New Zealand National Airways Corporation
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| Founded | 1947 | ||||||
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| Fleet size | 25 (April 1 1978) | ||||||
| Destinations | Kaitaia, Whangerai, Auckland, Tauranga, Rotorua, Taupo, Gisborne, Napier, New Plymouth, Wanganui Palmerston North, Wellington, Blenheim, Nelson, Christchurch, Oamaru, Timaru, Dunedin, Invercargill (April 1 1978) | ||||||
| Parent company | New Zealand Govt. | ||||||
| Headquarters | Auckland, New Zealand | ||||||
National Airways Corporation was the national domestic airline of New Zealand formed in 1947 by a government forced take over of Union Airways and a number of other smaller operators, and equipped with de Havilland Dragon Rapides, de Havilland Fox Moths, Douglas DC-3s, Lockheed Electras and Lockheed 14s which initially operated inside New Zealand. However in the late 1940s NAC also provided international services to some nearby South Pacific countries, using converted ex Royal New Zealand Air Force Short Sunderlands. Engineering workshops were set up at Harewood Christchurch, Whenuapai Auckland, Gisborne and Nelson.
Initial Services
The NAC network started with 18 domestic destinations and 4 international pacific island destinations.
The destinations that initially formed the NAC Domestic Network were:
Kaitaia Kaikohe, Whangerai, Auckland, Tauranga, Gisborne, Napier, New Plymouth, Wanganui Palmerston North, Wellington, Blenheim, Nelson, Christchurch, Westport, Greymouth, Hokitika and Dunedin.
The destinations that formed the NAC Pacific Island Network were:
Norfolk Island, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and The Cook Islands.
Pacific Island Services
NAC has served the Pacific Islands in various capacities. Services began in 1947 using Douglas DC3 aircraft and included Norfolk Island, Tonga, Samoa and The Cook Islands.Fiji, was also served by NAC using Short Sunderland III's from the RNZAF. All services were withdrawn and taken over by TEAL on October 15 1952 except for Norfolk Island which continued until September 1955.
In June 1975, Air New Zealand commenced Norfolk Island services with a chartered NAC Fokker F27-500 friendship.
Domestic Services
The first change to the NAC Domestic Network occurred in April 1948 with the addition of Rotorua. Between then and the airline's merger with Air New Zealand, NZNAC added four more destinations to its network:
- Wanganui in November 1954
- Timaru in April 1957
- Whakatane in November 1962
- Taupo and Oamaru in March 1966
It also removed 4 destinations. Following the withdrawal of the Douglas DC-3, West Coast services to Hokitika, Greymouth and Westport were terminated in June 1970 followed by Kaikohe in August.
In the 1950s NAC acquired de Havilland Herons, Vickers Viscounts and in the 1960s Fokker Friendships and Boeing 737s.
SAFE Air
In August 1972, NAC Acquired 100% ownership of freight company SAFE Air. They operated Bristol Freighters and Armstrong Whitworth Argosys.
Merger
On April 1 1978 after 31 years in operation, NAC merged with Air New Zealand to form the domestic arm of the airline. At the time, the fleet consisted of 25 aircraft:
The Kaimai Disaster
Surviving Aircraft
Ex NAC Dragon Rapides, Fox Moths, and DC-3s still fly in private hands. All three, as well as two ex-NAC Lockheed Electras are preserved at the Museum of Transport and Technology, Auckland. A Vickers Viscount is preserved at Ferrymead in Christchurch. Some Friendships continue in service in Indonesia. One of the converted RNZAF Sunderlands was until recently airworthy with Kermit Weeks collection.
References
- Peter Aimer, Wings of the Nation: A History of the New Zealand National Airways Corporation 1947–1978, published 2000.
- Air New Zealand Company History