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    This page documents a history of a specific aircraft. The details provided vary from aircraft to aircraft and are dependent on the research and amount of data uploaded to the Aerial Visuals database.

    Airframe Family: Douglas DC-1 / DC-2/R2D / DC-3 Dakota / C-47/R4D Skytrain / C-53 Skytrooper
    Latest Model:DC-3
    Last Military Serial:NZ3543 {1} RNZAF
    Construction Number:16387
    Last Civil Registration:ZK-AWP
    Compressed ID:Douglas DC-3 sn NZ3543 RNZAF cn 163...
    Latest Owner or Location:Air Chathams, Auckland International Airport (north side), Auckland, Auckland, North Island

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    Dates

    Event

    1944

    Constructed as a C-47B-30-DK by Douglas at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA.

    Circa 1944

    Taken on Strength/Charge with the United States Army Air Force with s/n 44-76803.

    New construction number, 33135, assigned to the airframe.

    May 1945

    Taken on Strength/Charge with the Royal New Zealand Air Force with s/n NZ3543 {1}.

    3 July 1952

    To National Airways Corporation (NAC) with new c/r ZK-AWP.

    February 1970

    To Polynesian Airways with new c/r 5W-FAI.

    From 3 August 1973 to 27 May 1985

    To Southern Air Super (Became Fieldair) with new c/r ZK-AWP.
    Having been converted to a topdresser aircraft.

    30 October 1986

    To Fieldair Freight, Palmerston North keeping c/r ZK-AWP.
    Following aircraft conversion to a freighter.

    1987


    Photographer: Chris Redford
    Notes: Wellington airport, New Zealand 1987

    1993

    Converted to a DC-3.
    Converted back to passenger configuration.

    27 August 1993

    To Alpine Fighter Collection, Wanaka keeping c/r ZK-AWP.
    Leased to Classic Wings.

    1995


    Photographer: Arthur Scarf
    Notes: 1995 photo at Wanaka

    14 December 1995

    To MacKley Aviation, Auckland keeping c/r ZK-AWP.

    August 1998

    To NZ Aerial Mapping, Albany, Auckland keeping c/r ZK-AWP.

    5 July 2000

    To Pionair Adventures, Christchurch keeping c/r ZK-AWP.

    2004

    To Peau Vavau-Air Tonga with new c/r A3-AWP.

    Based at Fua, Fuaamotu, Tongatapu Island.
    View the Location Dossier

    25 November 2013

    To Air Chathams Limited, Chatham Islands with new c/r ZK-AWP.

    Based at Air Chathams, Auckland International Airport (north side), Auckland, Auckland, North Island.
    View the Location Dossier

    1 February 2015


    Photographer: Graham Speirs
    Notes: At Auckland, New Zealand

    26 March 2016


    Photographer: Terry Fletcher
    Notes: Giving pleasure flights at 2016 Warbirds Over Wanaka Airshow, Otago, New Zealand
    This dossier is waiting for review by an editor.This airframe dossier is based on
    unreviewed imported data.
    If you can verify the documented history or add to it with additional text and/or photos please feel free to do so by using the upload tool and the history editor.
    Credits
     Data for airframe dossiers come from various sources. The following were used to compile this dossier...
    Internet Sources
     Aerial Visuals - The Locator by Mike Henniger, Senior Editor
    Airbus, Boeing, Convair and Douglas Production List
    Australian Defense Force Serials
    Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand
    Individual Contributors
     Terry Fletcher
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