DC-3 - Southern Skies Pioneer

Some sun fading to spine. Minor marks and wear to cover and yellowing to page edges. Some foxing to page edges.

First built in the 1930s, the Douglas DC-3/Dakota was an adpatable aircraft that filled a variety of roles: military transport (as a gunship, glider tug and air ambulance), commercial travel, freighter transport and even topdressing. This book tells the story of the DC-3 in New Zealand. First introduced during World War II, the aircraft became a vital part of the RNZAF fleet. It carried everything from spare parts and mail to food and ex-POWs and was involved in fighting in the Solomon Islands and support of New Zealand fighter bomber squadrons and flying boat squadrons. The DC-3 was the mainstay of New Zealand's commercial air services, for both passengers and freight, from the late 1940s until the mid-1960s, and embodies many nostalgic memories for generations of New Zealanders. It has carried VIPs, including Queen Elizabeth II. It also has had a key role in rural areas as a topdressing aircraft. Today, it makes regular appearances in warbirds displays and in tourism enterprises.