Construction was completed at the Douglas Oklahoma City plant - May 17, 1944

It was built as a Douglas C-47A-25-DK

It was delivered to the United States Army Air Force - May 17, 1944

It was allocated the U. S. serial number '42-93429'

Transferred to the Royal Australian Air Force under the lend / lease agreement - June 04, 1944

Arrived Brisbane on delivery to the R.A.A.F. - June 12, 1944

Entered onto the Australian Military Aircraft Register as A65-55

It was operated using the radio callsign 'VHCUQ'

Allocated to No 36 Squadron, 86th Transport Wing - June 12, 1944

Withdrawn from use and sold to Trans-Australia Airlines - July 05, 1948

Struck-off charge and officially handed over to T.A.A. - August 05, 1948

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-TAU (CofR 1594) - November 09, 1948

Registered to Australian National Airlines Commission, Melbourne

The aircraft was named 'Hewitt'

Operated its first revenue Trans-Australia Airlines service - November 15, 1948

Withdrawn from use and stored pending sale - December 29, 1959

Sold to Mandated Airlines - January 04, 1960

Reregistered as VH-MAT - November 12, 1960

Registered to New Guinea Co. Ltd t/a Mandated Airlines Ltd

The aircraft was configured to seat 28 passengers

Registered to Ansett-M.A.L. - January 12, 1961

Registered to Mandated Airlines Ltd - June 24, 1968

Registered to Ansett (P & NG) Ltd - December 17, 1969

Sold to Air Niugini for $AUD 15,000 - November 01, 1973

Registered to Papua New Guinea National Airline t/a Air Niugini - January 25, 1974

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - June 01, 1974

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

Reregistered as P2-ANZ - June 15, 1976

Withdrawn from service at Nadzab, Lae - July 31, 1977

The aircraft had been preserved at Lae's Nadzab Airport since March 1980

Plans to display the aircraft at Lae did not eventuate and it is now in a derelict condition

Final disposition of this airframe still needs to be ascertained

VH-TAU. Trans-Australia Airlines - in the 'silver tail' livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, date unknown.

(B. Colledge Copyright Image 0250-632.)

VH-MAT. Ansett-M.A.L. - in the standard livery at an unknown airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-406.)

VH-MAT. Ansett-M.A.L. - in the standard livery at an unknown airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-356.)

VH-MAT. Ansett Airlines of Papua New Guinea - in the 'delta' livery at Mt Hagen Airport, April 1973.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-953.)

VH-MAT. Ansett Airlines of Papua New Guinea - in the 'delta' livery at Mt Hagen Airport, April 1973.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-952.)

P2-ANZ. Air Niugini - in the standard livery at Nadzab Airport, April 1983.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-362.)

P2-ANZ. Air Niugini - in the standard livery at Nadzab Airport, October 1989.

(B.Potts Copyright Image 0251-763.)