This aircraft was earmarked for conversion in Australia to a 400hp IO-720. Before the project was completed it was decided to adapt Pay's similar conversion, done privately in Australia, for production in NZ. C/n 140 returned to NZ where it appears to have tested a a hefty spray bar although without a chemical hopper. A set of large spats fitted at this time. The spats remained when exported to Samoa for passenger use as 5W-FAJ. Ended up back in Australia in 1973 and was fitted with a hopper for agricultural use. Bob Kerr photo

VH-EPZ was flown to Australia for conversion at Bankstown into the prototype of 400hp model. The project was cancelled when Air Parts, the New Zealand manufacturer, adopted a 400hp model developed by Pay's Air Services, at Scone, NSW. -EPZ was converted back to standard model and returned to New Zealand as ZK-CWH.

VH-EPZ was fitted with a 400hp Lycoming IO-720 and a larger fin by Aerosmith on behalf of Air Parts, the New Zealand manufacturer. At the same time, Col Pay, of Pay's Air Services at Scone, did his own 400hp conversion and that was adopted by Air Parts for production. As a consequence, VH-EPZ returned to New Zealand as ZK-CXW without being registered in Australia. Before it departed it was restored to its original factory specifications.

New Zealand-built agricultural aircraft.