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C/N 13541
Douglas DC-3/C-47
ZS-CAI
To USAAF as 42-93610 on 09 June 1944
To RAF Nassau as KG674 on 22 June 1944
To SAAF as 6838 on 23 July 1944
To Department of Transport as ZS-CAI on 21 August 1958. Used for a variety of duties including navaid calibration.
Sold to (DRC-based) Business Aviation in January 2002
Purchased from Dewaldt Brussow by Skyclass Aviation on 25 May 2007 and named Marilyn.
Although named “Marilyn” she is affectionately know as “Charlie” and since the beginning of July 2007 has faithfully plied her trade as a freighter between OR Tambo International and Sir Seretse Khama International Airport, Gaborone in Botswana.
Skyclass has had a wonderful response from pilots wishing to fly her and all agree she is the sweetest Dak to fly.
When parked on Delta apron at OR Tambo she quickly becomes the centre of attraction with crew from around the world coming to visit her and commenting, “Oh how I would love to fly her”
ZS-CAI is fitted with a partial Remmert-Werner speed kit incorporating gear doors and a modified tail cone.
William F. Remmert and Bob Werner
Contributed by John Austin-Williams
8 October 2008
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C/N 13541
ZS-CAI
Department of Transport
Photograph: Clinton H Groves collection
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C/N 13541
ZS-CAI
Departement van Vervoer
Department of Transport
Photograph: Clinton H Groves collection
Note the difference in engine cowling paint scheme to that of the photograph below
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C/N 13541
ZS-CAI
Departement van Vervoer
Department of Transport
Photograph: Will Blunt
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C/N 13541
ZS-CAI
Departement van Vervoer
Department of Transport
Photograph: Will Blunt
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C/N 13541
ZS-CAI
Department of Transport
Departement van Vervoer
Photograph: Will Blunt
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C/N 13541
ZS-CAI
Department van Vervoer
Department of Transport
Photograph: Will Blunt
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C/N 13541
ZS-CAI
Departement van Vervoer (Afrikaans for Department of Transport)
At Port Elizabeth Airport 1966.
Photograph: Leith Paxton
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ZS-CAI Department of Transport
Tzaneen 7 July 1990
Photograph: Peter Wonfor
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C/N 13541
ZS-CAI
Wonderboom Airport
25 July 2003
Photograph: Thomas Posch
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C/N 13541
ZS-CAI
Wonderboom Airport 5 June 2004
Photograph: Michael Stappen
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C/N 13541
ZS-CAI
No titles but owned by Dewaldt at the time this photograph was taken.
Wonderboom Airport 10 October 2006
Photograph: Tamas Polonyi
Dewaldt Brussow was the registered owner but his Father Manfred did the organising of the work for ZS-CAI.
The aircraft was used to operate into Zambia, supplying the copper mines around Ndola and Kitwe.
The name of the previous owner of Business Aviation is Yunus Munshi, for some months at that time the aircraft was operating the Air Botswana cargo contract into Gaborone and various other flights into Swaziland.
It was intended to go to the DRC, but this did not materialise. I recovered the aircraft after a long period of inactivity at Wonderboom and put it back into service some months later for Manfred (all that work was done at Swartkop, and the aircraft even operated some flights to Zambia from Swartkop). After SA Historic Flight was closed by Transnet, Manfred no longer had an AMO and he had to cease operation.
For a short period when owned by Dewaldt the aircraft carried the name Koos Wildebeest on the nose.
The aircraft had an engine failureduring taxi at Wonderboom which sealed the fate of the aircraft until I took Marilyn Andre to see Manfred and we did the deal to purchase the aircraft for Skyclass.
I used to have a photograph of ZS-CAI taken by Robin Norton in Salisbury, Rhodesia in 1970, but I'll have to look for it.
Text: Brendan Odell
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C/N 13541
ZS-CAI
Engine change prior to ferry flight to Rand
Wonderboom Airport 2007
Photograph: Brendan Odell
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C/N 13541
ZS-CAI
Named Marilyn
Photograph: Arnold Balledux
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ZS-CAI Skyclass Cargo
At Rand Airport 2007. The aircraft is named Marilyn.
Photograph: John Austin-Williams
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ZS-CAI Skyclass Cargo
At Rand Airport 2007
Photograph: John Austin-Williams
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ZS-CAI Skyclass Cargo
At Rand Airport 2007
Photograph: John Austin-Williams
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ZS-CAI Skyclass Cargo
At Rand Airport 2007
Photograph: John Austin-Williams
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ZS-CAI Skyclass Cargo
Departing Lanseria Airport 2008
Photograph: Omer Mees
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ZS-CAI Skyclass Cargo
Photograph: Stephan Rossouw SR Photography
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ZS-CAI Skyclass Cargo
Photograph: Stephan Rossouw SR Photography
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ZS-CAI
Skyclass Cargo
Cockpit
Photograph: Bruce Perkins
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C/N 13541
ZS-CAI
Skyclass Cargo
OR Tambo International Airport
4 July 2008
Photograph: Thomas Posch
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C/N 13541
ZS-CAI
With her proud new owner Darrell Lush
Rand Airport, 8 October 2011
Photograph: Bruce Perkins
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C/N 13541
ZS-CAI
Take-off out of Rand Airport for a skydiving trip.
20 November 2011
Photograph: Bruce Perkins
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C/N 13541ZS-CAI
Dropping skydivers.
20 November 2011
The Skydiving trip was arranged by Skydive Rustenburg
Photograph: Graham Field
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C/N 13541
ZS-CAI
With Lush Aviation titles
Rand Airport 21 March 2012
Photograph: Bruce Perkins
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C/N 13541
ZS-CAI
With Lush Aviation titles
Rand Airport 21 March 2012
Photograph: Bruce Perkins
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C/N 13541
ZS-CAI
After dropping parachutists
May 2012
Photograph: Kieran Bell |
The aircraft was seen in March 2013 wearing the fake registration OD-B9C for scenes in the TV series Strike Back.
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Number two engine had a cyclinder failure on 19 May 2013 and it was not until June 2014 that the engine was repaired and the certificate of release to service issued.
Quote below from the website Dennis Jankelow & Associates
"Whilst taxiing to the apron after landing, the co-pilot observed flames coming from the No. 2 engine. The aircraft stopped and the load master jumped out and extinguished the fire."
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C/N 13541
ZS-CAI
With number 2 propeller feathered.
Standing outside the hanger of Stu Davidson, Port Elizabeth, December 2013.
Photograph: Peter Conway-Cleaves
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C/N 13541
ZS-CAI
With number 2 propeller feathered.
Standing outside the hanger of Stu Davidson, Port Elizabeth, December 2013.
Photograph: Peter Conway-Cleaves |
C/N 13541
ZS-CAI
With number 2 propeller feathered.
Standing outside the hanger of Stu Davidson, Port Elizabeth, December 2013.
Photograph: Peter Conway-Cleaves |
C/N 13541
ZS-CAI
With number 2 propeller feathered.
Standing outside the hanger of Stu Davidson, Port Elizabeth, December 2013.
Photograph: Peter Conway-Cleaves |
C/N 13541
ZS-CAI
With number 2 propeller feathered.
Standing outside the hanger of Stu Davidson, Port Elizabeth, December 2013.
Photograph: Peter Conway-Cleaves |
C/N 13541
ZS-CAI
With number 2 propeller feathered.
Standing outside the hanger of Stu Davidson, Port Elizabeth, December 2013.
Photograph: Peter Conway-Cleaves |
C/N 13541
ZS-CAI
With number 2 propeller feathered.
Standing outside the hanger of Stu Davidson, Port Elizabeth, December 2013.
Photograph: Peter Conway-Cleaves |
ZS-CAI was purchased by Flippie Vermeulen of Springbok Classic Air and arrived at Rand Airport on 2 September 2015. |
DC-3 Individual Aircraft History 
