Rebuild of c/n 96 which had been damaged by fire. Delivered to Union Producing as CV340-42A N8444H then converted to a CV440 in 1956. To North Central Airlines in 1965. Converted to a CV580 in 1969. North Central merged into Republic Airlines in 1979. Damaged in an accident at Brainerd, MN in 1983. Sold and rebuilt. To Aero Quetzal as TG-MYM in 1988. Returned and stored at Tucson in 1989. Registered as N8444H in 1992. To Kelowna Flightcraft as C-FCIB in 1995 then to Air Chathams as ZK-CIB in 1996. Last flight to Wanaka for preservation in 2022.

Ex TG-MYM, returned to lessor as N8444H 20th March 1992 and after a few years of storage and maintenance it became C-FCIB 26th July 1995, then to Air Chathams as ZK-CIB 10th June 1996

Ex Coastal Air. Became TG-MYM with Aero Quetzal.

Transitioning from TG-MYM to C-FCIB via N8444H and undergoing import inspection at Kelowna Flightcraft facility.

N28341 Douglas DC-3 Dakota (3278) was gracing the small ramp. My heart goes where the wild goose goes, well "Herman" anyways! N8444H c/n 96 a Convair 340-42A. Her career started in 1953 heading to Philipppine Airlines as PI-C342, but ended as N8420H still a Convair 340 on 20 October 1955 at Shereveport, Louisiana where she was damaged by fire. Rebuilt as a Convair 440 she served as N8444H (327A) ; was converted to a Convair 580 (PAC166) 01 May 1969 then after service with Republic Airlines went to TG-MYM before returning to the US and N8444H until she went to C-FCIB then on to become ZK-CIB.

Here is N8444H Convair 440-42 (327A) of North Central Airlines awaiting my presence at Cleveland - Hopkins -KCLE, Ohio. 0n 27 August 1966 I flew on her operating as flight "NC806" for the twenty-nine minute journey to Detroit - Metropolitan. By 28 August 1968, I was at Aberdeen, South Dakota. I had just come off N8444H Convair 440 Metropolitan (327A) of North Central Airlines "NC763" completing my leg number twelve on this airframe in two days, it was a good time to get off and stretch my legs as I had to travel two more to Bismark and finally end up at Minot.