FS2002 Douglas DC-3 New zealand National Airways Corporation ZK-AWP
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Did I say my 'Buffalo Airways' repaints would be my last for FS2002? I was wrong. I forgot a promise to my flightsim friends in New Zealand which I mean to keep. The best flying I have ever had in FS2002 is when exploring the South Island of New Zealand, so here's a second lady to take there. Look also for her SPANZ 'Viewmaster' hangarmate, recently released as DC3SPANZ.ZIP.
ZK-AWP, (c/n 33135/16387, ex 44-76803 NZ3543, 5W-FAI) is the only ex-RNZAF Dakota still airworthy in New Zealand. Built in 1944 as a C-47B , the aircraft served as NZ3543, being brought on charge on May 13 1945, and struck off on July 3 1952. During this time the aircraft was issued to 41 Squadron, including time based in Singapore. She served with NAC from July 1952, and was one of the last two DC-3s retired from their fleet. Initially operated as 'Powhaitere', the aircraft was named 'Kaitaia' after conversion to 'Skyliner' staus in May 1963. Between February 2, 1970 and June 8, 1973 the aircraft was operated by Polynesian Airlines as 5W-FAI. Sold to Southern Air Super Ltd on August 3, 1973, ZK-AWP was converted as a top-dresser. Passed to Fieldair on July 14 1975, the aircraft was used as a top-dresser until May 11, 1985, and then converted back to freight work. She operated from Wellington with AMR and BBJ under the FieldAir Freight and Speedlink titles. Sold to the Alpine Fighter Collection in August 1993, she then spent time with Classic Air at Paraparaumu before passing to Mackley Aviation at Ardmore in December 1995. Ownership passed to NZ Aerial Mapping at Napier in 1998, and the aircraft has subsequently been returned to NAC plumage. Recent activity has been charter work for passengers and film.
The information above was sourced from a must-visit Kiwi DC-3 site at http://www.kiwiaircraftimages.com/dakota.html
Based on Jan Visser's legendary DC-3 model for FS2000, updated for FS2002, the model includes transparent cockpit and cabin windows, nightlighting, lit 3D interior with opening passenger door, boarding ladder and other details. Includes FS2002 lights fix by Paul Pridmore. Default panel and sound. Repaint by Mark Beaumont.
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INSTALLATION
Either:
Unzip DC3NZNAC.ZIP directly to your main FS2002 folder. The folder 'Douglas DC-3 NAC ZK-AWP' will be installed in your FS2002/AIRCRAFT folder.
The smoke file will go to FS2002/EFFECTS.
Or:
Unzip to a temporary folder and move the respective folders to your FS2002 directory manually. This way you can ensure that no file is unwittingly overwritten.
Whichever way you do it, your new aircraft will appear in your FS2002 aircraft selection menu under the manufacturer 'Douglas' type 'DC-3', variation 'NZ National Airways Corp ZK-AWP'
No DC-3 sounds are included, but it is highly recommended that you replace the default file, which aliases to the C182, with realistic sounds. If this is not your first DC-3, then you may already have some; but otherwise, recommended are both those found on Trevor "Mr. DC3" Morson's site at www.douglasdc3.com (a must-visit site, particularly for this aircraft, in any case) or by sound guru Mike Hambly: search for the file DAKSND1.ZIP.
Or find it directly at: http://ftp.SurClaro.com/library/sendfile.php?DownloadID=12776.
Alternatively, if you have the MAAM R4D-6, those sounds will do nicely!
You will also wish to install a decent panel; again, if you are a DC-3 buff, you will have a couple by now! I have not installed one here to save filesize but I recommend:
1. The panel by Jorge 'Eko' Salas', which is excellent for most use; I included it in my Cathay Pacific upload CPABETSY.ZIP and you can find it separately too.
2. The panel on which Jorge's panel is based, by Samuel Linnell.
3. The panel included with the MAAM R4D-6, known to every flightsimmer I think. This is a spectacular and very complex panel.
4. The DC-3 panel by James Underwood, which has interesting internal and external views.
5. Pasquale Rinaldi's DC-3 panel for FS2002.
6. The panel, with gorgeous internal views, that shipped with the Dutch Dakota Association's PH-DDZ; it comes with a very comprehensive manual.
Whatever you do, get rid of those C182 default aliases! Fly DC-3!
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OPERATION:
OPERATION:
To open and close the door and position the boarding ladder, use the "/" key.
To move the pilots to and from the cockpit and turn your navigation lights on and off respectively, hit "SHIFT/L".
Smoke can be activated by hitting the "I" key.
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CREDITS:
Jan Visser, for the original aircraft; together with Bill Rambow, Roy Chaffin and others, Jan remains on the leading edge of development within FS. This repaint is based on the model of PH-DDZ. Most of the wonderful textures are Jan's, together with interior fixtures and fittings etc., etc. I simply made sure this lady knew the whereabouts of Milford Sound (go there, from Queenstown, NZ!) and put some decent North Island white wine on board. For the purists: the design of the model precludes getting the shaping of the nose cheatlines just right - they should culminate in a point - so this will have to do. She's not too far out!
The author of the smoke effect. I do not know who this is, but it is not a standard FS2002 effect.
Paul Pridmore for permission to use his FS2002 lights "fix" for the FS2000 model.
Anyone else whose work might be here that I am unaware of. All files here, other than my repaint work, have been uploaded previously in the public domain as freeware. If anything is here that shouldn't be, please let me know and I'll replace it.
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This package may not be redistributed or further modified without prior consent from ALL the authors listed in the credits. Each has their own policy for distribution and modification, so please ensure all are contacted. They can all be traced through the major flight simulation sites.
Here's a complete list of my DC-3 repaints for FS2002 to date, available at SurClaro.com, SurClaro and Simviation.com, or directly from my own site at www.swiremariners.com/dc3.html:
Cathay Pacific 'Betsy' VR-HDB (2) CPABETSY.ZIP (includes panel by Jorge Salas)
Cathay Pacific 'Betsy' Cargo CPABETSY2.ZIP (only at www.swiremariners.com\cxkaitak.html)
Cathay Pacific 'Nikki' VR-HDA CPANIKKI.ZIP
Ansett MAL VH-MAL ('Betsy') DC3ANSOC.ZIP
Ansett PNG VH-MAL ('Betsy') DC3ANSNC.ZIP (Pratt & Whitney engines)
Airlines of NSW 'Viewmaster' (P&Ws) DC3ANSW.ZIP
Bush Pilots Airways VH-MAL ('Betsy') DC3BPA.ZIP
Air Queensland VH-MAL ('Betsy') DC3AQAC.ZIP
BBA Cargo VH-BAB DC3BBA.ZIP
BOAC G-AGHE DC3BOAC2.ZIP
Dan-Air G-AMPP DC3DAN.ZIP
American Airlines N21798 DC3AAFK.ZIP
Lambair CF-CBJ DC3LAMB.ZIP
Air Vietnam XV-NIA DC3VIET.ZIP, DC3VIET2.ZIP (includes flight plans)
Bahamas Airways VP-BBU DC3BAHAM.ZIP
Delta Air Lines NC28341 DC3DELTA.ZIP
Swiss Air Lines HB-IRN DC3SWISS.ZIP
C-47 BBMF ZA947, Aces High N147DC C47RAF2.ZIP
C-47 USAAF 41-18385 C47BETSY.ZIP
All the above will benefit from the recommended upgrade DC3AIR.ZIP. The following uploads already have this upgrade:
Ansett ANA 'Cargomaster' DC3ANSCA.ZIP
Airlines of NSW 'Viewmaster' (Wrights) DC3ANSW2.ZIP
BEA 'Pionair' G-AHCZ DC3BEAPI.ZIP
Qantas VH-EDC DC3QNTAS.ZIP
Cambrian Airways G-AGHM, G-AHCZ DC3CAMB2.ZIP, DC3CAMUP.ZIP
Air France 'Aeropostale' F-BAIF DC3AIRFR.ZIP
Mandated Airlines (PNG) VH-MAL DC3MANDA.ZIP
Air Atlantique G-AMRA DC3ATLAN.ZIP
Canadian Air Force RESCUE (CC-129) 12905 DC3CAFRS.ZIP
C-47 Canadian AF 'Canucks Unlimited' C47CAFCU.ZIP
Ozark Air Lines N763A DC3OZARK.ZIP
Nordair CF-HTH DC3NORDA.ZIP
Caribair N8011E DC3CARIB.ZIP
Buffalo Airways C-GPNR, C-GWIR, C-FLFR DC3BUFFA.ZIP, DC3BUFF2.ZIP, DC3BUFF3.ZIP
South Pacific Airways of NZ ZK-BYD DC3SPANZ.ZIP
New Zealand National Airways Corp ZK-AWP DC3NZNAC.ZIP
These repaints started with a long-overdue paint of the legendary "Betsy" for my own use, later shared; this led to paints of her other liveries in her long career, and the others simply caught my eye or were interesting requests.
Like everyone else, I await Jan Visser's GMAX bird with keen anticipation. What with that and a default DC-3 in FS2004, all DC-3 fans have some excitement ahead! I have not yet decided whether to paint DC-3s for FS2004, but there may be one or two ...
As of yet, I have not had an opportunity to test any of the above repaints in FS2004, but one or two have been flown by others in the new sim. It seems, to date, that they fly well enough and that all animations work with the exception of the propellor axes and prop circles. There may be no way around this, regrettably (thanks, MS!) We must move on, I know; but like many others, FS2002 will remain on my hard drive for some time to come. I have too much invested in it, and I love these DC-3s. It will be some time before a collection as comprehensive as that above is produced for FS2004, but it will happen, of course.
To those who have asked for repaints I've never got to - Eastern, United, North East, Mohawk, Trans Canadian, BKS, Austrian, KLM, ARCO, Four Star, to name but a few - forgive me. I've simply run out of time, but I greatly appreciate your support and interest. I encourage you, however, to look closely at the Visser GMAX DC-3 when it arrives; it will spawn a host of repaints and I know Jan to have prepared quite a few himself already.
So until then, thank you for downloading my repaints for FS2002. I have made many new and very special friends through this work. Of the aircraft above, at least five of their original pilots have been in touch, and I have had more mail about the DC-3 than any other aircraft with which I've been involved.
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Visit my own site at:
www.swiremariners.com/cxkaitak.html
to find listings and downloads of Cathay Pacific aircraft and other add-ons for FS2002.
