AIR NEW ZEALAND B767-319

The present day Air New Zealand goes back to 1939 when Tasman Empire Airways Ltd (TEAL) was formed as a joint British (20%), Australian (30%) and New Zealand (50%) company. Short S-30 flying boats were used for regular flights between Australia and Auckland. These flying boats were used until 1954, and were then replaced by Douglas DC-6 landplanes. In 1961, the New Zealand government assumed full control. TEAL entered the jet era in 1965 with the purchase of three Douglas DC-8s, and in that year the carrier was renamed Air New Zealand. New routes to the United States were started and the domestic airline NZNAC (formed in 1945) was taken over in April 1978. Larger DC-10s and Boeing 747s were added to the fleet. Boeing 747-400s and Boeing 767s were introduced in 1992. Air New Zealand has developed regional services, operated by fully-owned subsidiaries Mount Cook Airlines, Eagle Aviation and Air Nelson. In 1996, Air New Zealand acquired 50% of the shares of Ansett Australia. That same year, the present color scheme was introduced. After protracted negotiations, Air New Zealand (itself now 25% owned by Singapore Airlines) took over Ansett completely at the end of 1999. Air New Zealand has been a member of the Star Alliance since March 1999. We are delighted to present to 1:400 scale collectors, a replica of the Boeing 767-319ER in Air New Zealand's vintage colors. The carrier has eleven of these in their fleet.