VH-MMD Douglas DC-3

VH-MMD. Douglas C-47B-35-DK. c/n 16553-33301.

Was also registered as: A65-109; P2-MMD; P2-ANU.

Construction was completed at the Douglas Oklahoma City plant - May 1945

It was built as a C-47B-35-DK

Delivered to the United States Army Air Force - May 19, 1945

It was allocated the United States serial number '44-76969'

It was transferred to the Royal Australian Air Force under the Lend - Lease program - May 31, 1945

Received at 3 Aircraft Depot, Brisbane - June 05, 1945

Entered onto the Australian Military Aircraft Register as A65-109

The registration was applied to the aircraft - June 06, 1945

It was operated using the radio call-sign 'VHRGX'

AN / APN9 LORAN equipment was also fitted to the aircraft

Allocated to No. 1 CU - June 11, 1945

It is believed that the aircraft was damaged at Guildford, Perth soon afterwards

Allocated to No. 111 Air-Sea Rescue flight for use by the GOC 8th Military Districr - February 27, 1946

Allocated to No. 36 Squadron for special duties - May 31, 1946

Allocated to No. 38 Squadron (86 Transport Wing) via Parafield - October 28, 1946

The airframe was stripped of camouflage paint, polished and fitted with 12 passenger seats

Returned to 86 Transport Wing - February 05, 1947

Allocated to 91 Transport Wing - November 03, 1950

Allocated to 86 Transport Wing - May 17, 1951

Allocated to 90 Transport Wing, Malaya to replace Dakota A65-102 - August 16, 1952

Allocated to 86 Transport Wing - December 05, 1952

Allocated to Base Squadron, Darwin to replace Dakota A65-69 - August 09, 1954

Received at No. 2 Aircraft Depot - February 12, 1958

It was deemed to be surplus to requirments and was struck-off-charge - May 27, 1958

All radio equipment was removed prior to the aircraft being offered for sale - June 09, 1958

Allocated to the Commonwealth Disposal Commission for sale by tender - June 16, 1958

Sold to the Commercial Aviation Company - June 1958

Ferried R.A.A.F. Pearce - Perth Airport by a R.A.A.F. crew - June 28, 1958

The aircraft had flown 4,657 hours to date

Had been converted to Douglas DC-3C-S1C3G civil standard by MMA at Perth Airport - October 08, 1958

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-MMD (CofR 2521) - October 08, 1958

Registered to Commercial Aviation Co, Guildford, Western Australia

Leased to MacRobertson Miller Airlines as the registered operator

The aircraft was named 'RMA Durack'

Operated the inaugural 'Explorer Tours of Western Australia and Northern Territory' - June 11, 1962

Registered to MacRobertson Miller Airlines - December 22, 1966

Withdrawn from service at Perth Airport - January 31, 1969

Aircraft had flown 27,668 hours to date

Repainted in Ansett Airlines of Papua New Guinea livery at Perth Airport

Sold to Ansett Airlines of Papua New Guinea - February 10, 1969

Departed Perth on the ferry flight to New Guinea - February 10, 1969

Ferry route: Perth - Forrest - Whyalla - Broken Hill - Rockhampton - Cairns - Port Moresby - Lae

Registered to Ansett (P&NG) Ltd - May 23, 1973

Sold to Air Niugini - November 01, 1973

Registered to Papua New Guinea National Airline, Port Morseby - February 18, 1974

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - June 01, 1974

Entered onto the Papua New Guinea Aircraft Register as P2-MMD - June 01, 1974

Registered to Papua New Guinea National Airline, Port Morseby

Reregistered as P2-ANU - December 03, 1975

Withdrawn from service at Port Moresby - June 28, 1977

Sold to Travmar Holdings Pty Ltd, Mascot

Repainted into the Travmar livery at Port Morseby

Ferried Port Moresby - Sydney (Bankstown) on delivery to Travmar - July 22, 1977

Cancelled from the Papua New Guinea Aircraft Register - July 27, 1977

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-MMD - August 12, 1977

Registered to Travmar Holdings Pty Ltd, Mascot

Operated its first charter service - August 20, 1977

The aircraft was grounded at Sydney (Bankstown) when Travmar ceased operations due to financial difficulties - ?

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - July 10, 1980

The aircraft had flown 35,374:03 hours to date

This aircraft along with the Douglas DC-3 VH-SBO was sold to Setair - November 1982

The aircraft remained stored at Sydney (Bankstown)

Setair ceased trading - April 1983

Sold to the National War Museum by the receivers of Travmar - June 25, 1984

Exchanged for a Hawker Sea Fury held by the Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences, Sydney - August 16, 1984

Transported by road by the R.A.A.F to the Power House Castle Hill depot - December 09, 1984

On loan to the Australian Aviation Museum, Bankstown in the basic Travmar livery - December 18, 1999

Observed stored at Sydney (Bankstown) Airport - December 03, 2003

Observed undergoing slow restoration at Bankstown Airport - 2007

VH-MMD. MMA Mac.Robertson Miller Airlines - 'RMA Durack' in the standard livery at Perth Airport, January 1969.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-312.)

VH-MMD. MMA Mac.Robertson Miller Airlines - 'RMA Durack' in the standard livery at Perth Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0251-605.)

VH-MMD. MMA Mac.Robertson Miller Airlines - 'RMA Durack' in the standard livery at Perth Airport, date unknown.

(M. Prime Collection Copyright Image 0251-606.)

VH-MMD. MMA Mac.Robertson Miller Airlines - 'RMA Durack' in the standard livery at Perth Airport, date unknown.

(M. Prime Collection Copyright Image 0251-607.)

VH-MMD. Ansett Airlines of Papua New Guinea - in the standard 'delta' livery at Rabaul Airport, April 24, 1973.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-264.)

VH-MMD. Ansett Airlines of Papua New Guinea - in the standard 'delta' livery at an unknown airport, August 1973.

(G. Bennett Collection Copyright Image 0250-957.)

VH-MMD. Ansett Airlines of Papua New Guinea - in a modified livery at an unknown airport, date unknown.

(G. Bennett Collection Copyright Image 0250-958.)

P2-MMD. Air Niugini - in the standard livery at Lae Airport, August 27, 1975.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-796.)

VH-MMD. Travmar - in the modified Air Niugini livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, September 1977.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0251-638.)

VH-MMD. Travmar - in the modified Air Niugini livery at Canberra Airport, November 05, 1977.

(E. D. Daw Copyright Image 0251-311.)

VH-MMD. Travmar - in the modified Air Niugini livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, February 1978.

(N. Louis Copyright Image 0251-809.)