FOR decades the DC-3 Dakota was a regular sight landing on the runway of the old Speke airport.
History repeated itself yesterday when this vintage model touched down at its new home at Liverpool John Lennon airport after a journey that took it halfway across the world.
Aviation enthusiast Paddy Green, 57, who bought the Dakota in Arizona for $75,000, was on board for every leg of the journey.
He has decided to leave the plane in the safe hands of Liverpool aircraft expert Martin Keen, who runs his own airline, Keenair, from JLA.
Paddy, from Leeds, who spent an additional $75,000 restoring the Dakota, said: "I looked everywhere in the country and decided the Liverpool guys at Keenair had the best expertise to maintain it.
"It's been quite a journey from Arizona, via Montana, Canada, Iceland, Scotland and finally Liverpool.
"At Great Falls, Montana we met the 85-year-old guy who flew this plane for the US Airforce during the war. He was delighted to be reunited with it and even took it out for another flight.
"It was an emotional moment."
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Plane facts
NICKNAMED the Biscuit Bomber or The Gooney Bird, the first Douglas DC-3 flew on December 17 1935, becoming the first popular airliner.
But the DC-3 became best known for its role during World War II. Named Dakota by British forces, it was massproduced as a utility transport used for everything from carrying troops to tugging gliders. DC-3s, which have a 95ft wingspan and cruise at 170mph, were used during the D-Day landings in Normandy and subsequent assaults by Allied airborne forces.