Jessie at about
11 weeks old

Jessie the day we
bought her home

This is ZK-AFB, the 'plane that went missing with 5 people aboard

This is Kingston, NZ. 

WORLD PLOUGH 2010 DVD

Saturday 13th August 2010: It is our pleasure to announce the release of WORLD PLOUGH 2010 AND METHVEN VINTAGE CLUB 21ST ANNIVERSARY RALLY.

The film has a running duration of 108 minutes, and full details can be found on the ALL VIDEOS page.

This video is available on DVD and Blu-ray. It is the first Full HD 16.9 (widescreen) video we have produced. The quality is startling indeed!!! There is also a good scene selection so you can find your way back to a favourite section.

We apologize for the long wait, but believe you will enjoy the finished product. We have to be completely happy with a video before we release it... we cannot allow second grade work through. It has to be 100% perfect or we won't pass it! This all takes time.

PLEASE NOTE: To all those who preordered a copy/s, your disc was delivered to the despatcher on Friday, 13th August, so they are on their way at long last. Thanks for your patience, and we hope you like it. Please send us an email if you have time to let us know what you think of it. Any ideas are good to have... so we can make the next video even better!!!

Monday 28th June 2010: Everything is going as it should with the video of the WORLD PLOUGH 2010, although it's taking a little time. Naturally we have other work but we're keeping WORLD PLOUGH 2010 as priority. Some people have asked why it takes so long... well, simply because we will not release a program unless its 101% perfect! We must be completely satisfied with it before its ready. Because our videos are proper movies every frame has to be checked and rechecked individually... Every effect, every title and every transition... nothing is left to chance.

Inside the great hanger at Mandeville. This is just two of the planes we flew there recently

Saturday 19th June 2010: After filming the WORLD PLOUGH 2010 event near the end of April 2010, we continued on south for about 4 weeks to do some flight tests and air to air photography with various aircraft at several locations. Read more on this here

Since our arrival home late last month, we have been really busy working on the recent WORLD PLOUGH 2010 DVD. It is coming along really well, but like all good things, is taking a little time. We are over halfway through, having completed the first edit...

Soon after our return, our family acquired a new addition... namely a dog! Yes, a real live puppy dog. It is a purebred female Border Collie born on the 18th March 2010... so is today 3 months 1 day old. Her name is Jessie, and is a real bundle of fun. It will be lovely to have her companionship when away in the back of beyond! Hopefully Adam won't get into such tricky predicaments if Jessie is there to take care of him.

This is Bessie, the Mother of our little Jessie (See left side of this page for pictures of our pup, or check out the  About Us page for most recent photos)

We purchased this remarkably clever little pup from Tracy and Suzie Bedford of Christchurch. They breed fine Border Collies as a sort of hobby... and get incredible satisfaction and enjoyment from seeing the new pups go to new homes all around the country. Tracy says is a very rewarding pastime. Jessies Mum is called Bessie, and is a fine Collie. Hopefully our little Jessie will grow up in the footsteps of her mother... she is already showing great intelligence and talent.

Saturday 10th April 2010: After an incredibly exciting time away, we are home and planning a 3rd expedition to look for the remains of ZK-AFB! You can read the full story here. Click here

It's always hard to come home to the extra work load after a holiday, but we are slowly working through it all. We are covering the NZ Plough 2010 event to be held at Methven next weekend. This will be our first rally video to be released on Blu-ray as well as standard DVD. It will also be first time we will cover the event in widescreen, so it should turn out to be a pretty interesting video!!!

Saturday 23rd January 2010: It's getting closer to the time when we aim to head away. But whilst we have been preparing to leave, TVNZ approached us for our story. Closeup has made an interesting little video... with interviews mixed with live video footage of our last expedition into the search area. It can be viewed on the Closeup website at by clicking here or clicking on the photo below.


BEHIND THE SCENES: One of the shots TNVZ (ClOSEUP) did to
add into their item regarding our efforts to locate ZK-AFB

Thanks to all those people who have emailed or telephoned us regarding sightings of wreckage or hearings of aircraft back in 1962. We are very grateful for your help.

Friday, 8th January 2010: Just a quick update with some new photos for the bottom of this page here. Click here Also of note is the fact that a reporter from the Sunday Star Times newspaper recently asked for our story. It's due on Sunday Star Times website and also STUFF this Sunday... (10th Jan' 2010) also available from your local news agent. By the way, here is a photo we took of ourselves today... It shows the "gang" altogether!!!


The  four of us (and puss!) in a relaxed moment

Monday, 19th October 2009: Our search for the missing plane is taking an interesting new twist as recent research draws us closer to the mystery crash location.

Sunday, 6th September 2009: Preparations are under way for a Second Expedition this Summer. We have purchased a classic caravan and are busy restoring it for the trip. PREPARING FOR A SECOND EXPEDITION

Sunday, 7th June 2009: The first expedition is over. We have learnt a lot, and mapped a great deal of the area to be searched. We have realized it is going to be quite an exercise, and one which could take a few seasons to complete. However, we are not concerned about the time it may take. We are working steadily onward. We have made a great deal of progress in that we made a performance test flight in the DH Dragonfly at Mandeville to see what it could or could not do. We were stunned at the findings!

We are now preparing for a second expedition in the Spring of 2009... just a few months away. Keep a watch on this site as we'll be posting more details soon.

Tuesday, 10th February, 2009: Operation Dragonfly is now in progress. We are departing in a couple of days in an attempt to locate the missing 'plane. Full details can be found at this page here: The Search Begins



Photo (Left to Right): Susan Rowan (wife of John Rowan); Ann Rowan (wife of Patrick Rowan); John Rowan; Bobbie Reeve; Patrick Rowan; Christine Rowan

On 24th November 2008 we met the Rowan family from Australia. Very fittingly the locale was Croydon House, Christchurch, the place Louis Rowan stayed at in the last days before the final flight of ZK-AFB. The Rowans are a wonderful family. We discussed our plans and hopes with them. In return they gave us much encouragement and prayers.

Monday, 23rd June 2008: Well, I'm very sorry for the delay in updating this site, but things have just been so hectic of late. With the Kingston Flyer film finally behind us, we now have a new project on hand. This is the search for an aircraft which went missing on a flight between Christchurch and Milford in early 1962. The 5 people and the 'plane were never seen again. Our quest is to locate the site and find out what took place on that tragic day. We will also be producing a film of the search. The full story, with photographs can be found here: The Dragonfly Mystery

The Honey Moon Couple who perished aboard the stricken plane

Sunday, 30th December, 2007: NEW ADDITION TO SITE: Please see the new section here INFORMATION for stories about how and why we have made certain films. This new feature will be added to as time permits.

Friday, 14th December, 2007: It is a pleasure to be able to finally announce the release of "THE KINGSTON FLYER, The Story of a Train and a Man" at long last! It has taken 10 long years to produce, and we are sure you will be pleased with the result.

Saturday, 12th August, 2007: Kingston Flyer video is getting very close to completion. It's looking to be one of our most exciting steam videos.

Kingston, New Zealand

Saturday, 4th August, 2007: Exciting new web site unveiled. With a tidier navigation system and a more uniform layout we feel this new site will present our online image in an easier manner than the old site.
 

HELPFUL LINKS

Bobbie explaining to the camera about what we have been doing with Dragonfly ZK-AYR at Mandeville, Southland 

www.whitebusfamily.co.nz