Trans Pacific Airlines  Douglas DC-3  N62083      (c/n  26789)

                                     

                                           Trans Pacific Airlines was incorporated under the laws of the Territory of Hawaii  in June of 1946,
                                           but it would be three years on before the airline flew its first scheduled service (17 February 1949).
                                           The line was founded by local businessman and publisher Ruddy Tongg., with financial backing from
                                           real estate entrepreneur Dr. Hung Wo Ching.   It specialized in serving the local populace and was
                                           known, for a  while as "TPA - The People's Airline".  Backed as it was by a Chinese, however, this
                                           had the smack of being a communist outfit so that handle was quickly dropped in favor of "The Aloha
                                           Airline"!     The DC-3 above was former USAAF C-47B-15-DK 43-49528 (actually rather a "late
                                           model" as DC-3s go).  It went to Patair in New Guinea as VH-PNB in July 1961 and was later leased
                                           to Trans Australia Airlines' Sunbird Services in New Guinea in 1961.  As VH-PNB it was written off
                                           in a landing accident at Madang Airport in 1972.