|
DC-3 UNDERCARRIAGE
DOORS
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
Readers familiar with
the Douglas DC-3 may be thinking that DC-3s did not have undercarriage
doors and indeed most did not. With a non-retractable tailwheel and the
mainwheels protruding below the engine nacelles it was intended that this
would minimise airframe damage in the event of a "belly landing".
Notwithstanding damage to the propellors, it did indeed serve this function
on many occasions. One undesirable consequence of this design was drag.
As DC-3s became popular as corporate transports in the post-war years,
speed became an important consideration. To address this need, Garrett
AiResearch Corporation developed a DC-3 retrospective modification kit
which they marketed under the name "Maximizer". The kit included
a number of features such as:
|
|
|
History of Douglas DC-3 PK-RDB (msn 16147/32895)
|
14MAR45
|
Delivered to the USAAF as a C-47B-30-DK with the serial 44-76563. (Source: 1) | |
|
04APR45
|
Delivered to No. 41 Squadron Royal New Zealand Air Force with the serial NZ3537. (Source: 1) | |
|
28APR47
|
Registered ZK-AOZ to the NZ Government. (Source: 1) | |
|
11MAR48
|
Registered ZK-AOZ to New Zealand National Airways and named "Pakara". (Source: 1) | |
|
30JUN62
|
Withdrawn from service by NAC (Total Time: 28896 hrs) (Source: 3) | |
|
MAY63
|
The aircraft was overhauled by NAC at Christchurch and fitted with a Garrett AiResearch Maximizer kit. (Source: 3) | |
|
24MAY63
|
Test flown at Christchurch after overhaul and modifications. (Source: 3) | |
|
MAY63
|
The aircraft made further test flights from Christchurch after which it positioned to Auckland. (Source: 6) | |
|
31MAY63
|
Departed from Auckland for Norfolk Island, Nadi and Faleolo under the command of Captain M.D. Buchanan of TEAL. The aircraft was leased to Polynesian Airlines to replace the Percival Princes ZK-BYN and ZK-BYO on services Faleolo-Pago Pago and Faleolo-Aitutaki-Rarotongo. The aircraft regularly flew the 800 mile route between Samoa and Rarotonga. It was for this route that the aircraft had been fitted with the Maximixer kit for the purpose of increasing its range. On this sector the aircraft was limited to just 12 passengers because of the fuel load required. (Source: 3) | |
|
18JUN63
|
Registered to Polynesian Airlines as 5W-FAA and named "Upolu". (Source: 1) | |
|
27DEC67
|
Arrived at Auckland on completion of Polynesian lease. (Source: 2) | |
|
68
|
Sold to Australian Aircraft Sales, Sydney. (Source: 2) | |
|
28SEP68
|
Departed Auckland for Norfolk Island. (Source: 2) Flown by Bill Pike and John Lindner. (Source: 7) | |
|
30SEP68
|
Arrived Brisbane from Norfolk Island. At this time the aircraft was marked PK-RDB. (Source: 4) | |
|
30SEP68
|
Registered PK-RDB to Seulawah Air Service, Indonesia. (Source: 1) | |
|
02OCT68
|
Arrived at Darwin where the aircraft was parked awaiting payment from the new owner. Bureaucracy became involved and the aircraft was impounded by HM Customs. The aircraft was subsequently abandoned at Darwin. (Source: 7) | |
|
25DEC74
|
Darwin was devastated by Cyclone Tracy and PK-RDB was blown over a hangar, landing inverted and effectively destroyed. (Source: 5) | |
| The remains of PK-RDB were acquired by the Aviation Historical Society of the Northern Territory to provide parts for the rebuild of RAAF Dakota A65-104 which was also damaged in the cyclone. | ||
|
DEC10
|
The AHSNT, having previously decided to scrap the wing centre section of PK-RDB, agreed to donate the undercarriage doors to QAM. Remarkably, all four doors escaped damage in the cyclone and subsequent clearance of debris. | |
|
JUL11
|
The doors arrived at QAM Caloundra. |
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||