ZK-AKY de
Havilland D.H.89B Dragon Rapide
(c/n 6653)
Here's -AKY on the ramp at Auckland in 1949 awaiting a load of pax for
the provincial
towns on the
Northland service. A Lodestar awaits in the background. Built as
a Dominie
for the RAF as HG654,
this aircraft was exported to New Zealand in 1943, becoming NZ525.
It went to
Union Airways and then New Zealand National Airways after WW II who
named it
'Tui'. It made
the last flight of a D.H.89 in NAC service 19 May 1964 from Auckland to
Christ-
church, having been
sold to Ritchie Air Services. After periods of service with
Tourist Air Travel
and Mt Cook
Airlines, it passed to Croydon Aircraft Co of Mandevilleand is still
currently on
the register.