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C/N 9581
C-47A-30-DL
ZS-GPL was bought by the construction company Grinaker Limited in March 1971 and based at Grand Central Airport. The company named the aircraft Mosadi Mogolo and it served with Grinair until March 1976 when it was sold to Sandriver Safari for operations by United Air Services with is maintenance base at Wonderboom Airport, Pretoria.
It was re-registered in Botswana as A2-ACH with Air Services Botswana (Pty) Ltd in February 1980 for operations in the then Rhodesia to provide transport for election officials and monitors during that country’s independence elections.
The Dakota returned to United Air Services in March 1980. Sandriver Safaris/United Air Services was taken over by Wonder Air (also based at Wonderboom) in 1988, along with its fleet of DC-3s.
On 11 January 1996 ZS-GPL was sold to a traditional healer Mr S.E. Mbatha. The amount of flying done during this ownership is not known, but in 2001 ZS-GPL was purchased by Capt Flippie Vermeulen for operations by his company Springbok Classic Air. The aircraft was registered in his wife Maryna J Vermeulen’s name on 12 April 2001 and is currently based at Rand Airport.
ZS-GPL was sold during 2009 to Indigo Aviation and was ferried to Dar Es Salaam in Tanzania. She was registered 5H-DAK and named Wave Dance. Her first Service with Indigo was 22 June 2009.
Previous History
Delivered to the USAAF as Skytrain 42-23719 on 22 May 1945. It remained within the USA during World War II and was passed on to the Reconstruction Finance Corporation on 26 August 1946. It was sold as NC47573 to General Airways Inc of Portland, Oregon.
During 1966 it was sold to North American Aviation Inc at Los Angeles. In December 1970 the new owner was Elbee Co, also from Los Angeles, who then sold it to Grinair in March 1971.
Thanks to DC-1, DC-2, DC-3 The First Seventy Years by Jennifer Gradidge for some of the historical information.
Contributed by Karel Zaayman
Life Member Dakota Association of South Africa
6 August 2008
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C/N 9581
ZS-GPL
United Air
Photograph: Clinton H Groves collection
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C/N 9581
ZS-GPL
United Air
Photograph: Will Blunt
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C/N 9581
ZS-GPL
United Air
Photograph: Will Blunt
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C/N 9581
ZS-GPL
Photograph: Steve Morrison
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C/N 9581
ZS-GPL
United Air
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My name is Daniel Zuppinger, I live in Switzerland, but have spent in the 1980s a few years in South Africa. While I was there I started with Skydiving, which I did for many years. My second Hobby is photography. While I was looking through my archives I came across photos of DC-3 ZS-GPL taken in Phalaborwa in about 1983-1985. I was wondering what happened to the old jump-ship and doing a Google search I came across your webpage.
This aircraft touched the ground with the wingtip on take-off in Phalaborwa. I was sitting near the front and did not see much more than the dust blowing into the open door. I was one of the 35 odd jumpers on board when this happened. We were lucky to escape unharmed.
I thought you might enjoy this little bit of history I can add and send you two photographs of ZS-GPL.
Hope you enjoy this little contribution.
Regards
Daniel Zuppinger
7 July 2012
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C/N 9581
ZS-GPL
United Air
Photograph: Daniel Zuppinger |
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C/N 9581
ZS-GPL
United Air
Photograph: Daniel Zuppinger
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C/N 9581
DC-3 ZS-GPL, piloted by Gert De Klerk with Junkers Ju 52/3m ZS-AFA piloted by Brian Stableford.
During the filming of a stunt scene for the movie African Express in 1989.
Sometimes referred to as Africa Express.
Photograph: Brian Stableford collection.
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Brian Stableford wrote:
The scene on the inflight transfer didn’t work, after the stuntman fell off the rope ladder three times!
Further information on the following links
http://explore.bfi.org.uk/4ce2b7f42d91b
http://www.amazon.de/Africa-Express-Ein-Teufelskerl-VHS/dp/B00004S05J
http://www.cinema.de/bilder/african-express-ein-teufelskerl-in-afrika
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C/N 9581
ZS-GPL
Grinair
Photograph: Bruce Perkins
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C/N 9581
ZS-GPL Grinair
The aircraft was named Mosadi Mogolo
Photograph: Will Blunt
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C/N 9581
ZS-GPL Grinair
Photograph: Will Blunt
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C/N 9581
ZS-GPL
Grinair
The aircraft was named Mosadi Mogolo
Photograph: Clinton H Groves collection
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C/N 9581
ZS-GPL Sprinbok Flying Safaris
Photograph: Frederic Lert
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C/N 9581
ZS-GPL Sprinbok Flying Safaris
Photograph: Frederic Lert
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C/N 9581
ZS-GPL Sprinbok Flying Safaris
Rand Airport 9 February 2006
Photograph: Timothy Webster |
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ZS-GPL Springbok Flying Safaris
Photograph: Bruce Perkins
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ZS-GPL Springbok Flying Safaris
Photograph: Bruce Perkins
ZS-GPL Springbok Flying Safaris
Photograph: Bruce Perkins
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ZS-GPL Springbok Flying Safaris
Photograph: Bruce Perkins
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ZS-GPL Springbok Flying Safaris
Photograph: Bruce Perkins
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ZS-GPL Springbok Flying Safaris
Photograph: Bruce Perkins
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ZS-GPL Springbok Flying Safaris
Photograph: Stephan Rossouw SR Photography
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ZS-GPL Springbok Flying Safaris
Photograph: Stephan Rossouw SR Photography
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ZS-GPL Springbok Flying Safaris
Photograph: Stephan Rossouw SR Photography
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C/N 9581
ZS-GPL Sprinbok Flying Safaris
Rand Airport 28 July 2003
Photograph: Thomas Posch
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C/N 9581
ZS-GPL Sprinbok Flying Safaris
Rand Airport 10 July 2008
Photograph: Thomas Posch
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C/N 9581
ZS-GPL Sprinbok Flying Safaris
Rand Airport 23 September 2008
Photograph: Steve Brimley
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C/N 9581
ZS-GPL Sprinbok Flying Safaris
Photograph: Leon Apicella
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C/N 9581
ZS-GPL Sprinbok Flying Safaris
Photograph: Leon Apicella
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C/N 9581
ZS-GPL Sprinbok Flying Safaris
Photograph: Leon Apicella
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C/N 9581
ZS-GPL Sprinbok Flying Safaris
www.businessureaviation.com titles under the wing
Photograph: Leon Apicella
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C/N 9581
ZS-GPL Sprinbok Flying Safaris
Photograph: Leon Apicella |
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C/N 9581
ZS-GPL
Indigo Aviation
Rand Airport 2009
Photograph: Bruce Perkins
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DC-3 Individual Aircraft History