Delivered to the USAAF 28 March 1945 as 44-76629, to the RAF as KN483 3 April 1945, and 28 Sqd SAAF as 6881 6 October 1945. To Africair/Wenela Air Service 7 November 1953 first as ZS-DIV, then VP-YSN and A2-ZEN. Returned to the SAAF ca 1980 as the second 6855. Hit by surface to air missile in then South West Africa 1 May 1986, damaged and repaired. Partially converted to C-47TP December 1997, to Dodson Aviation as N914Q 14 July 1998, to Dodson International as ZS-OJJ 15 November 1999, later Rossair, Naturelink, Limpopo Air Service, UN Humanitarian Air Service. To Preferred Air Parts as N561PT

Delivered to the USAAF 28 March 1945 as 44-76629, to the RAF as KN483 3 April 1945, and 28 Sqd SAAF as 6881 6 October 1945. To Africair/Wenela Air Service 7 November 1953 first as ZS-DIV, then VP-YSN and A2-ZEN. Returned to the SAAF ca 1980 as the second 6855. Hit by surface to air missile in then South West Africa 1 May 1986, damaged and repaired. Partially converted to C-47TP December 1997, to Dodson Aviation as N914Q 14 July 1998, to Dodson International as ZS-OJJ 15 November 1999, later Rossair, Naturelink, Limpopo Air Service, UN Humanitarian Air Service. To Preferred Air Parts as N561PT 30 January 2017, to Missionary Flights International as the third N300MF 4 April 2025. Photographer unknown

Flew in from Benin via Abuja (Nigeria) and Tamanrasset (Algeria).

This Turbo DC-3 is currently based in Angola. The airplane departs Luanda every morning around 9 am, to return between 5 and 6 pm. Parking and handling takes place on the ramp of the domestic terminal. The FR24 data track stops just outside the urban area of Luanda, so I am not sure what its destination is, nor what the purpose is of the operation. Looking at previous locations where this airplane has been seen flying, places like the Canadian Arctic and Indonesian Borneo, my guess would be that it is oil related.

The aircraft is listed for sale by an owner in Ohio and was flown up to ANC with 4 intermediate stops. The listing describes it as a DC-3C TP, and one source stated it was, " converted to Greenwich Aircraft Corp. Turbo Dakota DC-3, conversion with a stretched fuselage, strengthened wing center section, updated systems, and powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-65AR turboprop engines on 8 July 1998". Reportedly it will be flying for Desert Air based in Anchorage, Alaska.

Just sitting pretty at Opa Locka, this rather anonymous turbo DC-3 from Venezuela.

The "Air Services" titles are the remnants of previous owner Limpopo Air Services. Re-registered N561PT to Preferred Airparts LLC, Kidron, OH., on 30th August 2016.

Photographed stored at the Dodson Aviation premises at Ottawa, Kansas. Delivered to the USAAF as 44-76981 then to the RNZAF as NZ3546 in 1945. To NZNAC as ZK-AWQ in 1952. Back to the RNZAF as NZ3546 in 1961 then back to ZK-AWQ in 1978. Sold as D6-CAG then to the SAAF as 6863 in 1981. Converted to a C-47TP in 1991. To Dodson Aviation as N81907 in 1998. Reregistered as ZS-OJL in 2003 then shipped to the USA and back to N81907 by 2013. To Preferred Air Parts as N562PT in 2016. Still current on the register in 2022.

Delivered to the USAAF as 44-76981 then to the RNZAF as NZ3546 in 1945. To NZNAC as ZK-AWQ in 1952. Back to the RNZAF as NZ3546 in 1961 then back to ZK-AWQ in 1978. Sold as D6-CAG then to the SAAF as 6863 in 1981. Converted to a C-47TP in 1991. To Dodson Aviation as N81907 in 1998. Reregistered as ZS-OJL in 2003 then shipped to the USA and back to N81907 by 2013. To Preferred Air Parts as N562PT in 2016. Still current on the register in 2022.

Seen while with Dodson Aviation at Wonderboom. Built as 43-48285 and to the French AF as 348285 in 1944. Withdrawn in 1964 and registered F-BTDE with SASMA. Sold to the Yugoslav AF in November 1972 becoming 71254 and later YU-ABV. To the Atlas Aircraft Corporation as N8071Y in November 1979 and sold to the SAAF becoming 6880 in 1981. Converted to C-47TP in 1995 and after sale in 1999, registered N330RD and 9U-BHY before becoming ZS-OJM. Flew with the International Red Cross in Africa 2006-2008, sold to Aliansa in Colombia as HK-5016 in 2013. Still active with them in 2021

Delivered to the USAAF as 44-76616 then to the RAF as KN472 and the SAAF as 6868 in 1945. Converted to a DC-3-65TP in 1995. Sold as ZS-OIR in 1998 then N194RD in 1999 and to Samaritan's Purse as N467SP in 2001. Still current on the register in 2022.

Delivered to the USAAF as 43-49178 then to the RAF as KK100 and the SAAF as 6849 in 1944. To ZS-DKP in 1955, VP-YSP in 1960, A2-ZEP in 1968, ZS-IPX in 1972 and A2-AAA in 1973. Back to ZS-IPX in 1977 then back to the SAAF as 6892 in 1989. Converted to a C-47TP in 1995. To N195RD in 1998, ZS-OJI in 1999, YV2119 by 2007 and N560PT in 2014.

Delivered to the USAAF as 43-48349 then to the RAF as KJ826 and the SAAF as 6844 in 1944. Converted to a C-47TP and registered as ZS-OJK in 1999. Painted for Mombasa Air Safari in early 2009 (seen here their logo on the tail), but stored. Was eventually delivered to them in March 2011 as 5Y-WOW.

The "Air Services" titles are the remnants of previous owner Limpopo Air Services.

Delivered to the USAAF as 42-92289 in 1943 then to the RAF as FL645 and the SAAF as 6823 in 1944. To ZS-DEO in 1950, XY-ACN in 1951, ET-AGV in 1977, Uganda Air Force 501 in 1985, N9700N in 1986, 5Y-BFO in 1988 and ZS-XXX then ZS-MFY in 1989. Converted to a DC-3-65TP in 1992. The second time I took a photo of this DC-3 with no markings. It was identified as ZS-MFY from a plate on it.

Arriving at Shabunda, carrying seven former child soldiers who went into a rehabilatation centre. 43-48285 was delivered to France at Orléans in September 1944. In French service 348285 already served all over Africa. Sold to Yugoslav air force in 1972. Found its way to South African Air Force in 1980. Converted to a C-47TP by dodgy Dodson company for SAAF in 1995. Owned by Dodson with frequently changing registrations from 2000. Seen at Lakeland, Florida in 2013. To Aliansa, Colombia as HK-5016. Photo by: Amnon Gutman / International Committee of the Red Cross