Photo thread - The Douglas DC-3

[Peter Lewis]

ZK-AQS had seen RNZAF service as a C-47B-25-DK from March 1945 as NZ3535.

Transferred to NAC in early 1947, it was upgraded to passenger-carrying status at Palmerston North where it became Purourou and achieved its civilian identity on 14Oct1947.

ZK-AQS at Milson during conversion in 1947. Note it still has the military gun-port windows fitted at this time.



In similar condition, parked out at Paraparamu.
The photo is dated 1950, which seems to be rather late for this setup.



ZK-AQS adopted the full 1950s NAC colour scheme at a later date.

ZK-AQS on-line at Whenuapai in the company of Dominie ZK-AKT and Lodestar ZK-AKW



Parked on the ramp





Dave's 'Ice-cream men' at work on ZK-AQS



ZK-AQS was converted to a light freighter in the mid 1950s. This involved little more than adding a few floor-strengthening bearers. Later, in 1961, ZK-AQS was fully upgraded to full-time freighter status at Rongotai

ZK-AQS at Whenuapai 14Jan1965 in 'NAC Freightair' colours



and parked further down the field, outside the NAC hangar



Withdrawn from NAC service on 30Jan1966, it was stored (at Christchurch?) until a sale to brokers Australian Aircraft Sales took place in September 1967.

ZK-AQS at Christchurch, awaiting collection by its new owner.



The aircraft left New Zealand soon after this time, having clocked up 28941.35hrs, and made its way to the Far East Transport Corp., Taipeh, Taiwan where it became B-255 on 19Jan1968.
The history of the aircraft becomes obscure after this time, but it is believed to eventually have been reduced to spares in Taiwan.

[Peter Lewis]

C-47B-25-DK NZ3536 served with the RNZAF from March 1945 until being demobbed in September 1947.

Flown to Melbourne for conversion to DC-3D status for use on the Pacific Regional routes, it became ZK-AQT Piere on 14Oct1947.

ZK-AQT at Paraparaumu,November 1947. Needs a bit of tailplane work?



Similar, at Paraparaumu, with what appears to be one of John Gould's Oxfords in the background




ZK-AQT refuelling at Whenuapai, now in early NZNAC colours



Ready to board passengers



Departing





By the early 1950s ZK-AQT had been refinished in the standard NAC red/silver livery

Undergoing inspection by a family, Paraparaumu April 1952



Also operating out of Paraparaumu around that time were the four CAT C-46 freighters.

A good size comparison between one of them and ZK-AQT



ZK-AQT was the second DC-3 to be lost in NAC service. It crashed after engine failure during approach to Paraparaumu Airport, Wellington on 22 May 1954 with loss of 3 lives.
The aircraft was on final approach to Paraparaumu Airport's runway 03 when both engines quit simultaneously. The crew used the wrong fuel selection configuration and the engines failed due to fuel starvation. The airplane dangerously lost speed and height. Attempts to restart the engines were successful. The DC-3 climbed and rolled to the right until the wings assumed a vertical position. The wing then contacted a house on Kohutuhutu Road, Raumati Beach, causing the outer 12 feet to be sheared off. The DC-3 continued between two houses, struck trees and powerlines before coming to rest. A fire broke out in the starboard wing area.



Looking up Kohutuhutu Road, the aircraft hit the houses at the top of the rise on the left, then a fence, then decapitated the tree that is alongside the parked vehicle in the photograph (The tree has since regrown, but still bears evidence of the damage it sustained).

Kohutuhutu Road, Raumati Beach, 5Sep2011



The aircraft then slewed to starboard and hit the road about where I am standing, slid down the road and and came to rest on the left-hand road verge seen below

Kohutuhutu Road, Raumati Beach, 5Sep2011



The pilots survived and were able to assist most of the passengers to escape. Unfortunately three small children died in the crash. A memorial to them has been placed at Paraparaumu airfield near the aviation museum there

Paraparaumu airfield, 5Sep2011



PROBABLE CAUSE: a) Either throughout the flight or a substantial portion of it both engines were drawing fuel from the starboard main tank. b) The selector valves or valve were moved after the engines out, and the valves, when found and checked later, indicated a final setting of each engine to its respective port and starboard main tank. c) The total fuel usage recorded for sixty hours of service by the engines of this aircraft prior to this flight establish that the fuel was used normally by each engine from each tank and that there was no malfunction of the selector equipment. d) The failure of the engines of this aircraft was due to the exhaustion of fuel in the starboard main tank, to which both engines had been selected. e) Having regard to the position and condition of the aircraft at the time of engine failure the subsequent accident to the aircraft was inevitable.

[Peter Lewis]

Dakman has sent me a selection of DC-3 photos from his collection
These include, among others, some more shots of ZK-AOI.
These have been added to the entry for that aircraft.
Thanks Allan.

[baz62]

Isn't the port engine on AQT "parked at Whenuapai" running? Or is the prop off?

[Peter Lewis]

Running, I'd say. Good point.
Have moved it down to the 'departing' paragraph.

[Peter Lewis]

ZK-AQU had served as a C-47B-30-DK serialled NZ3542 from May 1945.

Issued to NAC in October 1947, it was converted to DC-3D configuration in Australia and named Pihoihoi.

ZK-AQU in early NAC colours



Repainted in full NAC colours, ZK-AQU then continued in service on internal routes.

Departing Whenuapai - something wrong with that port engine?



All set to depart






ZK-AQU at an unidentified regional airfield - possibly Nelson.



Showing the colours, Rongotai



ZK-AQU was not converted to Skyliner status, and continued to serve until July 1965 when it had reached 31720hrs.

ZK-AQU at Whenuapai 2Feb1964



After a short-term charter to SPANZ in mid-1965, ZK-AQU returned to the RNZAF as NZ3542 on 30Aug1965. Converted to a passenger configuration (18 seats) with long range tanks for overseas work, it served with 42Sdn from December 1965 to May 1977.

ZK-AQU as NZ3542, second time around



After storage, NZ3542 was sold to K B Neely of Christchurch and was reissued with the registration ZK-AQU on 6Dec1978.

Fresh from it's second RNZAF service



The aircraft then sat at Harewood along with the other ex-RNZAF C-47/DC-3s while the export embargo was in force.

ZK-AQU at Christchurch under Neely ownership



Departing NZ on 8Dec1980, ZK-AQU was ferried to Singapore. Issued with the registration D6-CAH in January 1981 to Island Associates, London it was leased to Air Comores, Moroni but soon arrived at the South African Air Force where it adopted the identity '6858'

'6858' in SAAF service





Converted to PT6 power at a later stage as a C-47T, retaining the same SAAF serial number



Sold to Dodson Aviation Inc., Ottawa in 1998, the aircraft was allotted the registration N146RD but apparently never left South Africa and is stored dismantled at Wonderboom.

[Peter Lewis]

C-47B-15-DK NZ3530 served with the military from December 1944 until it was transferred to the Civil Aviation Administration Department at Wellington in April 1952.

A slightly dodgy photo, but it does show ZK-AUJ as it arrived at Paraparaumu in 1952 fresh from military service.



Becoming ZK-AUJ on 18Apr1952, it was fitted out with navigational and radio checking equipment. Operating from CAA's Paraparaumu base, ZK-AUJ saw wide-ranging service throughout both New Zealand and the Pacific Islands on airfield calibration work.

ZK-AUJ in an early Civilair scheme, Paraparaumu 1953





A later and more well known livery, at Rukuhia 26Mar1966



and in a foggy day at Paraparaumu



By the late 1960s the DCA had been folded into the Ministry of Transport, and ZK-AUJ was repainted to reflect this change



ZK-AUJ served reliably until 1972, when it was replaced by new Fokker Friendships. Sold to brokers Aviation Sales (NZ) Ltd. of Auckland on 3Jan1973 it departed Auckland on 20Jun1973 for Norfolk Island and Sydney where ownership was changed to Australian Aircraft Sales Pty.Ltd.

ZK-AUJ on transit in Australia, 1973



Sold to Samaki Peanich Airlines in Laos, it became XW-TFJ and the NZ registration was cancelled on 31Aug1973.
The aircraft later escaped from the wartime chaos in Laos, flying from Kompong Som to Don Muang with Capt. Chen and Mrs. Chi aboard on 14Apr1975 and remained stored at Don Muang until broken up in 1984.

XW-TFJ, previously ZK-AUJ, derelict at Don Muang just prior to is demise in about mid 1984.


photo via Dave Paull

[shamus]

ZK-AQU, Pihoihoi, taken I think at Paraparumu just before I boarded her to fly to Whenuapai sometime around 1959 to 1960. Taken with my old Contessa-Nettel 120 Camera.

[guest]

Sept 8, 2011 22:15:29 GMT 12 Peter Lewis said:

ZK-AQU had served as a C-47B-30-DK serialled NZ3542 from May 1945.

Issued to NAC in October 1947, it was converted to DC-3D configuration in Australia and named Pihoihoi.

Repainted in full NAC colours, ZK-AQU then continued in service on internal routes.

ZK-AQU was not converted to Skyliner status, and continued to serve until July 1965 when it had reached 31720hrs.

After a short-term charter to SPANZ in mid-1965, ZK-AQU returned to the RNZAF as NZ3542 on 30Aug1965. Converted to carry paratroopers, it served with 42Sdn from December 1965 to May 1977.

NZ3542 spent it's latter years in the RNZAF in a passenger configuration (18 seats) with long range tanks for overseas work.

While '42 may have been used for paratrooping, the two dedicated 'paradaks' were '38 and '47. '46 was high density pax (27), with '53 as the semi-vip (8 + 4v) with long range tanks, and '51 as the vip (8v), as you see her at Wigram now.

[Peter Lewis]

Thanks for the additional photo and update/correction on AQU.
The entry has been corrected.
Surely the long-range tanks would have been a carryover from its DC-3D days?

[Peter Lewis]

C-47B-35-DK NZ3548 served with the RNZAF from July 1945 to July 1952.

Issued to NAC the same month, the civil conversion work to passenger carrying status was carried out at Palmerston North and the aircraft became ZK-AWO Putaitai.

After the introduction of the Vickers Viscount into NAC service, the airline had excess passanger capacity so ZK-AWO was converted to a freight carrying aircraft in 1958

ZK-AWO with the addition of Freightair titling, at Paraparaumu



This DC-3 was almost certainly the first to get a white top paint scheme. Note it has the tapered red tail line as originally worn by the Viscounts. All subsequent “white-tops” had the double red lines as per the second Viscount scheme.

ZK-AWO in updated  'NAC Freightair' colours at Rongotai January 1963



and at at Whenuapai 25Jan1965



ZK-AWO was withdrawn from NAC service on 5Sep1966 at 24109.05hrs and was sold to Airland (NZ) Ltd. of Palmerston North, being registered in their name on 21March1967. Converted to topdressing configuration, it operated from October that year.

ZK-AWO in Airland colours





Fieldair took over the Airland fleet from February 1978, and ZK-AWO was repainted in their yellow colour scheme

ZK-AWO awaiting the next Fieldair sortie



ZK-AWO carried out its last flight 1Mar84 and was then WFU at Milson @ 32846hrs. Registration cancelled 29Jun1985.

Static at Milson, Palmerston North, late 1980s



After some time in storage, and passing through a few private owners, the bulk of the aircraft was scrapped at Feilding in the early 1990s. However, the nose section was preserved and eventually acquired by Chris Rudge in 2000. He has carried out some restoration work, and has mounted the artifact on a road trailer for use in promotional work.

ZK-AWO nose section at Omaka 2003



At the Ashburton Aviation Museum January 2011

[guest]

Are you sure ZK-AWO was NZ3538?

NZ3538 was definitely in RNZAF service up until 1977 when the fleet retired.

(see my 9 Sept post at 18:48 above.)

Edit: NZ3548, perhaps?

[Peter Lewis]

Slip of the finger there - just seeing if any one is awake.
NZ3548 of course, we all know that, entry corrected.

[Peter Lewis]

NZ3543 served as a C-47B-30-DK with the RNZAF from May 1945 until transferred to NAC on 15Jul1952.

The civil conversion to DSC-3C standards took place at Palmerston North, and the aircraft was rolled out as ZK-AWP Powhaitere in March 1953.

ZK-AWP in 1950s NAC colours



When the NAC DC-3 fleet was upgraded to Skyliner configuration, ZK-AWP emerged as Kaitaia in May 1963

Skyliner 'Kaitaia ZK-AWP Whenuapai 2Feb1964



Similar colours, Auckland International 11Nov1967



and the coloured version, at Christchurch



ZK-AWP was leased to Polynesian Airlines Ltd., Apia, Western Samoa from 7Feb1970 to Feb1972 as 5W-FAI.

Returning to New Zealand, it sat parked at Christchurch until sold to Southern Air Super Ltd., Palmerston North on 3Aug1973 replaced the ill-fated ZK-AOI.

ZK-AWP in Southern Air Super livery, looks to be at Wigram



When Fieldair took full control of SAS in 1975, ZK-AWP then appeared in their colours

ZK-AWP with Fieldair in agricultural configuration



ZK-AWP carried out its last flight as a Fieldair topdresser on 11May1985.

WFU Palmerston North, it sat there until converted to a freight role with Classic Air Services Ltd., a Fieldair associated company, in late 1986.

Stored at Palmerston North



 This operation became Fieldair Freight at a later stage.

Fieldair Freight ZK-AWP airborne near Wellington



When freight operations ceased in 1993, ZK-AWP was converted back to passenger status for operations by Classic Air, a Paraparaumu-based company.

ZK-AWP in Classic Air colours, Paraparaumu 1994



The Alpine Deer Group of Wanaka took ownership later that year, but the Classic Air operation continued under lease. However, this was not successful and the aircraft was repossessed.
Mackley Aviation Ltd., Auckland were the next owners from December 1995, then NZ Aerial Mapping Ltd. took over in August 1998 and restored the aircraft to Skyliner colours. They leased the DC-3 to Pionair Adventures Ltd., Christchurch.

ZK-AWP in restored Skyliner colours Ardmore 2000



Flight 2000 Ltd., Ardmore briefly operated the aircraft from December 2001 to May 2002, when it returned to Pionair Adventures .

The aircraft was then flown to Tonga, and used there under Pionair ownership June 2004-Sept2005 before going on to the Tongan register as A3-AWP Peau Vava'u Air in late 2005.

Due to civil disruption in Tonga, A3-AWP spent three years from November 2006 in storage at Tongatapu.
Chathams Pacific obtained the aircraft in 2009 and restored it to servicability and operated it on theTongatapu - Ha'apai route.





At the conclusion of the operating contract, the DC-3 returned to New Zealand in December 2013.
Taking up it's previous registration of ZK-AWP, and carrying Air Chathams titles, it has been based at Auckland International Airport and been operated both on charter flights and on the airline's Auckland to Whakatane scheduled services

At Wanaka April 2013











and March 2016

[agile]

Were Fieldair Freight and Speedlink Parcels titles applied to the entire fleet at different times, or did some wear FF and others SP?

[Peter Lewis]

ZK-AWQ had served with the RNZAF as a C-47B-35-DK carrying the serial NZ3546 from June 1945 until it was demobbed in July 1952.

Converted to DC-3C status at Palmerston North, it became Patarai on 15Jul1952.

ZK-AWQ in 1950s colours, Paraparaumu 1953



ZK-AWQ in NACs 1950s colours on the flightline at Whenuapai



After completing 16777hrs, it was withdrawn from NAC service on 18Apr1961 and returned to the RNZAF the following day.
Resuming its original serial of NZ3546, it was fitted with target towing gear for its resumed military service with 42Sdn.

NZ3546 at Whenuapai 29Aug1964



Rear view, clearly showing the target towing installation. Note the astrodome on the door, so that the towing operator can keep an eye on things



A closer view, and some comments on this installation can be found at
rnzaf.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=Postwar&action=display&thread=11391

Finally withdrawn from RNZAF service in late 1977, it was sold by tender to K B Neely of Christchurch and flown to Harewood in rather basic markings after resuming the identity of ZK-AWQ on 6Dec1978.

ZK-AWQ at Christchurch in ferry flight markings





After a repaint, ZK-AWQ then sat at Harewood for some time until the export embargo was lifted.

At Christchurch, 1979





Eventually departing NZ on 8Dec1980 for Singapore, ZK-AWQ became D6-CAG with Island Associates, London on 1Jan1981 and was short-leased to Air Comores, Moroni.
As with the other Neely exports, it arrived in South Africa and became 6863 with the SAAF.

ZK-AWQ as SAAF 6863 in 1982



Converted at a later date to PT6 power as a C-47-TP, it was sold to Dobson Aviation Inc., Ottawa, KS and was allotted N81907 on 14Jul1998. However, it remained in South Africa and was transferred to Dobson International Parts SA, Wonderboon as ZS-OJL on 15Feb2001.

ZS-OJL at Wonderboom 2004, Ruud Leeuw photo



Latest reports show this aircraft as stored at Wonderboon, South Africa.

Important - please note that the Warbirds Dakota currently flying in New Zealand carrying the serial NZ3546 is a later import that has no connection with the 'real' NZ3546.

[Peter Lewis]

In 1950, NZCAA needed an aircraft that was capable of carrying out airfield navaid calibration work throughout both New Zealand and the dependent island territories (as they were then).

At the time, the RNZAF could not provide a suitable surplus aircraft, so the search went further afield. In Singapore, the RAF were operating C-47 transports, and were able to provide one to meet CAA's needs.

This aircraft, a C-47B-25-DK Dakota IV serialed KN372, had been used at one time by Lord Mountbatten in India during his time as Supreme Allied Commander of Southeast Asia Command and later reserved for the C-in-C British Commonwealth Occupation Force in Japan. This aircraft, which had sat unused at Seletar for almost two years, was bought ex-Singapore @ 1252.50hrs in June 1950 for 4000 pounds. After an overhaul it was used by the Singapore-based RNZAF 41 squadron for some of their routine flights still using the serial KN372. On one of these flights, an aerial search from Butterworth in late July, the aircraft experienced an engine failure and made a single-engined landing at Kuala Lumpur. After repairs had been completed more routine military flights followed, and in late November 1950 S/L J Murray, OC 41 Sdn, ferried the aircraft to New Zealand. On 4Dec1950 KN372 was flown from RNZAF Whenuapai to Paraparaumu.

On arrival it was converted to civil status and registered ZK-AXS on 21Dec1950 to the Civil Aviation Administration, Wellington.

ZK-AXS at Paraparaumu shortly after it's arrival in New Zealand



Still without any external indication of ownership, ZK-AXS parked at Paraparaumu April 1952



ZK-AXS now carrying early Civilair markings



ZK-AXS was joined in its calibration work in 1952 by ex-RNZAF DC-3 ZK-AUJ.
ZK-AXS achieved some notoriety when, on arrival at the high-profile agricultural aviation display at Palmerston North Airport in November 1956, it was damaged on landing when it overshot the end of a wet runway. A lot of pilots who had had their hands smacked by CAA secretly smiled at that one.

Repaired, ZK-AXS continued to serve in the calibration role for many years.

Now painted into an early version of a hi-viz scheme



Calibration work in the Pacific Islands lead to the addition of NEW ZEALAND above the DCA titling



ZK-AXS at Milson 11Mar1965



The end eventually came during a training flight at Paraparaumu on 6Nov1970 when, during a downwind simulated take-off, the DC-3 turned off the runway at speed. The right main landing gear collapsed and the aircraft was deemed unrepairable.
The fuselage was later used by the fire service at Rongotai as a training aid.

[flyjoe180]

Such sad demises for many of these aeroplanes. Love that CAA over-run story Peter

[Peter Lewis]

C-47B-5-DK NZ3525 was yet another RNZAF transport aircraft that served from October 1944 until civilianized in 1951.

Fitted out to DC-3C standard at Palmerston North, it became ZK-AYK Parekareka. Registered as such to NAC on 28Mar1951, the conversion was not completed until the following December.

ZK-AYK fresh from military service, Milson 1951



ZK-AYK resting at Paraparaumu April 1952



On the line, at Paraparaumu April 1953



Disembarking passengers at Paraparaumu



and then refuelling, courtesy of the Vacuum Oil Company



ZK-AYK in 1950s NAC colours at Rongotai



ZK-AYK seems to have kept a low profile in NAC service. Its one claim to fame appears to have been the inauguration of the then main trunk route into Wanganui after that airport was upgraded in 1954. Douglas DC-3 ZK-AYK 'Parekareka' [Captains G. Miles and J.W. Winefield] arrived from Auckland and New Plymouth at 10.25am on 1Nov1954 and departed at 10.40am for Palmerston North and Wellington.

This DC-3 was converted to Skyliner standards as Tauranga in November 1963.

Skyliner ZK-AYK at Nelson 18Jan1965. Taken during my first visit to the South Island. The tents of our scout camp are visible left rear, located where the Origin Pacific terminal was eventually built. Note that, in the absence of high chain mesh security fences and red Honda RAVs, the Nelson airport operational areas are awash with errant Morris Minors while little old ladies are busy smuggling whole baskets of deadly knitting needles and nail scissors on to the aircraft.



ZK-AYK parked outside the NAC hangar at Whenuapai



A few years later, ZK-AYK Auckland International 16Mar1968



On withdrawal from NAC service in mid-1968 ZK-AYK had flown 31,944hrs. After storage at Christchurch it was sold through brokers to Laos Airlines, Vientiane on 20Sep1969 and departed New Zealand on the 23rd.

In Laos it became XW-TDO as from 6Oct1969, but had a short life there as it was written off in unknown circumstances on 29Jun1970.

[Peter Lewis]

C-47B-5-DK NZ3527 served with the RNZAF from October 1944 through to March 1951.

Civilianized at Palmerston North, it was registered ZK-AYL to NAC on 28Mar1951.

ZK-AYL on arrival at Milson prior to civilian fitout, early 1951



Fitted out to DC-3C standards, it came on-line as Piwakawaka in August.

Loading and refuelling ZK-AYL at Paraparaumu August 1951



ZK-AYL resting at Paraparaumu May 1952



ZK-AYL Piwakawaka during the early 1950s



Refuelling courtesy of BP



By early in the 1960s ZK-AYL had been refinished in NAC's later white-top colours

Getting ready for the next scheduled flight at Rongotai



After serving NAC unobtrusively in the 1950s and 60s, ZK-AYL was upgraded to Skyliner standard in May 1964 and renamed Timaru. For some unknown reason, this was soon changed to Whakatane.

Skyliner 'Whakatane', ZK-AYL at Whenuapai 10Mar1965. My friend's el-cheapo 35mm camera was not a high-spec device!



Withdrawn from NASC use by early 1968, the aircraft left New Zealand on 21May1968 for Laos, where it became XW-TDH with Laos Airlines, Vientiane on the 29th.

The eventual fate of this aircraft is obscure, though there are reports that that this aircraft too was destroyed by the Vientiane storm that claimed ZK-AZN in 1976

Reports that ZK-AYL/XW-TDH resurfaced in the USA carrying the registration N8056 with the Somerset Area Vocational School, Somerset, KY have since been found to be in error - this aircraft was actually another C-47, c/n 25735.