ZK-AWP   Douglas DC-3CS1C3G            (c/n  16387/33135)

                                 

                                        NZNAC DC-3s were, by and large, tough to photograph.  For some reason they were not
                                        particularly photogenic.  Even James Dyson (who was a pretty good photographer) had a problem
                                        with this shot (presented here courtesy of David Molesworth) insofar as the sun has obliterated
                                        the cabin titling.  My own shot below is unsharp and lacks contrast.    Anyway, ZK-AWP was
                                        a slightly earlier aircraft than its sister machine ZK-AWO, having been built as a C-47B-30-DK
                                        with serial number 44-76803.  It was assigned to the RNZAF becoming NZ3543.  Civilianed in
                                        1953, it passed to NZNAC who named it 'Pawahitere'.  Later in its career it was renamed 'Skyliner
                                        Kataia'.   In 1970 ZK-AWP was sold to Polynesian Airlines and re-registered 5W-FAI.  After three
                                        years the aircraft was repatriated back to New Zealand. and, after a varied further career as a top-
                                        dresser and a freighter it has now been restored to its former glory by Flight 2000 Ltd dressed up
                                        in NAC Skyliner livery.  A runway mishap in 2002 may have put it out of commission for a while. 
                                        Ivan Prince has a nice contemporary shot of it at:
                                                               http://www.adf-serials.com/nz-serials/gallery/Dakota/IP_NZ3543asAWP