VH-AII. Douglas C-47A-25-DK. c/n 13622.

was also registered as:

VH-EBI, VH-TAV & VH-SBJ.


Construction completed at Oklahoma City plant - 1944

Built as a Douglas C-47A-25-DK

Allocated U.S. serial number 42-93683

Delivered to United States Army Air Force

Assigned to the European theatre of operations during the war with U. S. 9th Air Force

Aircraft was struck-off charge and sold to Qantas

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-AII - December 12, 1945

Registered to Qantas Empire Airways Ltd

Leased / chartered by Trans Australia Airlines - September 3, 1948

Returned to Qantas and reregistered as VH-EBI - September 23, 1949

Sold to Trans Australia Airlines - November 4, 1950

Operated its first revenue service with T.A.A. - November 4, 1950

Reregistered as VH-TAV - November 8, 1950

Registered to Australian National Airlines Commission

Aircraft was named 'Todd' but later changed to 'Leichardt'

Reregistered as VH-SBJ - February 8, 1961

Transferred to Papua New Guinea to operate the T.A.A. Sunbird Services - March 1, 1961

Operated its final revenue service for T.A.A. - September 3, 1968

Sold to Continental Air Services Inc - becoming XW-PEE - October 9, 1968

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - October 9, 1968

Entered onto the U.S. Aircraft Register as N13622 - March 1969

Sold to Air Alliance Inc, Los Angeles, California - 1970

Sold to Turk Hava Kuvvetleri - Turkish Air Force - becoming ETI-31

Final fate of aircraft still to be ascertained


 

VH-TAV. Trans Australia Airlines - in the early silver tail livery at Melbourne's Essendon Airport.

(Image 0250-735. E. D. Daw Collection)

 

VH-SBJ. TAA Sunbird Services - in the full livery at Lae Airport, date unknown.

(Image 0250-333. P. J. Gates Collection)

VH-SBJ. TAA Sunbird Services - in the full livery at Lae Airport, July 1966.

(Image 0250-979. G. Bennett Collection)

VH-SBJ. TAA Sunbird Services - in the full livery at Lae Airport, July 1966.

(Image 0250-978. G. Bennett Collection)