AIRFORCE DC6s

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30193, 26 July 1963, Page 10

AIRFORCE DC6s

Govt Plans For Sale (NJZ. Press Association) WELLINGTON, July 25. The three Douglas DC6 airliners now operated by the R.N.ZA.F. will probably be offered for sale on the open market within a year. The Minister ot Defence (Mr Eyre) said tonight that the sale ot the three planes after the inter-change of the battalions serving in Malaya next November was under consideration. “Their retirement depends on adequate provision being made for handling troop movements between New Zealand and Singapore in 1964 before the delivery of the Hercules transport planes,” Mr Eyre said. Other sources suggest that the Hercules, though designed for troop and equipment transportation, will not be as comfortable for communication between New Zealand and Singapore as the DC6s have been.

If other plans do not eventuate it is regarded as probable that toe Electras now operated • by T.E.A.L. will pass to the R.N.Z A.F. for use as long-range troop-carriers after the airline buys new planes. The Electras offer few maintenance problems, as the engines and some other components are the same as those in the Hercules.

The DC6s originally belonged to British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines, toe trans-Pacific venture in which New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Australia were partners. They were used for some years by T.E.A.L., and were then passed to the R.N.Z.AF. when T.E.AL. purchased Electras.