ZK-AQV de
Havilland D.H.104 Dove
(c/n 04050)
ZK-AQV was the first Dove to be
imported into New Zealand arriving in early 1948. Soon after
being assembled
by De Havilland at Rongotai it passed to the Royal New Zealand Air
Force as
NZ1801, the
first of some thirty D.H. Devons (as the military Dove was known) to be
operated
by that
air arm.
Photos of it in civilian guise are, therefore, quite rare. It was
retired from the
RNZAF in
1963 and put into
storage. In 1970 it was sold to Australian Helicopters Ltd of
Para-
field,
Adelaide, South Australia and registered
VH-MGT. After a series
of owners it was withdrawn
from use and
was on display
in an Adelaide museum during mid 1990s. It is reported to
be in storage
in South
Australia.