21 replies to this topic

[jankees]

The latest version (V4) by Dave Garwood came with a paintkit, so here we go:

[hurricanemk1c]

Didn't think it'd take you long! Nice repaints!

[jankees]

thank you!

[mutley]

Love that last shot,are you going to publish any?
Greetings
Joe

[jankees]

yes, all four are now available on Ozx

[jankees]

[mutley]

Looking good JanKees, any chance of a beaten-up one?!

[jankees]

I stick with the silver dragons for now..

[jankees]

and then for something with a Dutch flavor:





a bit of history:
DH89 #6292 was bought the KNILM, the Dutch East Indies daughter of KLM, in 1935 to perform aerial photography for an oil company in New Guinea, it was flown to the Dutch East Indies with two sisters, PK-AKU and PK-AKW. Caught in bad weather between India and Burma, PK-AKV failed to show up in Rangoon. It had made an emergency landing, and its pilot, mr Fulford, had hitched a ride on a ship to the nearest telegraph station to tell they were safe. No mobile phones in those days.. The flight arrived in Bandung, Dutch East Indies on 1 october 1935. They were shipped to Celebes and started their operations, but problems continued. Support airfields were washed away by huge storms, and in march 1936, PK-AKW overturned on landing and was written off. In november, their job was finished and they were shipped back to Batavia, where they continued to fly with the KNILM, flying passengers. PK-AKU was damaged beyond repair after a forced landing in august 1938, but PK-AKV flew on. After the Japanese invasion, it was attacked by a Japanese fighter in january 1942 and damaged. It was still under repair at Andir, when the Dutch surrendered on 8 march 1942. It is not clear what happended to PK-AKV after that...

[jankees]

Final ones for now, 'Gelderland' and 'Zeeland' of the Royal Dutch Air Force:

[Clem Wu]

Haha! Look at the guy in the last shot! Standing at attention

[mutley]

Hi Jan Kees
The KNILM is a superb paint and the history yo published just made it all that much better.
I'm pleased to see the DR getting the JK treament!

[brett]

Makes me wonder what this plane would look like with a modern, poster type paint job. Thanks for the history.

[jankees]

thank you!
Since you seem interested in the history of my paints, here's a few more:

DH89B Dominie #6872 NR796 'Zeeland' flew with the Dutch Air Force between 1945 and 1956. First with 1316 (Allied) Flight RAF, then after the war with the LSK (early Dutch Air Force). 1948 it flew for a while as PH-VNB as a government aircraft, before going back to the airforce as V-2 'Zeeland' with no.1 TransVA. It was struck off charge in 1956 and sold. Via Britain and France, it ended up as a derelict in Tunisia as F-OBGE and was scrapped in 1974. This paint shows 'Zeeland as it looked when flying with Nr.1 TransVA in the early '50's.

DH89B Dominie #6740 NF869 'Gelderland' flew with the Dutch Air Force between 1944 and 1952. First with 1316 (Allied) Flight RAF, then after the war with the LSK (early Dutch Air Force). 1948 it flew for a while as PH-RAE as a government aircraft, before going back to the airforce as V-3 'Gelderland' with no.1 TransVA. It was taken off charge in 1952, and in 1968 was transported to the Dutch Air Force museum in Soesterberg, where it can still be seen today. This paint shows 'Gelderland' as it looked in the winter of 1946, when it was used for relief flight to the Dutch islands that had become isolated when the Waddensea froze over. (youtube: I5PeSN5g_1s)

Dragon Rapide DH89A #6259 is seen in the colors of RAAF A33-1. The former ZK-ACO, it was registered VH-UUO between 1935 and 1940 with several different airlines. It was impressed into RAAF service in july 1940, taken over from Guinea Airways. Transferred back to civil aviation and re-registered VH-UUO 1942 to Commonwealth Govt. Operated by ANA till it was officially returned to Guinea Airways post war. It flew as VH-UUO till september 1952, although it was damaged in may 1952 at Tooraweenah NSW

Dominie #6929 VH-BKR was one of a number of Rapides flown by Connellan Airways in the 1940s and '50s. It was actually Connellan's first and was the former RAF Dominie RL947. VH-BKR was re-registered in the Connellan series as VH-CLH in 1958, and withdrawn from use in 1962.. Connellan Airways (later Connair) was an Australian air services company that was founded by Edward Connellan and operated in northern Australia.
Pilot Edward Connellan conducted two aerial surveys of the Northern Territory in 1938, and after discussion with the Federal Minister responsible for the Northern Territory, John McEwen, undertook a fortnightly mail run between Alice Springs and Wyndham, Western Australia and a contract with the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
In the midst of World War II Connellan consolidated his air services, which had grown viable and included more routes, and registered Connellan Airways on 23 July 1943. In the post war years Connellan Airways grew, acquiring new routes and equipment. In February 1951 it became a limited company, with many of the shares held by station people and staff. In 1963 Connellan Airways became a regular public transport operator. The Royal Flying Doctor Service continued to charter Connellan Airways aircraft up to 1965, when it purchased two aircraft from the company, but continued using Connellan pilots until 1973.
In 1970 the name was changed to Connair. Connair faced financial difficulty in the 1970s. On 5 January 1977, a disgruntled former employee flew a stolen plane into the Connair building at Alice Springs, killing four including Edward's son Roger Connellan in what became known as the Connellan air disaster.
The company was sold to East-West Airlines on 14 March 1980. It went into liquidation shortly after. Upon being sold, the Connellan Airways Trust was set up.

[brett]

These airframes certainly do get around. Imagine the stories if cockpits could talk. Thanks for the additional info.

[jankees]

ZK-AHS (cn 6423) 'MOKAI' was formerly ZK-AGT with Cook Strait Airways, delivered in 1938. During WW2, it was used by the RNZAF as NZ558. After the war became ZK-AHS with Air Travel (NZ) Ltd. At present, it is NZ's oldest complete twin-engined aircraft, preserved at the Museum of Transport and Technology.

[jankees]

and another one:



DH-89B ZK-AKU (cn 6662), which was the last of the original three Rapides of Union Airways to open up the Cook Strait services after WW II. It is flew in NZNAC service, named "Tawaka". ZK-AKU was sold in 1963 to the Nelson Aero Club and then to Patchett Safaris of Christchurch in 1965. Rotorua Aerial Charter purchased it in 1967. This is the paint scheme depicted here. It was sold to D. Gray, Auckland in 1968. It took part in the London to Sydney Air Race in 1969, and remained at Bankstown for a while following the race, during which time Greg Banfield took the third shot below early on the morning of 5 January 1970. ZK-AKU is currently still airworthy and based at Ardmore. It is now painted as "warbird" NZ528, its RNZAF serial during the war.

[mutley]

Those last two are very similar. I would have liked to have been on some of the flights they made!

[jankees]

yes, ZK-AKU flew with NZNAC first and later with Rotorua, I guess they liked the paintscheme.

This one is a bit older:



DH-89B ZK-AEC (cn 6334) "Mercury" of Cook Strait Airways. Shipped to New Zealand on "Tamaroa" arriving in early October 1936. Assembled and test flown at Nelson on 07 October of that year and entered service on the following day. Impressed into RNZAF at Ohakea on 15 October 1939 for a cost of 20,500 pounds as NZ555. Converted to navigation and bombing trainer and operated by Air Gunners and Observers School at Ohakea. Dismantled and shipped to Fiji on "Kaiwarra" in October 1940, arriving at Lautoka on 06 November to serve with the RNZAF Detached Flight at Nandi. Transferred to No.4 Bomber Reconnaissance Squadron from 08 October 1941, and then to Communications Flight at Nausori on 25 June 1942. Scrapped in Fiji on 19 September 1945 due to airframe deterioration caused by tropical conditions and written off books at Fiji on 19 November 1945.

[jankees]