These two shots show Douglas C-47A , c/n 20051 , in the Gisborne Aviation Preservation Societies hangar painted to represent the RNZAF C47 NZ3547.
This airframe actually has no NZ military history apart from being on display at the RNZAF Museum at Ohakea until 2000 after which it went to Gisborne. Following service with the USAAF during WW11 it became NC65393 with Trans Pacific Airlines of Hawaii and then N65393 with Aloha Airlines. It first arrived in NZ briefly on 04-12-1960 and then dashed off to Hong Kong on the 8th for conversion to the Ag role for Rural Aviation with whom it became ZK-BYF on23-02-1961. It transferred to Airland (NZ) Ltd in August of 1966,
ZK-BYF at Paraparaumu on 11-01-1971.
and to Fieldair in February of 1977.
It was withdrawn from use on 20-01-1981 with 34,891 flying hours. It then popped up at the Silverstream Aeronautical Society yard (north of Stokes Valley) resting alongside a Harvard and a Ceres.
It was withdrawn from use on 20-01-1981 with 34,891 flying hours. It then popped up at the Silverstream Aeronautical Society yard (north of Stokes Valley) resting alongside a Harvard and a Ceres.
ZK-BYF at Silverstream on 22-07-1982.
Its next move had it at Ohakea as a gate guardian and painted in the "D Day" scheme of KG318/YS.
Lying alongside ZK-BYF/"NZ3547" at Gisborne in the top pic are the mortal remains of Tiger Moth ZK-AWA. This was a Fieldair aircraft which crashed in April of 1957.
********************************************************
The second DC-3/C-47 at Gisborne is at the Smash Palace Restaurant and Wine Bar. It is even more difficult to get a good photo of this one. This is c/n 13521 which served in the South Pacific during WW11ending up on the Australian civil register with Australian National Airline in December of 1945 as VH-ANU. It joined NZNAC as ZK-BKD on 27-06-1955. It then served with Mount Cook under their various name changes, on lease.
Photo shows ZK-BKD at Christchurch on 25-04-1966.
It went back to NZNAC and on to Fieldair on 13-07-1970. It was retired in January 1983 and stored at Palmerston North and was cancelled in November 1987. Hamish Ross acquired it for inclusion in an agricultural museum near Rotorua. Sadly Hamish was killed in the crash of Fletcher ZK-BIX on 11-12-1990 and the museum project faded away. The airframe was moved to Gisborne in 1991.
