The aircraft registered ZK-NZC is the only surviving example of the eight DC-8s that once made up Air New Zealand’s long-haul fleet, reports the National Transport and Toy Museum Wānaka. For the last two decades it has been slowly decaying in the Amazon of Brazil, at the airport in Manaus. It was built by the Douglas factory in Long Beach, California, and the airline took delivery of it in September 1965.
Air New Zealand retired the aircraft from service in 1981. It then changed hands several times before ending up with the Brazilian cargo carrier TCB, which ceased operations in 2006. Since then the plane had been left to deteriorate at Manaus-Eduardo Gomes Airport.
A Legend That Flew the Queen
This particular aircraft has a piece of history to its name. On 30 January 1974 it carried Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Anne and Mark Phillips from Rarotonga to Christchurch, reports the Otago Daily Times. A few days later, the Queen opened the British Commonwealth Games at Christchurch’s QEII Park.
According to Paul Brennan, founder of the Bring Our Birds Home charity, it was this very type of aircraft that played a key role in helping Air New Zealand transform into a full-fledged international airline, the Otago Daily Times notes.
The Journey Home Across the Ocean
The dismantling of the aircraft is due to begin on 1 September 2026. The plane will be cut into sections (the fuselage, wings split for container transport, and the tail surfaces) and shipped by sea to the port of Timaru on the South Island.
It is expected to arrive there before the end of this year, report the Brazilian outlets AeroJota and Rondônia ao Vivo.
An empty DC-8-52 weighs around 60 tonnes, measures 45.9 metres in length and has a wingspan of 43.4 metres. According to the same source, the logistics are being handled by airport operator VINCI Airports and Freightplus, a company specialising in heavy international cargo.
The costs are being covered by anonymous donors. On top of that, the Bring Our Birds Home charity has spent nine years raising money on the Givealittle platform, and as of August 2026 it had collected NZD 40,035 from 467 donors.
What It Means in Practice
If you’re planning a trip to New Zealand’s South Island, once the restoration is complete you’ll be able to see this piece of aviation history at the National Transport and Toy Museum in Wānaka. The museum sits right next to the airport and is normally open to the public.
You can also follow the dismantling and the sea voyage online. The charity is documenting it as it happens through its Givealittle campaign and on social media.
This move has no impact on flights to Brazil or on operations at Manaus airport. It’s simply a one-off removal of a retired airframe.
If you’re only just starting to plan a trip to New Zealand, bear in mind that the aircraft is due to reach Timaru by the end of 2026, and it will only make it to the museum in Wānaka after further restoration.
Tips and Tricks for Your Vacation
Don’t Overpay for Flights
Search for flights on Kayak. It’s our favorite search engine because it scans the websites of all airlines and always finds the cheapest connection.
Book Your Accommodation Smartly
The best experiences we’ve had when looking for accommodation (from Alaska to Morocco) are with Booking.com, where hotels, apartments, and entire houses are usually the cheapest and most widely available.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Good travel insurance will protect you against illness, accidents, theft, or flight cancellations. We’ve had a few hospital visits abroad, so we know how important it is to have proper insurance arranged.
Where we insure ourselves: SafetyWing (best for everyone) and TrueTraveller (for extra-long trips).
Why don’t we recommend any Czech insurance company? Because they have too many restrictions. They set limits on the number of days abroad, travel insurance via a credit card often requires you to pay medical expenses only with that card, and they frequently limit the number of returns to the Czech Republic.
Find the Best Experiences
Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can book guided walks, trips, skip-the-line tickets, tours, and much more. We always find some extra fun there!
