NZDF-Serials Otter

Serial	R.A.F.	c/n	USN.Serial.	Aircraft history
NZ6081	XL710	126	Bu147574	Previously XL710/Bu147574. Used in the Commonwealth Antarctic Expedition in 1957-58. Purchased from United States Navy in damaged condition in August 1960 for £5000 to replace the Beaver. Transported from Christchurch to Wellington on 17 October 1960 by USAF Globemaster for overhaul by de Havillands. First flight with RNZAF was ex overhaul in November 1961. Placed in storage at Woodbourne until 25 May 1962 when it was flown to Wigram for storage. Disbandment of the Antarctic Flight led to the aircraft being offered for sale by tender on 18 February 1963 and it was sold to Georgian Bay Airways, Toronto, Canada. The aircraft had flown a total of 508 hours at that point. Flown from Wigram to Wellington on 14 June 1963. Registered to De Havilland Aircraft Company as ZK-CFH on 09 July 1963 and cancelled from register 01 August 1963 but it is thought that the registration was never painted onto the aircraft. Joined the Canadian Civil Register as CF-PNV in 1963. Sold to La Ronge Aviation, Saskatchewan and crashed at Lynn Lake, Manitoba, Canada in May 1976. A projected rebuild as a turbine powered conversion failed to materialise and the aircraft was onsold and registered in USA as N63535 on 12 December 1997 to H. Hansen, Seatac, Washington. Presently stored mainly intact at Seattle.