<p>The DC-3 served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam and was a favourite among pilots.
</p><p>For more than 70 years, the aircraft known by a variety of nicknames - The Doug, the Dizzy, Old Methuselah, the Gooney Bird (US Air Force), the Grand Old Lacy - but which to most of us is simply the Dakota, has been the workhorse of the skies. With its distinctive nose up profile when on the ground and extraordinary capabilities in the air, it transformed passenger travel and served in just about every military conflict from WWII onwards.
</p><p>Representing some truly unique Kiwi history, is a DC-3 that is the only surviving RNZAF World War II veteran aircraft still operating today in a front-line service.
</p><p>ZK-AWP was built in 1945 at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA. The Oklahoma City factory was constructed to cope with wartime production in 1941, immediately post Pearl Harbour. With a wing span of 29m, length of 20m and height of almost 4.5m and powered by two Pratt and Whitney R-1830-92 engines with 1250 bhp each, it was ideally suited to military service. DC-3s operated comfortably into unpaved fields of 1000 metres or sometimes less, carrying a standard load of three tons and featuring a range of 1200 nautical miles.
</p><p>With its delivery crew ZK-AWP left its "birthplace" at Oklahoma City, USA in April 1945 - on the day the Red Army overran the German High Command in Berlin - and flew to Hamilton, New Zealand. From May that year it became RNZAF Dakota NZ3543 and was assigned to 41 Squadron RNZAF until 1952. In 1952 it was handed over as NZ3543 at Whenuapai to New Zealand National Airways Corporation. It entered service on the 2nd of April 1953, clocking up 10 hours and 20 minutes on the first day. 
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Now 69 years later, it remains in commercial service and represents a very important part of Kiwi history.
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.flickr.com/people/88123769@N02">Bernard Spragg. NZ</a> from Christchurch, New Zealand
2014-04-19 15:03
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/volvob12b/13990834866/">Douglas DC-3. The most beautiful aircraft ever.</a>