VH-AEO Douglas DC-3

Construction completed at Long Beach, California - November 10, 1942

Built as a Douglas C-47-DL

Allocated U.S. serial number 41-38668

Delivered to the USAAF at Mobile, Alabama - November 29, 1942

Allocated to the 5th Air Force and delivered to Archerfield, Brisbane - January 12, 1943

Used by 6 Troop Carrier Squadron with radio callsign 'VHCHF'

Used by 39th Troop Carrier Squadron with radio callsign 'VHCHJ'

Aircraft was named 'Geronimo'

Was mainly based at Mareeba, North Queensland

Sustained major damage at Charters Towers - June 23, 1943

Repaired to airworthy condition at Essendon. Melbourne

Sold to the Department of Civil Aviation - had flown 1,888 hours - July 10, 1944

Converted to civilian standards - 24 seats - by Australian National Airways at Essendon Airport

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-AEO - March 9, 1945

Registered to Commonwealth of Australia / Department of Civil Aviation

Leased to Australian National Airways - March 1945

Chartered to Guinea Airways - 1946

Transferred to Trans Australia Airlines - June 18, 1946

Registered to Australian National Airlines Commission

When taken over by T.A.A. it had amassed some 7,383 hours

Aircraft was named 'Cunningham'

Entered service with Trans Australia Airlines - July 3, 1946

Operated the inaugural Melbourne (Laverton) - Adelaide service - December 2, 1946

This flight crewed by Capt D.K. McDonald (command), Capt G.J. White and hostess A. Kitching

Leased to Qantas Empire Airways for use as a freighter - 1948

Ferried to Bankstown for conversion to survey configuration by Fairey Clyde Aviation - January 19, 1957

Ferried Bankstown-Adelaide following conversion - January 28, 1958

Leased to South Australian Lands Commission but operated by T.A.A. crews

Aircraft was named 'Clive Hambridge' - after the South Australian Surveyor General

Reregistered as VH-DAS - January 28, 1958

Operated its first survey flight - Naracoorte area - February 2, 1958

Sold to East West Airlines Ltd - with lease continuing - March 1, 1975

Registered to East West Airlines - having flown 41,206 hours - March 17, 1975

Ferried Adelaide-Tamworth for repainting in current East West colors - June 1975

Returned to Adelaide and continued survey flying

Ferried Adelaide-Tamworth and withdrawn from use - December 21, 1976

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - March 17, 1977

Sold to Travmar Holdings Pty Ltd - December 1978

Ferried Tamworth-Maitland where it was stored and used as a source of spares

Transported by road to Cairns, Queensland for use in movie 'Sky Pirates'

At conclusion of filming it was transported to Tonkins Metal Industries scrapyard, Cairns

Fuselage was rescued and transported to Kuranda Homestead on three semi-trailers - April 1984

Currently in very derelict condition with back broken


VH-AEO. Trans Australia Airlines in the original style livery at Melbourne's Essendon Airport. (Image 0250-653. B. Colledge Photograph)

VH-DAS. TAA Trans Australia Airlines in the white tail color scheme at Adelaide Airport, December 1971. (Image 0250-397. R. N. Smith Collection)	VH-DAS. TAA Trans Australia Airlines in the white tail color scheme at Adelaide Airport, April 1972. (Image 0250-917. G. Bennett Collection)

VH-DAS. TAA Trans Australia Airlines in the white tail color scheme at Tamworth Airport, June 1975. (Image 0250-731. E. D. Daw Collection)

VH-DAS. East West in their full color scheme with the 'Aerial Survey Unit' titles, December 1975. (Image 0250-719. R. N. Smith Collection)	VH-DAS. East West with the 'Aerial Survey Unit' titles at Adelaide Airport, January 1976. (Image 0250-242. B. Dannecker Collection)

VH-DAS. Travmar in basic East West livery at Maitland Airport, April 1979. (Image 0250-732. R. N. Smith Photograph)	VH-DAS. Travmar in basic East West livery at Maitland Airport, April 1980. (Image 0251-291. E. D. Daw Photograph)