Singapore is the first country in Southeast Asia that has been encompassed by the twin-engine propeller-driven plane, after its kick off in Geneva, Switzerland on March 7 and journey from the Middle East to India afterward.

The DC-3, which flies under Breitling colors, took VIP customers and media on an exclusive 20-minute flight around Singapore and Malaysia last Tuesday.

The non-air conditioned World War II relic, which is fully restored and updated with modern flying instruments, flew at the low altitude of 400 meters, indulging its 14 passengers with beautiful views of the Johor Strait.

The landscape as seen through the wooden paneled window enabled the passengers to forget about the heat and noise emanating from the old engine, which has clocked more than 74,500 flight hours.

The passengers seemed to enjoy the flight by taking photos.

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Captain Francisco Agullo and his copilot Paul Bazeley even let the passengers, one by one, see how they controlled the aircraft from the cockpit and take photos there.

Flying with the passengers inside that plane, Agullo said, were 500-piece limited edition engraved Navitimer Breitling DC-3 timepieces, kept in a secured place.

The 1952 Navitimer is the oldest mechanical wrist chronograph, made during the era in which the jet engine replaced the propeller aircraft.

“We only produced 500. We take them around the world to give them history,” Agullo said.

The watches, which will be completed with a certificate signed by the captain and logbook, will be available for sale after DC-3 complete its journey by hitting around 55 cities across 28 countries within six months.

From Singapore, the plane that made its maiden flight in the United States on March 9th 1940, will head to Malaysia, Philippines, China, Taiwan and Japan where it has received a special invitation to take part in the Iwakuni Friendship Day Air Show.

Agullo said in Japan, Breitling would invite earthquake victim children to enjoy the flight inside the DC-3.

He added that the plane would help raise money for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), with the watchmaker offering US$2 for every nautical mile the aircraft flew.

The plane — nicknamed “Normandy landings plane” — will cross the ocean to hold a grand tour in the US before returning to Europe through Greenland and Iceland.

In September, the plane is scheduled to complete its journey in the Breitling Sion Airshow 2017 in Switzerland.

Alvin Soon, Breitling Group’s general manager for South-East Asia and Greater China, said Breitling wished to make history on the world tour.

“This is part of history. If we complete this journey, DC-3 will be the world’s oldest aircraft to ever tour the world,” Alvin said.

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