The Douglas DC-3 (also known by many other names including C-47 and R4D) is one of the world’s most famous aeroplanes. It was the most popular airliner of the pre-war era and became a mainstay of early post-war aviation.

The Douglas DC-3 was an enlarged version of the Douglas DC-2, originally ordered as a 14 bunk sleeper for transcontinental US air services.

The first one flew 17 December 1935 and by the beginning of World War II they had become the world’s most popular airliner.

During the war around 10,000 were manufactured (most designated as C-47s) and served in a wide variety of roles for many allied nations.

After the war many of these surplus aeroplanes reverted to civil use and they became a mainstay of second level civil aviation services into the 1970s.

Some are still flying today.

This model represents VH-MAL of Bush Pilots Airways in 1979 (This DC-3 is the first aeroplane flown by Cathay Pacific and is now on display in a museum in China.)

Roden 1/144 kit with Hawkeye decals. Completed in March 2014.