VH-BPF Douglas DC-6

Built for Scandinavian Airlines but the order was not taken up despite the registration 'SE-BDH' being reserved

The aircraft was sold to British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-BPF - October 29, 1948

Registered to British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines Ltd

Departed Burbank on the ferry flight to Australia - November 22, 1948

Arrived Sydney (Kingsford Smith) on completion of the ferry flight - November 30, 1948

The aircraft was named 'R.M.A. Endeavour'

Used on BCPA route Sydney - Auckland - Nadi - Canton Island - Honolulu - San Francisco - Vancouver

Chartered by A.N.A. to provide extra capacity at peak times - dates unknown

B.C.P.A. was liquidated in favour of Qantas Empire Airways operating the Trans Pacific route - March 31, 1954

B.C.P.A. was absorbed by Qantas Empire Airways Ltd - April 01, 1954

Most of B.C.P.A.'s staff and the three remaining DC-6s were taken over by Qantas

This aircraft was transferred to Tasman Empire Airways Ltd - May 1954

The transfer was made in lieu of payment for TEAL's shareholding in the liquidation of B.C.P.A.

Entered onto the New Zealand Aircraft Register as ZK-BGA - May 13, 1954

Registered to Tasman Empire Airways Ltd, Auckland

The aircraft was named 'Aotearoa III'

Operated first TEAL revenue service Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Auckland - May 14, 1954

Flight crew: Captain J. Knowling, A. Rayment

This was also the delivery flight of this aircraft to T.E.A.L.

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - May 17, 1954

Originally deployed on TEAL routes Auckland - Sydney and Auckland - Nadi (Fiji) - Bora Bora (Tahiti)

Operated first TEAL Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Christchurch - Melbourne (Essendon) service - June 26, 1954

Flight crew: Captains J. Bonnington, J. Mulholland

Engaged in five return charter flights Sydney - Darwin - Manila - Iwakuni - Tokyo - July 07, 1954

These flights were to support ANZAC troops based in Japan during the Korean War

Ferried Auckland - Hong Kong for wingskin modifications to allow increased payload by 2,000 lbs - mid 1956

Withdrawn from service and stored at Whenuapai following the arrival of the Lockheed Electras - 1959

Returned to service to cover the upgrade of the Lockheed Electras - late 1960

Repainted into the Lockheed Electra style livery before entering service

Withdrawn from service once the three Lockheed Electras had been returned to service

TEAL announced that this aircraft would be transferred to the Royal New Zealand Air Force - March 21, 1961

Transferred to the Royal New Zealand Air Force - May 12, 1961

Cancelled from the New Zealand Aircraft Register - May 16, 1961

Entered onto the New Zealand Military Aircraft Register as NZ3631 - May 16, 1961

Entered service with 40 Squadron - June 29, 1961

Operated final trooping flight Singapore - Auckland - June 1968

Sold to Australian Aircraft Sales - August 12, 1968

Sold to Lao United Airlines, Laos - November 14, 1968

Entered onto the Loatian Aircraft Register as XW-DKJ - ?

Reregistered XW-TDJ - ?

Transferred to Royal Air Lao and reregistered as XW-PEH - 1969

Leased to P. N. Aerial Survey t/a Penas, Indonesia

Aircraft was destroyed when it crashed into a swamp near Tegal, Java - February 01, 1972

Was on flight from Singapore to Java when it ran out of fuel - 6 killed

VH-BPF. British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines - in the all-metal livery at an unknown airport, date unknown.

(E. D. Daw Collection Copyright Image 1125-143.)

VH-BPF. British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines - in the all-metal livery at an unknown airport, date unknown.

(E. D. Daw Collection Copyright Image 1125-232.)

VH-BPF. British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines - in the all-metal livery at Auckland Whenuapai Airport, December 05, 1948.

(Whites Aviation WA-17052-G Alexander Turnbull Library via P. Sheehan Collection Copyright Image 1125-677.)

VH-BPF. British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines - 'RMA Endeavour' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, date unknown.

(E. D. Daw Collection Copyright Image 1125-144.)

VH-BPF. British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines - 'RMA Endeavour' in the standard livery at San Francisco Airport, January 28, 1952.

(W. Lasrkins Collection Copyright Image 1125-702.)

VH-BPF. British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines - in the all-metal livery at Auckland Whenuapai Airport, July 18, 1950.

(Whites Aviation WA-25330-G Alexander Turnbull Library via P. Sheehan Collection Copyright Image 1125-617.)

VH-BPF. British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines - in the all-metal livery at Auckland Whenuapai Airport, July 18, 1950.

(Whites Aviation WA-25326-G Alexander Turnbull Library via P. Sheehan Collection Copyright Image 1125-616.)

VH-BPF. British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines - in the all-metal livery at Auckland Whenuapai Airport, July 18, 1950.

(Whites Aviation WA-25329-G Alexander Turnbull Library via P. Sheehan Collection Copyright Image 1125-614.)

ZK-BGA. TEAL - 'Aotearoa III' in the basic BCPA livery at Auckland Whenuapai Airport, May 14, 1954.

(P. Sheehan Collection Copyright Image 1125-638.)

ZK-BGA. TEAL - 'Aotearoa III' in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, date unknown.

(B. Colledge Copyright Image 1125-322.)

ZK-BGA. TEAL - 'Aotearoa III' in the standard livery at Auckland Whenuapai Airport, date unknown.

(A. J. Jackson Collection Copyright Image 1125-703.)

ZK-BGA. TEAL - 'Aotearoa III' in the final livery at Auckland Whenaupai Airport, circa 1960.

(P. Sheehan Collection Copyright Image 1125-499.)

NZ3631. Royal New Zealand Air Force - 'City of Auckland' in the standard livery at Auckland Whenuapai Airport, June 10, 1961.

(A. Balch Collection Copyright Image 1125-647.)

NZ3631. Royal New Zealand Air Force - 'City of Auckland' in the standard livery at Changi Airport, April 1964.

(R. Sheehan Collection Copyright Image 1125-707.)

NZ3631. Royal New Zealand Air Force - 'City of Auckland' in the standard livery at Auckland Whenuapai Airport, date unknown.

(P. Sheehan Collection Copyright Image 1125-708.)

NZ3631. Royal New Zealand Air Force - 'City of Auckland' in the standard livery at Tengah Airport, date unknown.

(P. Sheehan Collection Copyright Image 1125-709.)

NZ3631. Royal New Zealand Air Force - 'City of Auckland' in the standard livery at Christchurch Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-693.)

XW-TDJ. Australian Aircraft Sales - in the basic RNZAF livery at an unknown airport, date unknown.