I am sure that you all know the Douglas DC-3 at McDonalds in Taupo.
And I am sure you all know that it was ZK-CAW1 (c/n 18923).
Below is an extract from an earlier post on ZK-CAW.
ZK-CAW (18923) started life with the USAAF serialled 42-100460 and joined the civil ranks as VH-ANM with Australian National Airways in February 1947. Its final Australian operator was Airlines of NSW from February 1961.
It was modified to "Viewmaster" status (Lengthened cabin windows) before arriving in NZ on 23-10-1961 to become ZK-CAW with South PacificAirways Airlines of NZ Ltd and was named "George Bolt".
It joined NZNAC in March 1966 and was leased to Fiji Airways as VQ-FAI, returning to NZNAC in August 1969.
It the briefly served with Mount CookAirlines and then South Seas Airways before it went to Fieldair in May of 1971 in the agricultural role..
Its last flight was on 29-10-1984 bringing its total airframe time to 56,282 hours
By November 1990 it was at McDonalds, Taupo.
It was modified to "Viewmaster" status (Lengthened cabin windows) before arriving in NZ on 23-10-1961 to become ZK-CAW with South Pacific
It joined NZNAC in March 1966 and was leased to Fiji Airways as VQ-FAI, returning to NZNAC in August 1969.
It the briefly served with Mount CookAirlines and then South Seas Airways before it went to Fieldair in May of 1971 in the agricultural role..
Its last flight was on 29-10-1984 bringing its total airframe time to 56,282 hours
By November 1990 it was at McDonalds, Taupo.
I managed to gain entry into the fuselage the other day. Pic below.
The cockpit, blocked off by a clear(ish) screen, appears to be fully equipped.
In the freight are just behind the cockpit there are about a dozen information panels.
Some of which I have included below.
Hi Dave
ReplyDeleteWell done on that interesting post on ZK-CAW. http://nzcivair.blogspot.co.nz/2016/02/zk-caw.html
It is gratifying to see it being so well maintained after all these years. Was it coincidence or did you notice that it is 50 years tomorrow since the last SPANZ flight?
There is a typo in the name being Airways rather than Airlines but you are forgiven. It is easily done and we all do it.
Just to clarify a point though; you are right that it was modified to “Viewmaster” status before arriving in NZ however unlike ZK-BYD and ZK-BYE it was modified several years earlier, possibly as early as 1957. It was one of the Australian originals and based on the Viewmaster variant operated by Hawaiian Airlines. Richard Waugh and I covered the Hawaiian Viewmaster story extensively in our book SPANZ South Pacific Airlines of New Zealand & their DC-3 Viewmasters.
Copies are still available and ordering details are on our website www.nzairlineresearch.co.nz