ZK-AKY de
Havilland D.H.89B Dragon Rapide
(c/n 6653)
Nice shot of -AKY from the National Library of New Zealand collection
taken in 1949.
Built as
a Dominie for the RAF as HG654,
this aircraft was exported to New Zealand in
1943, becoming NZ525. It went to
Union Airways and then New Zealand National
Airways after WW II who
named it 'Tui'. It made
the last flight of a D.H.89 in NAC
service on 19 May 1964 from Auckland to
Christchurch, and then was sold to Ritchie
Air Services. After periods of service with
Tourist Air Travel and Mt Cook
Airlines,
it passed to Croydon Aircraft Co of Mandeville and is
still
currently on the register.