Dutch DC-3 PH-PBA; new livery, new name 07122010

During a ceremony at Schiphol Amsterdam airport in The Netherlands (EHAM) on 7 December 7 2010, the new color scheme and name of former "Royal Dakota" PH-PBA were unveiled. The presentation was planned to take place at Lelystad airport (EHLE) at the premises of the Aviodrome aviation museum, but due to dense fog PH-PBA could not make the ferry flight from Schiphol. The aircraft is now painted in the early 1960's color scheme of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and named Princess Amalia, after the oldest daughter of Dutch crown prince Willem-Alexander, who will become King William IV of the Netherlands in the near future when he succeeds his mother, Queen Beatrix. One day he will be succeeded by, then, Queen Amalia. Douglas DC-3C-S1C3G c/n 19434 (formerly a C-47A-75-DL) PH-PBA had flown since 2006 with a dual livery; KLM on one side, Air France on the other, to commerate the first flight of a KLM DC-3 to Paris on November 13, 1936. The aircraft was delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) in 1944 and came into action for the Normandy landings. In 1947 it went to The Netherlands as PH-PBA and was commissioned as government aircraft, to be used extensively by Prince Bernhard, husband of the then Queen Juliana of the Netherlands. It was then known as the "Royal Dakota". In 1975 it was phased out and exhibited in the former Aviodome museum at Schiphol Amsterdam airport. After 21 years on exhibition it was restored to airworthiness by Air Atlantique in Coventry. Parts of DC-3 G-BVOL (c/n 9836) were used for the restoration of PH-PBA. Since then, PH-PBA is officially registered not as a C-47A, but as a DC-3. KLM Dakotas never flew passenger services in this 1960's color scheme. At the time it was only used for the Dakota's of KLM Aerocarto and KLM freight service. See also the other photo's of PH-PBA in this gallery.