LV-AES  de Havilland D.H.89A Dragon Rapide                     (c/n  6822)

                                    

                                        This shot is from the Jennifer Gradidge collection but was probably taken by the late Peter R. Keating
                                        at Rosario, circa 1952.   LV-AES was one of the ten Rapides originally flown by ZONDA in the1940s,
                                        although it had passed to taxi operator Aero Expreso Barcella by the time this photograph was taken. 
                                        ZONDA was the joint stock company formed in 1946 to serve the northwest  region of the Argentine.
                                        It was originally incorporated under the name Lineas Aereas Argentinas Noroeste (LAAN) but the title
                                        was soon changed due to possible confusion with the Chilean national carrier LAN.   The full new name
                                        was Zonas Oeste y Norte de Aerolineas Argentine, thankfully shortened to ZONDA.  Initial services
                                        were from Buenos Aires to Salto.   LV-AES had already been sold off before the Argentine carriers
                                        were nationalized into Aerolineas Argentinas.