CCCP-75743 and an accompanying An-12 CCCP-04366 staged through Christchurch on the way to Antarctic. The Il-18 made several other Antarctic expeditions before being converted to a standard Il-18V. Retired in 1979 as out of flying hours. Photo from: Air Force Museum of New Zealand

Believed to be the first visit to New Zealand, and earlier Australia too, of Soviet aircraft. This AN-12 and an accompanying Ilyushin IL-18 were bound for Antarctica and passed through Australia before heading to Christchurch and on to Antarctica. CCCP-04366 was written off after a landing accident at Blagoveshchensk, in Russia, on June 4, 1967. Photo from: Air Force Museum of New Zealand

The registration VH-CYB was never formally taken up. It was a step in the transition of the CA-6 Wackett into the Yeoman YA-1 Cropmaster. Wackett VH-AIV served as the basis of this test aircraft. It was fitted with the metal tail designed for the Cropmaster but retained the Warner Scarab radial of the wartime trainer. -CYB was completely rebuilt in early 1962 as a production YA-1 Cropmaster (c/n 106) with a Lycoming O-540 engine. A new registration, VH-CYW, was allocated.