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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 1, 2011 22:35:36 GMT 12
You've certainly got a lot of DC-3 photos Peter, great stuff. I think that latest scheme on the Mangaweka Dakota is yuck, one of the worst schemes I've seen on a Dakota ever. But at least it is still looked after and in one piece. I have posted this some years back but this is a photo my Dad took at Mangaweka in the late 1970's or early 1980's. Note the Europa station, NZ's own petrol company back then, now long gone.  |
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Post by flyjoe180 on Sept 1, 2011 22:37:09 GMT 12
I remember Europa Dave. The guy with the spade, planting the tree we see in my and Peter's shots I wonder?
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Post by hairy on Sept 1, 2011 22:46:45 GMT 12
I must admit I'm a little surprised that no-one else seems to have any photos of these aircraft to add. I'm not, because you've got all of mine.  ;D  |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 2, 2011 0:44:58 GMT 12
Note in Dad's shot the DC-3 wears the name Weka.
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Post by stu on Sept 2, 2011 10:24:06 GMT 12
I have posted this some years back but this is a photo my Dad took at Mangaweka in the late 1970's or early 1980's. Note the Europa station, NZ's own petrol company back then, now long gone. As seen in Europa's epic (and classic) eighties TV commercial. Given the aviation content, this video has no doubt been posted before but just in case, and to save hunting for it.... |
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Post by stu on Sept 2, 2011 12:01:57 GMT 12
Fascinating thread. As Joe has posted a photo of her in her new livery, do some photos of ZK DAK in her old scheme qualify for the thread? Taken in 2006.....       Cheers, Stu. |
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Post by Peter Lewis on Sept 2, 2011 15:43:28 GMT 12
I'm not, because you've got all of mine. ;D For which I'm sure we are all very grateful Marcus. Without your and JA's input, this would be a sparse thread indeed. Be catching up with you in the next couple of days. From my hotel room in a surprisingly unwindy Wellington |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 2, 2011 16:18:13 GMT 12
Not all of us were around when the Dakota was king, sadly, so it's great to see the photos of when it was as much the flying bus as the ATR's and Beech 1900's of today.
You know Stu, if anyone had asked me I would have sworn the Travelling On adverts were done by Mobil. Funny how the memory plays tricks. I haven't watched the Youtube link as this damned computer is too slow, but is that the advert that had Skyhawks at Ohakea too?
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Post by Peter Lewis on Sept 2, 2011 16:42:34 GMT 12
Yes it is the Skyhawk & Ohakea one, also featuring the Kingston Flyer.
Definatly Europa, just before the brand was sold.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 3, 2011 2:09:17 GMT 12
You know the thread title on this thread is a bit of a misnomer as none of the aircraft so far featured were Douglas DC-3's, they were all built as C-47's. Very few DC-3's were ever built. i don't know if any genuine civil DC-3's have served in NZ?
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Post by flyjoe180 on Sept 3, 2011 9:02:39 GMT 12
On a good day you can't beat Wellington Peter. Lovely. A shame about the other 90% of the year Good point Dave. |
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Post by Peter Lewis on Sept 3, 2011 9:28:07 GMT 12
Point already covered at the beginning of the thread: New Zealand has employed 42 different DC-3 aircraft in civil operations since 1947. Most of these were originally built as military C-47 aircraft, but I shall refer to them all as DC-3s in this thread. One of the later DC-3s imported into NZ was actually built as a DC-3. Ordered by a US airline prior to the US entry to the war it was taken straight off the production line into US military service. Don't have my records here to identify which one right now, but someone will know. |
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Post by furyfb11 on Sept 3, 2011 11:25:06 GMT 12
Point already covered at the beginning of the thread: New Zealand has employed 42 different DC-3 aircraft in civil operations since 1947. Most of these were originally built as military C-47 aircraft, but I shall refer to them all as DC-3s in this thread. One of the later DC-3s imported into NZ was actually built as a DC-3. Ordered by a US airline prior to the US entry to the war it was taken straight off the production line into US military service. Don't have my records here to identify which one right now, but someone will know. ZK-BKE C/N 4119 |
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Post by Peter Lewis on Sept 4, 2011 9:02:11 GMT 12
Thank you David. That sounds right.
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Post by Peter Lewis on Sept 5, 2011 21:51:39 GMT 12
C-47B-30-DK NZ3538 had been expected to become ZK-AOG with NAC in June 1947 but, along with NZ3556/ZK-AOK, was at that time, surplus to requirements. This decision was reversed a few months later and NZ3538 was flown to Melbourne to be converted there to serve in a dedicated freight role with NAC as Peho. The civilian certificate of airworthiness for this aircraft was issued on 24Sep1947 at which time it had flown 1300.30hrs and the registration ZK-AQP was issued on 14Oct1947. ZK-AQP fresh from RNZAF service, arriving at Paraparaumu in 1947 ZK-AQP served solely in the freight haulage business with NAC, and wore a unique colour scheme for some years promoting this service. At Paraparaumu, 1950 ZK-AQP as an airfield which is undergoing some work. Note the peeling paint on the aircraft, unlike its passenger carrying cousins. Note 'Express' has now been changed to 'Service'  Note that in these photos, the name 'Peho' is shown featured on the NAC logo painted on the rear fuselage. I have not seen this detail on any other NAC aircraft Later in the 1950s Peho was repainted into a variation of the updated NAC passenger aircraft colour scheme, but still promoting the Freightair service ZK-AQP at Paraparaumu July 1953 Loading/unloading was still a labour-intensive exercise  At Rongotai a few years later When the white-top scheme was introduced, ZK-AQP followed the fashion. Here, ZK-AQP rests at Whenuapai, early 1960s ZK-AQP was withdrawn from NAC service on 4Sep1966, with the civilian registration cancelled on 26Sep66. It had clocked up almost 23250hrs by that time. The aircraft was then returned to military service, readopting the serial NZ3538 on the 15th October and was fitted out to carry paratroopers, serving with 42Sdn RNZAF from 20Feb1967.
ZK-AQP as NZ3538 at Whenuapai 1Jul1967  After a further 10 years service, NZ3538 was finally retired on 16Mar1977 with 26,959hrs in the logbook. It was sold by tender the following year, with K B Neely of Christchurch being the purchaser. ZK-AQP was registered in his name on 6Dec1978 but remained parked at Christchurch airport for some time as the Government of the day suspected that its eventual export destination was Rhodesia, at that time subject to an arms embargo. ZK-AQP at Harewood, still in ex-RNZAF colours
During its time at Christchurch it was repainted into a red/white scheme   Eventually ZK-AQP was allowed to depart, leaving NZ for Singapore on 17Dec1980. It adopted the registration D6-CAF for owners Island Associates Ltd., London before moving to Air Comores, Moroni on lease but soon appeared as '6846' of the South African Air Force. While in SAAF '6846' was converted to Pratt and Whitney turboprop power as a C-47TP . It was eventually sold to Dodson Aviation Inc., Ottawa, KS becoming N8241T on 11Dec1997 and departing for the USA on the 15th. Believed to be still airworthy in the USA. |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 6, 2011 0:14:37 GMT 12
It is good to see that aircraft is still flying.
Last night on 'Off The Radar' the presenter Te Radar flew in a lovely looking DC-3 in the tropics, I didn't catch where it was though. The name on the side that i saw fleetingly looked like it read Charter Pacific. Is that an ex-RNZAF example?
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Post by Tony on Sept 6, 2011 3:13:12 GMT 12
It is good to see that aircraft is still flying. Last night on 'Off The Radar' the presenter Te Radar flew in a lovely looking DC-3 in the tropics, I didn't catch where it was though. The name on the side that i saw fleetingly looked like it read Charter Pacific. Is that an ex-RNZAF example? Chathams Pacific  Ex ZK-AWP & NZ3543 |
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Post by dakman on Sept 6, 2011 9:16:01 GMT 12
Great work Peter this the first time Ihave seen AQP in those markings .
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 6, 2011 11:48:46 GMT 12
Thanks Tony. Does that DC-3 ever make visits to NZ?
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Post by pjw4118 on Sept 6, 2011 12:55:54 GMT 12
;D
Peter in your opening post you asked
Maybe thats why we were all too afraid to upset the sequence and just wait til the end to wack in all our best shots?
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;D
