Ground Support Equipment (GSE). The RNZAF ideally requires five (5) fixed wing and five (5) rotary aircraft to carry out aircraft maintenance training at RNZAF Base Woodbourne. However, as long as this project results in a total of ten aircraft (both rotary and fixed wing) there is scope for between three and eight rotary wing aircraft.
RFT E 2201 is for the supply of the twin turbo-prop aircraft
RFT E 2202 is for the supply of the rotary wing aircraft
Theses training aids were intended to will replace the GTW fleet of 5 de Havilland Devon aircraft and Bell 47 Sioux helicopters which were no longer viable as training aids as the Air Force conducted a modernisation across all fleets. The GTW also retired other training airframes including its BAC Strikemasters, Boeing 727 and UH-1H to arrive at one fixed wing and one rototary wing Instructional Airframe type.
In late 2009 the RNZAF took delivery of four Mitsubishi MU-2F fixed-wing aircraft and six Kaman SH-2F Seasprite helicopters to fulfill this requirement.
The four Mitsubishi M-2 aircraft were purchased from Flight Director Inc in the USA and the aircraft were ferried from the USA via the Middle east, Africa, Asia and Australia before arriving in New Zealand on 11/08/2009 (N107SB) and 24/08/2009 (N755Q, N720JK &N12RA).
The four airframes received the ground training and instructional airframe serials 0222G to 0225G. Interestingly, as these airframes have not been previously allocated New Zealand military serials, they do not cary an "NZ" prefix.
The following extract from
the RNZAF DFO(F) explains the serial allocations for
RNZAF Instructional Airframes:
![[image]](http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c391/Sean1552/GTW.jpg "[image]")
| RNZAF Serial | Type | c/n | Final US Registration | Aircraft History |
| 0222G | MU-2B-20(F) | 131 | N755Q | Built
1968, 30/08/1988 Registered N755Q Tobul Joseph O Wexford, PA 13/12/1999 Registered N755Q PA Charter Inc. Gibsonia, PA 13/07/2009 Registered N755Q Flight Director Inc Austin, TX 24/08/2009 Arrived mid afternoon at the conclusion of their long ferry flight from the USA. N12RA, N755Q and N720JK flew from Bali to Broome and Alice Springs 23 August 2009 spending just a few hours before arriving into Sydney on curfew then across to Wellington arriving in formation to clear formalities before making their final flights, again in formation, to Woodbourne 27/08/2009 US Registration cancelled as exported to New Zealand Engines: Garrett/Airesearch TPE331-1-151A; s/n’s: P92223C / P90006C Props: Hartzell HC-B3TN; s/n’s: BVA-6885 / BVA-6478. In service as Intructional Airframe with the RNZAF Ground Training Wing (GTW) Woodbourne |
| 0223G | MU-2B-20(F) | 154 | N720JK | Built
1969, 08/05/1969 Airworthiness test, 01/06/1990 Registered N327E Jetway Aviation Inc Ft Lauderdale, FL, ??/??/2009 Registered N720JK Flight Director Inc Austin, TX, 24/08/2009 Arrived mid afternoon at the conclusion of their long ferry flight from the USA. N12RA, N755Q and N720JK flew from Bali to Broome and Alice Springs 23 August 2009 spending just a few hours before arriving into Sydney on curfew then across to Wellington arriving in formation to clear formalities before making their final flights, again in formation, to Woodbourne 25/08/2009 US Registration cancelled as exported to New Zealand Engines: Garrett/Airesearch TPE331-1-151A; s/n’s: P92146 / P91127 Props: Hartzell HC-B3TN; s/n’s: BVA-6504 / BVA-6529 In service as Intructional Airframe with the RNZAF Ground Training Wing (GTW) Woodbourne |
| 0224G | MU-2B-20(F) | 177 | N12RA | Built
1969, 15/12/1969 Airworthiness test 16/06/1992 Registered N891Q Smyrna Air Center Inc Smyrna, TE, 20/02/2003 Registered BH Jr Motorsports Inc, White House, TN, ??/??/2009 Registered N12RA Flight Director Inc Austin, TX, 24/08/2009 Arrived mid afternoon at the conclusion of their long ferry flight from the USA. N12RA, N755Q and N720JK flew from Bali to Broome and Alice Springs 23 August 2009 spending just a few hours before arriving into Sydney on curfew then across to Wellington arriving in formation to clear formalities before making their final flights, again in formation, to Woodbourne 25/08/2009 US Registration cancelled as exported to New Zealand Engines: Garrett/Airesearch TPE331-1-151A; s/n’s: P92173C / P92324C Props: Hartzell HC-B3TN; s/n’s: BVA-6926 / BVA-6944 In service as Intructional Airframe with the RNZAF Ground Training Wing (GTW) Woodbourne |
| 0225G | MU-2B-20(F) | 226 | N107SB | Built
1972, Registered Hilgys N107SB Lp Gas Inc, Tomahawk, WI Registered N107SB Flight Director Inc Austin, TX 11/08/2009 First Mitsubishi MU-2Fs (N107SB) arrived enroute Sydney-Wellington and then final flight to Woodbourne for its last landing. 27/08/2009 US Registration cancelled as exported to New Zealand Engines: Garrett/Airesearch TPE331-1-151A; s/n’s: P92056 / P92152C Props: Hartzell HC-B3TN; s/n’s: BVA-7150 / BVA-7128. In service as Intructional Airframe with the RNZAF Ground Training Wing (GTW) Woodbourne |
Author: Brendan Cowan
Sources: http://rnzaf.proboards.com , Messageboard discussion , http://www.airforce.mil.nz/operations/airforce-news/archive/113/tarp.htm, http://defense-studies.blogspot.com.au/2009/07/air-force-to-upgrade-ten-aircraft-for.html , http://mrcaviation.blogspot.com.au/2009/08/more-rice-rockets.html , http://rzjets.net , http://www.airport-data.com ,
Emails: Martin Edwards, Brendan Cowan,
Updated 06 December 2013
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