thought of future flying boat development in New Zealand. The Solents were delivered during 1949 with one setting a new trans-Tasman crossing record of 5 hours 37 minutes. With one exception, the Solents were withdrawn from service with the introduction of the Douglas DC-6 landplanes in 1954. The exception, ZK-AMO Aranui, continued flying the Coral Route from its base at Suva, Fiji, until 1960. TEAL introduced the landplane based Hibiscus Service to Nadi, Fiji. Short S.45 Solent Mk III flying-boat In 1951, TEAL purchased an extra Solent flying boat from BOAC to ease pressure on growing passenger numbers and help with the new Wellington based Tasman Service operating from Evans Bay. ZK-AMQ Aparima carried on in TEAL service until 1957, and on the Coral Route as the backup to ZK-AMO Aranui based at Suva, Fiji. Douglas DC-6 The Douglas DC-6 was flown by TEAL between 1954 and 1961. Three were transferred to TEAL after the break-up of British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines (BCPA). Re-registered ZK-BGA Aotearoa III, -BGB Arawhata, and -BGC Arahia. They were original "short bodied" types fitted out with sleeper beds and long range tanks. The aircraft started replacing the flying boats service in May 1954. It meant the transfer of TEAL's Auckland International Airport operations from Mechanics Bay to the shared Whenuapai air force and civilian terminal, where it was to remain until 1965. In September 1956, Douglas ordered the re-skinning of all DC-6 wings. Work was completed on the fleet at Cathay Pacific's Hong Kong engineering facilities to allow a 2000 lb increase in payload. The landplane finally allowed TEAL to expand operations to Nadi, Fiji and from there directly to Tahiti. It also opened up landplane operations to Melbourne, helping move passengers during the 1956 Olympic Games and Brisbane. It also ended the leasing of a Trans Australian Airlines DC-4 operating out of Christchurch on behalf of the airline. Wellington's rebuilt Rongotai Airport handled its first DC-6 service just after it re-opened in 1959, ending trans-Tasman flying boat operations from nearby Evans Bay. Originally to be replaced by the Lockheed L-188 Electra in 1960, the DC-6 remained in service due to engineering issues for the Electra, until 1961. They were handed over to the Royal New Zealand Air Force to be used as troop transports, remaining in service until 1970. Lockheed L-188C Electra The last new type to be operated by TEAL was the Lockheed L.188