A great bird of the Waikato is back on her perch after a major restoration project.

The Douglas C-47B Dakota ZK-AZL, the first DC3 aircraft used for aerial top-dressing in New Zealand, was moved from the Agricultural Heritage Museum at Mystery Creek Events Centre near Hamilton in February a few kilometres up the road to Hamilton International Airport where restoration and repainting was carried out on the airframe.

The plane, returned to her perch today by Warwick Johnson of Johnson's House Removals,  had sat at Mystery Creek since 1974 when she was donated by the late top dressing pioneer Ossie James after top-dressing a million acres of farmland.

His daugher Lynnette watched as the fuselage, sans its wings, was restored to its perch.

''We have still got the wings to go back on and the engine cowls,'' she said.

''She will be 'flightless' for the next three months.''

The DC3, which will never fly again, was severly corroded thanks to contact with the fertiliser it spread.

The DC3 Trust which has bankrolled the restoration is funded by donations.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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