Topdressing DC 3s (6) - ZK-AZA

 The next of our topdressing DC 3s was James Aviation's ZK-AZA:

ZK-AZA at Ardmore on 31/3/73 (above) and on 9/11/75 (below)

Douglas C-47B-20-DK  (c/n 15699/27144)

Built by The Douglas Aircraft Co, Oklahoma City, OK with 2x 1200HP 14-cyl R-1830-92 Twin Wasp radial engines, as 43-49883 

16 Jan 1945 USAAF diverted through “Lend-Lease” 

Exported to New Zealand flown 

NZ3531 19 Feb 1945 RNZAF Unit 19, Whenuapai. 

 RNZAF 40 Sqn, Whenuapai. Withdrawn from use 24 May 1946 storage . Struck Off Charge 31 May 1947. 

ZK-AZA 17 Sep 1951 NZ National Airways Corp, Wellington, named “Parera” NZ Certificate of Airworthiness 16 Oct 1951 Converted to passenger configuration at Palmerston North 11 Aug 1952 Exported to Fiji as VQ-FAJ 1963 for Fiji Airways Ltd, Suva 

Exported back to New Zealand Converted to Skyliner configuration at Christchurch 6 Sep 1963 as “Skyliner Rotorua” 

Exported again to Fiji as VQ-FBF 29 Sep 1967 Fiji Airways Ltd, Suva @ 27,907 hours Flight Time

DQ-FBF 31 Jul 1971 Air Pacific Ltd, Suva cancelled 31 Oct 1972 

Exported back to New Zealand again, flown to Auckland 8 Oct 1972 

ZK-AZA 14 Dec 1972 NZ National Airways Corp, Wellington 

1 Feb 1973 James Aviation Ltd,   Hamilton (delivered 5 Mar 1973) Converted to topdresser Last flight as a topdresser 1 Oct 1979 @ 35,565 hours Flight Time. 

27 Jul 1983 Dwen Airmotive Ltd, Ardmore cancelled 11 Oct 1983 Most of airframe broken up at Ardmore Nov 1983 Some parts including at least one engine & prop were exported to Aitutaki, Cook Islands for use as a “hurricane” maker for the film “The Silent Ones”. Engines sold and removed off island. Some remains still on Aitutaki.