Passion for the plane

The Dakota DC-3 was invented for sleeping. Created in 1935, the Douglas Sleeper Transport prototype offered transcontinental travellers across America a comfortable bed. As flying became more affordable the beds were replaced with conventional seating.

The Dakota DC-3 that flies over Auckland in her authentic uniform of 1944 D-Day colours is the only DC-3 working over the North Island. .

Though nearly 11,000 Dakotas were built between 1935 and 1946, this is one of just four working in New Zealand. The other three fly in the South Island. ( About 500 are still in service worldwide, but most were destroyed for scrap metal).

Fifty people, passionate about old Warbirds, put in $5000 each to bring the Dakota out of retirement at an air museum in Australia. Previous jobs included working the domestic routes for Philippine Airlines and PATAIR in New Guinea, and in the Australian Outback. During World War II, fitted out for military transport, she was used within the Pacific.

On the tourist trail in New Zealand, she's been fitted with new carpet and seating and has returned to work from a major, three-month overhaul.

At the Ardmore Airfield and the Warbirds' Association Headquarters, there's a wish-list poster on the wall. It includes a hangar for her, a spare engine, and a new coat of paint in time for her 60th birthday celebrations next year.

The list is indicative of an organisation trying to keep a tourism service in the air without the backing of a big corporation. Just filling the Dakota's fuel tank costs $3000 for around six hours' flying.

Contact: Fly Dakota DC-3 (09) 479 1378 or (09) 298 9208.

Email: flydc3@paradise.net