Delivered to the USAAF as 41-107469 in 1944. To Chicago & Southern Airlines as NC53103 in 1946, Philippine Air Lines as PI-C102 in 1948 and Pacific Overseas Airlines as HS-POE in 1951. To Thai Airways as HS-TSA in 1958 then to the Thai Air Force in 1960. Returned to Thai Airways in 1965 then to Botswana National Airways as VQ-ZEF in 1966. Reregistered as A2-ZEF in 1968. To Suidwes Lugdiens as ZS-IPR in 1972. To the SAAF as 6906 in 1981. Back to ZS-IPR in 1995 then to the Dutch Dakota Association as PH-DDY in 1997. Preserved at Lelystad from 2004 as NL-316 and PH-TAR from 2020. Photographer unknown

Photographer: Unknown photographer.

Painted as "NL-316" in Netherlands Government Air Transport colours for Aviodrome's museum display

Delivered to the USAAF as 41-107469 in 1944. To Chicago & Southern Airlines as NC53103 in 1946, Philippine Air Lines as PI-C102 in 1948 and Pacific Overseas Airlines as HS-POE in 1951. To Thai Airways as HS-TSA in 1958 then to the Thai Air Force as L.3-2/03? in 1960. Returned to Thai Airways in 1965 then to Botswana National Airways as VQ-ZEF in 1966. Reregistered as A2-ZEF in 1968. To Suidwes Lugdiens as ZS-IPR in 1972. Renamed to Namib Air in 1978. To The SAAF as 6906 in 1981. Back to ZS-IPR in 1995 then to the Dutch Dakota Association as PH-DDY in 1997. Preserved at Lelystad from 2004.

Delivered to the USAAF as 41-107469 in 1944. To Chicago & Southern Airlines as NC53103 in 1946, Philippine Air Lines as PI-C102 in 1948 and Pacific Overseas Airlines as HS-POE in 1951. To Thai Airways as HS-TSA in 1958 then to the Thai Air Force as L.3-2/03? in 1960. Returned to Thai Airways in 1965 then to Botswana National Airways as VQ-ZEF in 1966. Reregistered as A2-ZEF in 1968. To Suidwes Lugdiens as ZS-IPR in 1972. Renamed to Namib Air in 1978. To The SAAF as 6906 in 1981. Back to ZS-IPR in 1995 then to the Dutch Dakota Association as PH-DDY in 1997. Preserved at Lelystad from 2004.

Delivered to the USAAF as 41-107469 in 1944. To Chicago & Southern Airlines as NC53103 in 1946, Philippine Air Lines as PI-C102 in 1948 and Pacific Overseas Airlines as HS-POE in 1951. To Thai Airways as HS-TSA in 1958 then to the Thai Air Force in 1960. Returned to Thai Airways in 1965 then to Botswana National Airways as VQ-ZEF in 1966. Reregistered as A2-ZEF in 1968. To Suidwes Lugdiens as ZS-IPR in 1972. To the SAAF as 6906 in 1981. Back to ZS-IPR in 1995 then to the Dutch Dakota Association as PH-DDY in 1997. Preserved at Lelystad from 2004 as NL-316 and PH-TAR from 2020. Photographer unknown

After the ferry flight (marking its last flight ever) to The Netherlands, the registration 'PH-DDY' was reserved but not taken up. The aircraft was used for spare parts to keep c/n 42934 (ZS-NUR, 6901, ZS-NUR, 6902, PH-DDS, ZS-AUA) airworthy. The aircraft was transported to the museum by road and displayed in Government Air Transport colors with markings NL-316. Around 2018, she was repainted to represent the PH-TAR (which did exist at some point, c/n 42923). She now makes a nice eyecatcher at the children's playground at the museum.

Operated by the USAAF around 1942 as 42-107469. Later to an unknown owner as NC53103. To N53103 around November 1946, but cancelled again a month later as it became NC-registered again. To Philippine Airlines in 1948 as PI-C102. To Thai Airways in 1951 with the same registration. To HS-POE (1953), HS-TSA (August 1958) and the Thai Air Force (after 1958, as 42-107469). To Botswana in 1967 as VQ-ZEF, later to A2-ZEF. Became ZS-IPR in 1972. To the SAAF in 1981 as 6906. Put in storage in February 1994. Then to the Dutch Dakota Association (DDA) as PH-DDY, ferried to The Netherlands in June 1997.

The Skymaster with her international escort!

Fake registration, is in fact ex PH-DDY. Was previously painted as "NL-316", also false.

Fake registration, is in fact ex PH-DDY. Was previously painted as "NL-316", also false.

Delivered to the USAAF as 41-107469 in 1944. To Chicago & Southern Airlines as NC53103 in 1946, Philippine Air Lines as PI-C102 in 1948 and Pacific Overseas Airlines as HS-POE in 1951. To Thai Airways as HS-TSA in 1958 then to the Thai Air Force in 1960. Returned to Thai Airways in 1965 then to Botswana National Airways as VQ-ZEF in 1966. Reregistered as A2-ZEF in 1968. To Suidwes Lugdiens as ZS-IPR in 1972. To the SAAF as 6906 in 1981. Back to ZS-IPR in 1995 then to the Dutch Dakota Association as PH-DDY in 1997. Preserved at Lelystad from 2004.

Thai Airways postcard. HS-POE reregistered HS-TSA in 1958. Photo from: Civil Aviation Historical Society, Melbourne, Australia

Photographed on a early summer morning with the first daylight.

ex: PH-DDY, ZS-IPR, 6906, ZS-IPR, A2-ZEF, VQ-ZEF, 107469, HS-POE, PI-C102, NC53103, 42-107469. Delivered to Aviodrome in 2003 and painted as "NL-316" of the Netherlands Government Air Transport. Repainted as PH-TAR "Rotterdam" of KLM in Sep 2018.

The clearest shot I ever got of this interesting exhibit at the Aviodrome. After WWII KLM boss Albert Plesman was quick to obtain a number of C-54s. Initially they operated as government aircraft, including wartime orange triangle military markings, until things normalised along the airline's route to the East Indies. This airframe is not the real NL-316 / PH-TCD, which was c/n 10312. Being repainted in KLM colours in 2019 to celebrate the airline's 100th anniversary.