Constructed at the San Diego plant for Trans Australia Airlines

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-TAP - March 24, 1948

Registered to Australian National Airlines Commission

Construction completed - September 21, 1948

Handed over to T.A.A. - October 8, 1948

Originally named 'Matthew Flinders'

Entered service with Trans Australia Airlines - January 26, 1949

Operated its final revenue flight - May 21, 1956

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - June 20, 1956

Departed Melbourne on delivery flight to Pakistan - June 23, 1956

Sold to Fokker NV as a trade-in on Friendship - becoming PH-NHZ - October 17, 1959

Sold to Remmert Warner - becoming N557R - June 30, 1960

Sold to Falstaff Brewing Company - becoming N503 - 1964

Sold to Alaska Coastal Ellis Airlines - becoming N196N - 1966

Ownership transferred to Alaska Airlines Inc - April 1, 1968

Withdrawn from service and placed in storage - October 1969

Sold to Pacific Nevada Airlines - January 1973

Repossessed by Alaska Airlines Inc - May 1973

Returned to Pacific Nevada Airlines - December 1973

Ownership transferred to Pacific Coastal Airlines - 1975

Repossessed by Crocker National Bank, San Francisco - January 1, 1976

Aircraft scrapped at Long Beach, California - June 1979

VH-TAP. Trans Australia Airlines - in the original livery at Melbourne's Essendon Airport, date unknown.

(Image 1029-130. E. Coates Photograph)

VH-TAP. Trans Australia Airlines - in the original color scheme at Brisbane, date unknown.

(Image 1029-087. E. D. Daw Collection)