Race for the Yankee Zephyr (also known as Treasure of the Yankee Zephyr) is a 1981 action adventure film directed by David Hemmings and starring Ken Wahl, Lesley Ann Warren, George Peppard and Donald Pleasence.

Gibbie Gibson has discovered a World War II-era plane wreck in the mountains of New Zealand.

Ken Wahl as Barney Whitaker; a hunter who owns a helicopter and lives with Gibbie Gibson.

The film was an original story by writer Everett De Roche, who said he got the idea from a neighbour of his in Mount Isa.

It was based on a true incident about the war-time disappearance of an American DC3 military aircraft carrying the payroll for the Pacific fleet which was later discovered off Cape York.