Iconic Spirit of Douglas DC3 touches down in New Zealand
The iconic Spirit of Douglas DC3 on a photo flight during it’s World Cruiser Tour | Spirit of Douglas
The Spirit of Douglas, a 1942 Douglas DC-3, has arrived in New Zealand as part of a worldwide “World Cruiser Tour” marking 100 years since the first Douglas-led round-the-world flight in 1924.
Now more than three-quarters of the way through its journey, the aircraft has already visited 19 cities across five continents, operating as a fully flying heritage airframe rather than a static exhibit.
Its arrival into New Zealand followed a multi-leg Pacific routing via Australia and Norfolk Island, continuing its westbound global circuit across the Pacific. The trans-Tasman leg marked one of the more symbolic stages of the tour, transitioning the aircraft from its broader international routing into its dedicated New Zealand programme.
The visit is expected to be one of the longer stopovers of the tour. The aircraft will remain based in New Zealand for several months, giving time for domestic touring, fly-ins, and public viewing opportunities before it continues its global circumnavigation back to the United States. The Spirit will tour New Zealand over the next year or so and may return in the future after completing its tour around the world.
While in New Zealand, the aircraft will be on show at the upcoming Warbirds Over Wanaka Airshow this easter.
The aircraft is owned by aviation enthusiast Mark Stewart and wears a teal scheme inspired by TEAL Airways, referencing the early trans-Pacific era that helped establish New Zealand’s international air links.
Built in California in 1942, the airframe began life in WWII service in the China–Burma–India theatre before moving into a long civilian career across Asia and the United States. Its continued airworthiness is typical of the DC-3’s reputation for longevity, with many examples still operating globally in heritage, cargo, and specialist roles.
In New Zealand, the type carries particular historical weight through National Airways Corporation (NAC), where it formed the backbone of the domestic network for decades and remained in service long after jets became standard elsewhere.
The airframe also carries a lighter footnote, having appeared as N8336C in the 1994 film Richie Rich starring Macaulay Culkin.
Now operating in preservation flying capacity, the Spirit of Douglas will spend the coming months touring New Zealand, offering rare opportunities for enthusiasts to see and hear a fully operational DC-3 in its element before it continues its global journey.