Bristol Freighter

Dwen Airmotive has one complete B-170 Bristol Freighter aircraft, several Bristol Hercules engines, and several tons of airframe and engine spares available for sale as a 'package'. Please contact us for more details. See below for more images.

Bristol Type 170 Freighter Mk 31M - (tail and engines removed for storage).

Registration: ZK-EPG (NZ5911).

Engines type: Bristol Hercules 735; sleeve valve, 14 cylinder piston, twin row radial.

Quantity: 2 each.

Power Output: 2,040 Horsepower each.

Propeller: De Havilland: DHP4HF - 4 blade, hydraulic feathering.

Fuel system: Hobson: BIBH11 - Bristol Hercules Bulk Injector.

A brief history of Dwen Airmotive's involvement with the Bristol Freighter

Since its establishment in 1968 Dwen Airmotive supported the Bristol Hercules engine. New, used and overhauled engines and engine spares were exported all over the world, including to: UK, Greece, and Australia, as well as within New Zealand.

In August 1978, Ron and Louise Dwen, the founders of Dwen Airmotive, purchased eight complete Bristol Freighter aircraft, all of the associated support spares, and some tooling from the RNZAF. The aircraft were ferried to Ardmore Airport in September 1978. Some aircraft were subsequently sold to freight operators in the United Kingdom (Instone Airlines) and Canada (TPA - Trans Provincial Airlines).

National Air Freighters NZ Ltd was established in April 1984. In fact, this was the first company to gain an air transport operators license in the then newly deregulated aviation environment. The company later changed its name to Hercules Airlines Ltd, reflecting the twin row radial Bristol Hercules sleeve valve power plants used on the Freighters.

Hercules Airlines was based at Ardmore Airport and utilised three aircraft - ZK-EPC (NZ5906), ZK-EPD (NZ5907), and ZK-EPF (NZ5910). Hercules predominantly operated between Auckland - Wellington - Christchurch. The aircraft were mainly used for transporting bloodstock and undertook other cargo charter work. One noteworthy charter resulted in a specially painted Bristol appearing in a starring role in the 1987 Disney film 'The Rescue'.

Hercules Airlines Ltd ceased operation in 1987 - effectively this was the end of commercial operation of Bristol Freighters in New Zealand.

Detailed images (click on images to see enlargements)