VH-EAM. Douglas C-47A-20-DL. c/n 9286.

was also registered as:

VH-EWA; VH-EWF; VH-PWN; VH-CWS.

Construction completed at Long Beach, California - March 1943

Built as a Douglas C-47A-20-DL

Delivered to U.S.A.A.F. as 42-23424 - March 25, 1943

Delivered to the R.A.A.F. - becoming A65-9 - April 30, 1943

Used by 36 Squadron & 34 Squadron with radio callsign 'VHCTI'

Attached to the British Mission in Japan - August 27, 1945 to September 16, 1945

Returned to No 3 A.D. - May 3, 1946

Sold to Qantas for $A 12, 500 - April 6, 1946

Struck off charge - December 10, 1946

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-EAM - December 12, 1946

Registered to Qantas Empire Airways Ltd

Converted to civilian standards by Qantas with seating for 21 passengers

Crashed on take-off from Brisbane's Archerfield Airport - September 19, 1948

Accident was caused by crossed aileron controls - the result of inadequate inspection during overhaul

Sold to East West Airlines - July 1953

Registered to East West Airlines Ltd - July 21, 1953

Overhauled by Qantas - it retained the red Qantas c/line & Australian flag on tail

The 'East West Airlines' titles were added later by East West

Ferried to Tamworth (Capts R. Walesby & B. McKenzie) - July 22, 1953

Operated promotional flight Sydney-West Wyalong-Cowra-Sydney - August 1, 1953

Reregistered as VH-EWA - September 1, 1953

Aircraft was named 'Peel City' and later 'Oxley City'

Converted to seat 28 passengers by East West - 1956

Reregistered as VH-EWF - May 1, 1959

Leased to Westralian Air Surveys - December 23, 1961

Leased to Airlines of South Australia - June 2, 1965 to December 1965

Reregistered as VH-PWN - November 27, 1967

Leased to Queensland Pacific Trading Co. Pty Ltd - September 1969

Leased to Adastra Aerial Surveys Pty Ltd - May 8, 1972

Registered to Bush Pilots Airways Ltd - September 22, 1972

Registered to B.P.A. (PNG) - June 19, 1973

Registered to Bush Pilots Airways Ltd - January 27, 1977

Registered to Great Pacific Aeroplane Company, Essendon - August 10, 1979

Registered to Air Queensland Ltd - January 4, 1982

Withdrawn from use and stored at Cairns - September 1987

Ferried to Brisbane for storage at T.A.A. Maintenance facility - December 19, 1987 to February 1988

Sold to DC-3 Queensland / Air Rambler - April 7, 1988

Sold to Dick Lang - Desert Air Safaris - June 10, 1991

Sold to Pioneer Adventures Ltd, New Zealand - May 3, 1993

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - June 16, 1993

Entered onto the New Zealand Aircraft Register as ZK-AMS - July 15, 1993

Registered to Pionair Ltd

Aircraft was named 'Spirit of Queenstown'

Utilised in Australia for outback tourist charter flights

Cancelled from the N.Z. Aircraft Register - March 3, 2006

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-CWS - March 14, 2006

Registered to Classic Wings (Western Australia)

VH-EWA. East West Airlines - in basic Qantas livery, location & date unknown.

(Image 0250-153. R. N. Smith Collection)

VH-EWA. East West Airlines - in the original livery at Sydney Airport, August 1957.

(Image 0250-704. B. Colledge Photograph)

VH-EWA. East West Airlines - in the original livery at Tamworth Airport, date unknown.

(Image 0251-190. E. D. Daw Collection)

  

VH-EWF. EWA - in their revised color scheme at Sydney Airport, date unknown.

(Image 0250-921. G. Bennett Collection)

VH-EWF. East West Airlines - in the new livery at Sydney Airport, February 1964.

(Image 0251-280. E. D. Daw Collection)

VH-PWN. East West - with revised titles & new tail logo at Canberra Airport, date unknown.

(Image 0250-314. E. D. Daw Collection)

VH-PWN. East West - with revised titles & new tail logo at Tamworth Airport, October 1968.

(Image 0250-252. R. N. Smith Collection)

VH-PWN. Queensland Pacific Trading - in basic East West colors at Cairns Airport, January 1972.

(Image 0250-292. R. N. Smith Collection)

VH-PWN. Queensland Pacific Trading - in basic East West colors, June 1972.

(Image 0250-222. B. Dannecker Collection)

VH-PWN. Queensland Pacific - in Bush Pilots colors at Brisbane Airport.

(Image 0250-327. P. Gates Collection)

VH-PWN. Bush Pilots Airways - in the original livery at Cairns Airport, November 1972.

(Image 0251-156. G. Bennett Collection)

VH-PWN. Bush Pilots Airways Australia - in the original colors at Cairns Airport, January 1973.

(Image 0251-155. G. Bennett Collection)

VH-PWN. Bush Pilots Airways Australia - in the original colors at Brisbane Airport.

(Image 0250-086. P. Gates Collection)

VH-PWN. Bush Pilots Airways - in their revised colors at Cairns Airport, April 1978.

(Image 0250-410. R. N. Smith Photograph)

VH-PWN. BPA Australia's Northern Airline - with revised titles at Cairns Airport, August 1980.

(Image 0250-253. B. Dannecker Photograph)

VH-PWN. BPA Australia's Northern Airline - with revised titles at Cairns Airport, December 1980.

(Image 0250-085. R. N. Smith Photograph)

VH-PWN. BPA Australia's Northern Airline - in the full livery at Brisbane Airport, December 1980.

(Image 0251-157. G. Bennett Photograph)

VH-PWN. BPA Australia's Northern Airline - in the full livery at Brisbane Airport, December 1980.

(Image 0251-158. G. Bennett Photograph)

VH-PWN. BPA - in a modified livery at Cairns Airport, November 1981.

(Image 0251-161. G. Bennett Photograph)

VH-PWN. BPA - in a modified livery at Cairns Airport, January 1982.

(Image 0251-160. R. N. Smith Collection)

VH-PWN. Air Queensland - with revised titles & tail logo at Cairns Airport, September 1983.

(Image 0250-084. R. N. Smith Photograph)

VH-PWN. Air Queensland - in the Australian livery at Cairns Airport, October 1987.

(Image 0251-162. G. Bennett Photograph)

VH-PWN. Air Queensland - in the Australian livery at Cairns Airport, October 1987.

(Image 0251-163. G. Bennett Photograph)

VH-PWN. Air Queensland - in the Australian livery at Brisbane Airport, December 1987.

(Image 0250-411. P. J. Gates Photograph)

VH-PWN. DC-3 Queensland - in basic Australian livery at Cairns Airport, September 1988.

(Image 0250-088. P. J. Gates Photograph)

VH-PWN. DC-3 Queensland - in basic Australian livery at Cairns Airport, September 1988.

(Image 0250-087. P. J. Gates Photograph)

VH-PWN. DC-3 Queensland - in the new livery at Cairns Airport, September 1990.

(Image 0250-592. P. J. Gates Collection)

VH-PWN. Dick Lang's Desert Air Safaris - in DC3 Queensland livery, January 1992.

(Image 0250-090. P. J. Gates Collection)

ZK-AMS. Dick Lang's Desert Air Safaris - in DC3 Queensland livery, June 1993.

(Image 0250-246. G. Wilkes Collection)

ZK-AMS. Pionair - in the full color scheme at Queenstown, December 1996.

(Image 0250-837. R. N. Smith Collection)

ZK-AMS. Pionair - in the full color scheme at Auckland, October 1998.

(Image 0250-838. R. N. Smith Collection)

ZK-AMS. Pionair - in a special Lion Nathan color scheme at Auckland, March 1999.

(Image 0250-839. R. N. Smith Collection)

VH-CWS. Classic Wings - in basic Pionair color scheme at Perth's Jandakot Airport, September 2006.

(Image 0251-045. G. Wood Photograph)

VH-CWS. Classic Wings - in basic Pionair color scheme at Perth's Jandakot Airport, September 2006.

(Image 0251-047. G. Wood Photograph)

VH-CWS. Classic Wings - in basic Pionair color scheme at Perth's Jandakot Airport, September 2006.

(Image 0251-048. G. Wood Photograph)

VH-CWS. Classic Wings - in basic Pionair color scheme at Perth's Jandakot Airport, September 2006.

(Image 0251-049. G. Wood Photograph)

VH-CWS. Classic Wings - in basic Pionair color scheme approaching Perth Airport, September 2006.

(Image 0251-050. G. Wood Photograph)

VH-CWS. Classic Wings - in basic Pionair color scheme approaching Perth Airport, September 2006.

(Image 0251-051. G. Wood Photograph)

VH-CWS. Classic Wings - a look inside the cockpit at Jandakot Airport, September 2006.

(Image 0251-052. G. Wood Photograph)

VH-CWS. Classic Wings - a look inside the cabin at Jandakot Airport, September 2006.

(Image 0251-053. G. Wood Photograph)