Air Trans Africa TR-LNZ Douglas DC-7F, June 1971 at the Air Trans Africa hangar, Salisbury Airport. Behind is another DC-7, still in the faded blue KLM colours. TR-LNZ was handed over to the Rhodesian Air Force at the end of the 1970s and was painted in water based camouflage paint. (photo, Robin D.W.Norton)

Douglas DC-7CF * Retired *
One DC-7CF freighter operated by the airline Air Trans-Africa (later Affretair) on behalf of the Rhodesian Air Force by 1976. Constructed from the parts of two former KLM aircraft which had stood unused for several years at Salisbury Airport, (the other aircraft was c/n 45186 ex PH-DSB/TR-LNJ which never flew again). Although operated by the airline, it was camouflaged and had an air force serial number. Mainly used for internal flights but also made regular sanctions busting flights exporting beef and tobacco and importing essential supplies, and occasionally for dropping paratroops. The civil registration TR-LNZ was used for sanctions activities. Withdrawn from service November 1980.

Serial	c/no.	Prev. Identity	Delivered	Fate/Notes
R7230	45188		1976?	PH-DSI*/ET-ATV*/TR-LNZ. to VP-YTY Nov 1980, to N103LM Aug 1982

* quoted in Ref 3 as PH-DSV/EI-ATV

References:

1. Rhodesian Air Force, A Brief History 1947-1980 (W A Brent, 1987)
2. Britain's Rebel Air Force (Roy Nesbit & Dudley Cowderoy, 1998)
3. African Military Aviation (W A Brent, 1994)
4. Take Off No.89 (Aerospace Publishing Ltd, 1990)
5. Air (WLAG) November 1989