Piper Aircraft Corp PA 22-135 Light Bomber

camlobe………

Thanks for response. I feel sure your summary of the situation is probably correct i.e. the major manufacturers had “test registrations” which were re-used on dozens if not hundreds of aircraft. It seems their use is not necessarily documented in all cases. Have had a look through the Air Britain Register for the U.K., Ireland and the IOM 2010. N10F and N11C appear against quite a few Piper a/c registered in the UK from about 1960 through to about 1976.

Looking through the Kenyan VP-K** register, a number of Cessna 180s have
N11B allocated to them but some also have “normal” regsitrations allocated i.e. November Four numerals and a letter, such as N3166U.

Would be interesting to know if these “test registrations” appeared on the a/c. May put it up as a question on ABIX or fire it off to a Piper specialist. My hunch is they were not shown on the a/c. Just had another thought, you could hardly use one as a radio call sign, as likely there were several a/c around at the same time using the same marks!!!

Final question/thought about -KMH, wonder if the South African marks were carried? My guess is “no” but it is a guess……..!!!

Planemike

Planemike,

All the documentation I am presently holding for this aircraft indicated that the aircraft never received a registration number from the FAA prior to export. The DoC, CAA document ACA-306 Application for Certificate of Airworthiness for Export for the aircraft was typed up by Piper, and in the block for Identification Number (registration to you and me) has four hyphens typed.

I am unsure if the Piper Aircraft Corp had an American version of ‘B’ condition numbers or even a factory designated pool of temperary numbers.

It must be borne in mind, unlike the UK system of registrations, the US FAA allow the transfer of registrations from one aircraft to another.

A slightly embarrassing episode involving the Kings (of King Flying Training in the US, probably the largest distance-learning flying training company in the world) earlier last year was down to the ability to transfer registrations on the ‘N’ register. Google it for a humour inject.

camlobe

Of interest is the US Department of Commerce, Civil Aeronautics Administration Form ACA-306 (1-49) Application For Certificate of Airworthiness for Export. The Civil aeronautics Administration was the forerunner of today’s Federal Aviation Administration of the USA. This document states that the aircraft was test flown on the 8th of December 1953 (first flight date), so strictly speaking, the aircraft, as a complete working entity, is even older than first thought.

camlobe

Camlobe,

I can find no evidence of c/n 22-1969 receiving a US registration. Does this mean that aircraft destined to be registered abroad were test flown without any marks or registration in the US?

Planemike

rochford,

will do. Many thanks.

camlobe

service memo 60 just got put away

quite happy to scan-send pm with your email address

Thanks for all the info folks. It certainly adds interest to this (these) ‘warbirds.

Planemike and ericmunk, thanks for the clarification on ‘Colonial’ registrations. Although I have noted numerous bizjets on the Cayman register, I didn’t realist it was the VP-C** that actually referred to the Cayman Islands. I live and learn.

rochford, any chance of a scanned copy pleassseee?

I have had another look at the DoC CAA Application for Certificate of Airworthiness for Export. Sure enough, it was exported to PLACO (Pretoria Light Aircraft Co (Pty) Ltd in Transvaal. The Bill of Sale is likewise made out to PLACO. It would appear that this aircraft took the same route as other PA 22’s as described by Planemike.

The Kenyan Validation of a Certificate of Airworthiness Issued Abroad appears to have a record of four owners. Three of them are amended by being drawn through and then stamped by the Directorate of Civil Aviation, East Africa. The first recorded owner has had their name drawn through heavily but it appears to say:

“The Kenya Police Force”

This document has, as previously mentioned, been amended in the ‘Territory of Issue’ block from ‘Kenya Colony’ to Kenya. However, “The Certificate of Airworthiness No. ….2116… issued by Division of Civil Aviation, Pretoria, S. Africa was never overwritten. The document is signed and stamped ‘by the authority of East African high Commission’ and dated 25th February 1954. This would appear to indicate the aircraft was on the South African register for only five days. As Planemike says, it will be unlikely to find a picture of the aircraft with it’s ZS-DJI registration. But someone here may suprise us yet again.

Planemike, PM coming.

camlobe

Having read Planemike’s post, I delved a bit deeper into the trove of documentation we have for the aircraft. First thing of note is, the aircraft was on the Union of South Africa register from the 19th of February 1954 until the 18th March 1954. This is in accordance with the Union of South Africa Certificate of Airworthiness document (original) on my lap.

Just a bit more info for you. Most of the ragwing Pipers that appeared in Kenya came via South Africa. The agent for Piper in Kenya was Campling Brothers and Vanderwal (Keith Campling) who obtained most aircraft through PLACO in South Africa. Judging by the registration dates (a month apart) very much doubt we will find a photograph of ZS-DJI but go on, surprise us !!!

Most of the Pipers were re-assembled in South Africa (after sea shipment from the US) and flown up to Kenya. Some later ones were probably shipped to Mombasa and assembled in Kenya, would appreciate confirmation of this.

CBV later went on to represent Cessna in East Africa.

Planemike

Camlobe………..

Pleased to have been of some help !!! This may prove to be of some interest http://www.goldenyears.ukf.net/reg_index.htm It deals with civil aircraft registers pre WW II. The VP, VR an VQ marks were allotted to a whole range of British Colonies and Territories. They were not all used immediately, indeed some were never used. The first Kenya marks were issued in 1929. The first a/c did not appear on the Ugandan register until April 1946.

Today the the only VP registers that are still in use are VP-B** Bermuda and VP-C** Cayman Islands. They tend to be similar to “flags of convenience”. Both contain a large number of “bizjets” and the aircraft pop up all over the world.

ericmunk 5Y-*** is not a new batch but rather a totally new register for the independent country of Kenya. Most aircraft were transferred, as in the case of Camlobe’s Tri-Pacer, by substituting 5Y- for VP-. However things were not quite that simple. Prior to 1964 all East African Airways a/c had been on the VP-K** register. After 1964 the a/c were spread across the Kenyan 5Y-, Tanzanian 5H- and Ugandan 5X- registers. At the same time most acquired totally new registrations i.e. EAAC Comet VP-KPK became 5H-AAF in Uganda. The transfers did not all take place on one date but took place in both 1964 and 65 probably as the a/c were painted with their new marks.

Trust all that helps………!!!

Camlobe. If you PM your e-mail address I can send you a couple of images of VP-KMH………..

Planemike

PS Oh yes, Falkland Islands register is still active…… VP-F**………….

Service Memo 60 covers PA22 -125 & 135
yes – i do have a copy in front of me

VP-K.. is Kenyan marks before the allocation of the 5Y-batch. VP-C.. is indeed the Caymans. Most early Kenyan aircraft carried VP-K.. registrations that were often transferred straight to 5Y-marks using the same last three letters. I came across this looking for old DHC-2 registrations once.

Now this is getting interesting.

Planemike states the aircraft was registered VP-KMH in 1954. My previous understanding was, VP is the prefix for Cayman Islands, considered a register of convienence for many corporate types. I have now seen a (grainy) picture of a Tri-Pacer three-ship, all VP- registered froma report about the KPAW. We live and learn.

Having read Planemike’s post, I delved a bit deeper into the trove of documentation we have for the aircraft. First thing of note is, the aircraft was on the Union of South Africa register from the 19th of February 1954 until the 18th March 1954. This is in accordance with the Union of South Africa Certificate of Airworthiness document (original) on my lap.

Now, the next document, the original Kenyan Validation of a Certificate of Airworthiness Issued Abroad, form C.C.A. 23 (not a copy). This four page document is a treasure. As well as recording the annual overhauls for ten years, it has been amended a number of times prior to being cancelled on the 23rd December 1966. Two of the amendments refer to changes of ownership, one in 1958 and one in 1959. One of the other amendments hass simply used the red tape on the typewriter and crossed over a detail. Where the Territory of Issue used to state Kenya Colony, Colony has been ‘X’d in red.

However, where the original registration was typed in red, it has been ‘X’d over in black and 5Y-KMH typed in black beside it. Having been led by Planemike’s post, I have looked closely through the black ‘X’s. It sure looks like it used to say VP-KMH. Nice one Planemike.

Unfortunately, I can’t see anything on this document to state when the registration was changed. The earliest documentation I have found so far with the registration 5Y-KMH is dated 26/08/1965.

Of interest is the US Department of Commerce, Civil Aeronautics Administration Form ACA-306 (1-49) Application For Certificate of Airworthiness for Export. The Civil aeronautics Administration was the forerunner of today’s Federal Aviation Administration of the USA. This document states that the aircraft was test flown on the 8th of December 1953 (first flight date), so strictly speaking, the aircraft, as a complete working entity, is even older than first thought.

camlobe

[QUOTE=Camlobe;1739857]

In February 1954, the aircraft was then transferred to Kenya and registered 5Y-KMH. The Kenya Police Air Wing obtained a few Tri-Pacers, including 5Y-KMH.

[QUOTE]

The aircraft was actually registered VP-KMH in 1954. The 5Y- register was not established until Kenya gained independence in 1964.

My researchs indicate the the Kenya Police Air Wing operated 13 PA22s between 1954 and 58. Some of them had short lives. 32 PA22s appeared on the VP-K** register (36 if you count in four PA22-108 Colts), it was a popular a/c in Kenya in the 50s.

There seems little doubt that several PA22s were equipped with bomb racks but to date no photographs have come to light. Would be VERY interested to see such a photograph as would a number of other enthusiasts who have been hunting for one over the years.

Incidentally the PA22s were replaced by Cessna 180s which were considered a more robust bush plane.

Planemike

There must be a Historian somewhere in Kenya or Africa with more pictures. I can’t imagine they don’t exist. Have you tried avcom – that seems to be a pretty busy site for enthusiasts?

http://1000aircraftphotos.com/Contributions/8696.htm