Guest: Bob McGarry



Host: Dave Homewood



Recorded: 23rd of February 2025



Published: 8th of June 2025



Duration:  58 minutes, 19 seconds



In this episode we hear a presentation given at the WONZ 20th Anniversary Forum Meet at Wigram by licensed aeronautical engineer Bob McGarry. He talks about his career in aviation, which included the RNZAF, and working with Arch Finch at Rotorua where he learned his trade. He then worked for Fieldair in their engine shop at Palmerston North. He then went to Christchurch to run the engine shop for Airwork (N.Z.) Ltd.



Next he set up his own aero maintenance business with Alan Mincher at West Melton airfield. It was while he was there that he decided he needed a project, and he acquired the remains of Simmonds Spartan ZK-ABK back to airworthy condition. The Spartan was New Zealand’s first airliner, having operated originally with New Zealand Airways Ltd of Dunedin in 1929. Bob tells the story of the restoration in some detail.







There is also a YouTube version so you can see the photos, which have been extracted from Bob’s PowerPoint presentation.









Quick Links:



• The Ashburton Aviation Museum (now home of the Spartan)



• The Ashburton Aviation Museum on Facebook



The music is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud.



Thanks to Allan Udy for his help with the audio recording. Thanks also to Phil Treweek.