By Geoffrey Thomas
Published Sat Mar 6, 2021
French colorist Benoit Vienne has done stunning work bringing to life this TEAL DC-6, which operated through the 1950s with New Zealand's national airline.
The B&W photo, from aviation historian Paul Sheehan, depicts the DC-6, ZK-BGB "Ärawhata" at Christchurch Airport in 1955.
Tasman Empire Airways Limited acquired the aircraft in 1954 when British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines (BCPA) -- owned by the British, Australian, and New Zealand governments – collapsed.
BCPA’s three DC-6s were transferred to TEAL for trans-Tasman and Hibiscus (Auckland-Nandi) services.
In the six weeks after the collapse of BCPA, TEAL underwent a remarkable transformation. It transitioned from British to US aircraft, moved its engineering facilities, procured spare parts for the DC-6s, and launched the first service from Sydney to Auckland.
The use of the new Douglas also heralded a major change in the airline’s focus with respect to tourist traffic, illustrated by its introduction of tourist or economy class.
In the six weeks after the collapse of BCPA, TEAL underwent a remarkable transformation. It transitioned from British to US aircraft, moved its engineering facilities, procured spare parts for the DC-6s, and launched the first service from Sydney to Auckland.
The use of the new Douglas also heralded a major change in the airline’s focus with respect to tourist traffic, illustrated by its introduction of tourist or economy class.
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