VH-ZRO started life as a Canadian-built Harvard Mk4 in 1952. In the late 60's it was purchased by 20th Century Fox and converted to be a "Tora Tora Zeke" for the movie Tora Tora Tora.
 
Mods included bigger engine cowl, smaller canopy, reworked cockpit, fairing over of rear seat, altered rudder shape, retractable tail wheel, mods to wing leading edge, extended and rounded wing tips, gas gun, smoke, extended u/c legs and new doors.
 
The aircraft was used in several movies before going to the UK, where it acquired a geared engine and big 3-bladed prop.
 
It then found its way to the Alpine Fighter Collection in NZ, and followed that collection's TBM Avenger to Australia to join Randal McFarlane's fleet.
 
Meanwhile we'd been working on Spitfire Mk14 RM797 (VH-XIV) for many years. However, no matter how much we spent on it, the gap in years and $$$ to an estimated completion forever increased! We thus swapped the project for ZRO 5 or 6 years ago.
 
Since then ZRO has ppeared at many air shows, flown usually by Garry Cooper or myself. It is an interesting aircraft, with quite different quirks to the standard T-6. It climbs much faster, (the big prop helps), needs accurate rudder input during aeros, and is quite demanding during landing.
 
It might not be a REAL Zeke, but it does look the part. Specially air-to-air.
 
Jeff Muller