VH-BPH. Douglas DC-6. c/n 43128-135.

Was also registered as: ZK-BGC; NZ3633; N255N; CF-PWQ; N90MA.

Aircraft was built for Scandinavian Airlines but the order was not taken up despite registration SE-BDK being reserved

Sold to British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-BPH - October 29, 1948

Registered to British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines, Melbourne

It arrived at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) on completion of the delivery flight - November 24, 1948

The flight was under the command of Captain J. Bennett

The flight time was 28 hours 47 minutes

The aircraft was named 'Discovery'

It operated its first revenue service Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Auckland - December 04, 1948

It carried 44 passengers in an elapsed time 4 hours 52 minutes

Used on BCPA route Sydney - Auckland - Nadi - Canton Island - Honolulu - San Francisco - Vancouver

Chartered by A.N.A. to provide extra capacity at peak times - dates unknown

B.C.P.A. was liquidated in favour of Qantas Empire Airways operating the Trans Pacific route - March 31, 1954

B.C.P.A. was absorbed by Qantas Empire Airways Ltd - April 01, 1954

Most of B.C.P.A.'s staff and the three remain DC-6s were taken over by Qantas Airways

This aircraft was transferred to Tasman Empire Airways Ltd - May 1954

The transfer was made in lieu of payment for TEAL's shareholding in the liquidated B.C.P.A.

Entered onto the New Zealand Aircraft Register as ZK-BGC - May 13, 1954

Registered to Tasman Empire Airways Ltd, Auckland

The aircraft was named 'Arahia' (trailblazer)

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - May 17, 1954

Deployed on TEAL's route from Auckland and Christchurch to Nadi (Fiji) and Bora Bora (Tahiti)

Engaged in seven return charter flights Sydney - Darwin - Manila - Iwakuni - Tokyo - from July 07, 1954

These flights were to support ANZAC troops based in Japan during the Korean War

Ferried Auckland - Hong Kong for wingskin modifications to allow increased payload by 2,000 lbs - mid 1956

Withdrawn from service and stored at Whenuapai following the arrival of the Lockheed Electras - 1959

Returned to service to cover the upgrade of the airline's Lockheed Electras - late 1960

Repainted into the Lockheed Electra style livery before entering service

Withdrawn from service once the three Lockheed Electras had been returned to service

TEAL announced that this aircraft would be transferred to the Royal New Zealand Air Force - March 21, 1961

Transferred to the Royal New Zealand Air Force - May 12, 1961

Cancelled from the New Zealand Aircraft Register - May 16, 1961

Entered onto the New Zealand Military Aircraft Register as NZ3633 - May 16, 1961

Entered service with 40 Squadron - May 23, 1961

Withdrawn from service - April 16, 1964

Departed Whenuapai on the ferry flight to the United States - April 16, 1964

Sold to Lamm Associates Inc - April 26, 1964

Cancelled from the New Zealand Military Aircraft Register - April 26, 1964

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N255N - April 26, 1964

Sold to Pacific Western Airlines, Canada - May 18, 1965

Cancelled from the United States Aircraft Register - May 18, 1965

Entered onto the Canadian Aircraft Register as CF-PWQ - May 18, 1965

Sold to Lamm Associates Inc, California - January 17, 1971

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N90MA - February 17, 1971

Registered to Lamm Associates, Inc

Sold to Mercer Airlines - April 03, 1971

Sold to Aerial Applicators, Salt Lake City for use as a waterbomber - May 1973

Transferred to Sis-Q Flying Service - June 1981

Transferred to Macavia International, California when Sis-Q was renamed - June 1985

Withdrawn from service and stored at Santa Rosa, California

Sold to T. & G. Aviation, Chandler, Arizona - February 1991

Sold to Pacific Harbour Capital, Portland, Oregon - February 1993

Sold to Barron Thomas Aviation, Wilmington, Delaware - April 1994

Cancelled from the United States Aircraft Register - July 11, 1994

The intended sale to Air Transport Office, Kinshasha, Zaire did not eventuate

It was observed in a derelict condition at Chandler, Arizona - April 2002

The cockpit section was purchased by Pekka Kauppi of Finland to be converted into a simulator

Nose section was removed from the aircraft and freighted to Finland - 2006

Rest of aircraft scrapped on site

The cockpit section has been restored at Pekka Kauppi's property in Finland

VH-BPH. British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines - 'RMA Discovery' in the standard livery at Auckland Whenuapai Airport, February 21, 1949.

(R. N. Smith Collection via Whites Aviation WA-19412-F Copyright Image 1125-683.)

VH-BPH. British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines - 'RMA Discovery' in the standard livery at Auckland Whenuapai Airport, February 21, 1949.

(R. N. Smith Collection via Whites Aviation WA-19410-F Copyright Image 1125-684.)

VH-BPH. British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines - 'RMA Discovery' in the standard livery at Auckland Whenuapai Airport, February 22, 1949.

(R. N. Smith Collection via Whites Aviation WA-19274-F Copyright Image 1125-685.)

VH-BPH. British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines - 'RMA Discovery' in the standard livery at Auckland Whenuapai Airport, March 21, 1949.

(R. N. Smith Collection via Whites Aviation WA-19597-F Copyright Image 1125-687.)

VH-BPH. British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines - 'RMA Discovery' in the standard livery at Auckland Whenuapai Airport, March 21, 1949.

(R. N. Smith Collection via Whites Aviation WA-19598-F Copyright Image 1125-686.)

VH-BPH. British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines - 'RMA Discovery' in the standard livery at Brisbane Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-186.)

VH-BPH. British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines - 'RMA Discovery' in the standard livery at Nadi Airport, September 21, 1949.

(R. N. Smith Collection via Whites Aviation WA-22109-F Copyright Image 1125-603.)

VH-BPH. British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines - 'RMA Discovery' in the standard livery at Auckland Whenuapai Airport, October 10, 1952.

(R. N. Smith Collection via Whites Aviation WA-31165-F Copyright Image 1125-607.)

VH-BPH. British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines - 'RMA Discovery' in the standard livery at Auckland Whenuapai Airport, October 10, 1952.

(R. N. Smith Collection via Whites Aviation WA-31166-F Copyright Image 1125-605.)

VH-BPH. British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines - 'RMA Discovery' in the standard livery at Auckland Whenuapai Airport, October 10, 1952.

(R. N. Smith Collection via Whites Aviation WA-31163-F Copyright Image 1125-606.)

ZK-BGC. TEAL - 'RMA Arahia' in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-165.)

ZK-BGC. TEAL - 'RMA Arahia' in the standard livery at Brisbane Eagle Farm Airport, circa 1955.

(A. J. Jackson Collection Copyright Image 1125-705.)

ZK-BGC. TEAL - 'Arahia' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, date unknown.

(P. Sheehan Collection Copyright Image 1125-688.)

ZK-BGC. TEAL - 'Arahia' in the standard livery at Auckland Whenuapai Airport, circa 1958.

(P. Sheehan Collection Copyright Image 1125-509.)

ZK-BGC. TEAL - 'Arahia' in the standard livery at Wellington Airport, February 09, 1960.

(R. N. Smith Collection via Evening Post EP1960/0510-F Alexander Turnbull Library Copyright Image 1125-608.)

ZK-BGC. TEAL - 'Arahia' in the final livery at Auckland Whenuapai Airport, circa 1961.

(G. Reid Collection Copyright Image 1125-643.)

ZK-BGC. TEAL - 'Arahia' in the final livery at Bora Bora Airport, circa 1961.

(P. Sheehan Collection Copyright Image 1125-730.)

NZ3633. Royal New Zealand Air Force - in the standard livery near Auckland, June 1962.

(Royal New Zealand Air Force Copyright Image 1125-689.)

NZ3633. Royal New Zealand Air Force - in the standard livery at Mildenhall Airport, August 16, 1962.

(J. Hughes Copyright Image 1125-644.)

N90MA. Sis-Q - in the basic Aerial Applicators livery at Chandler Field, September 1982.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-284.)

N90MA. Macavia - in the standard livery at Chandler Field, April 1988.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-202.)

N90MA. Macavia - in the standard livery at Chandler Field, September 1989.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-203.)

N90MA. Macavia - in the standard livery at Chandler Field, September 1989.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-204.)

N90MA. Macavia - in the standard livery at Chandler Field, July 2003.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-450.)

N90MA. Macavia - in the standard livery at Pekka Kauppi's residence, Finland, 2006.

(P. Kauppi Copyright Image 1125-544.)

N90MA. Macavia - in the standard livery at Pekka Kauppi's residence, Finland, 2006.

(P. Kauppi Copyright Image 1125-545.)

N90MA. Macavia - in the standard livery at Pekka Kauppi's residence, Finland, 2006.

(P. Kauppi Copyright Image 1125-546.)

N90MA. Macavia - in the standard livery at Pekka Kauppi's residence, Finland, date unknown.

(P. Kauppi Copyright Image 1125-610.)

N90MA. Macavia - in the standard livery at Pekka Kauppi's residence, Finland, February 01, 2012.

(P. Kauppi Copyright Image 1125-609.)

N90MA. Macavia - in the standard livery at Pekka Kauppi's residence, Finland, April 26, 2012.

(P. Kauppi Copyright Image 1125-611.)

N90MA. Macavia - in the standard livery at Pekka Kauppi's residence, Finland, May 07, 2016.

(P. Kauppi Copyright Image 1125-741.)

N90MA. Macavia - in the standard livery at Pekka Kauppi's residence, Finland, February 06, 2023.

(P. Kauppi Copyright Image 1125-742.)

N90MA. Macavia - in the standard livery at Pekka Kauppi's residence, Finland, February 06, 2023.

(P. Kauppi Copyright Image 1125-743.)