Built for Western Airlines at the Douglas Santa Monica plant - March 15, 1945

Entered onto U. S. Aircraft Register as NC10202 - November 28, 1945

Delivered to Western Airlines - March 24, 1946

Sold to Australian National Airways - April 9, 1947

Aircraft had flown 2,493 hours at time of sale

Departed San Francisco on delivery flight arriving at Melbourne's Essendon Airport - April 16, 1947

Delivery route: San Francisco-Las Vegas-Honolulu-Canton Island-Nadi

Entered onto Australian Aircraft Register as VH-ANF - April 21, 1947

Registered to Australian National Airways Pty Ltd

Aircraft named 'Loongana' (swift)

Entered service with A.N.A. - April 1947

Sold to British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines - April 22, 1948

Reregistered as VH-BPC

Aircraft was renamed 'Resolution'

Operated the final A.N.A. crewed B.C.P.A. DC-4 service Vancouver-Honolulu - April 25, 1948

Officially handed over to B.C.P.A. on completion of this flight to Australia

Sold to Qantas Empire Airways Ltd - February 15, 1949

Aircraft had flown 8,441 hours at time of sale

Reregistered as VH-EBK

Arrived Sydney on delivery to Qantas - February 18, 1949

Reregistered VH-EDA - September 23, 1959

Aircraft was renamed 'Malayan Trader' and later 'Norfolk Trader'

Chartered by T.A.A. - September 10, 1967 to September 12, 1967 & October 9, 1967

Operated final DC-4 Sydney-Norfolk Island service as QF436 (Capt R. Bishop) - February 27, 1977

Operated final DC-4 Norfolk Island-Sydney service as QF437 (Capt N.L. Maguire) - February 27, 1977

Withdrawn from use and stored at Sydney - February 1977

Had flown 55,120 hours with 9,807 landings

Sold to Air Express, Melbourne and accepted at Sydney - August 19, 1977

Aircraft was renamed 'Tasmanian Enterprise'

Departed Sydney on delivery to Air Express at Melbourne's Essendon Airport - August 20, 1977

Operated its final Air Express service Essendon-Launceston-Essendon - August 4, 1979

Air Express ceased all operations - August 20, 1979

Placed in open storage at Essendon Airport having flown 57,239:35 hours with 10,459 cycles

Sold to Basler Air Freight Inc - January 22, 1980

Cancelled from Australian Aircraft Register - January 22, 1980

Titles removed at Melbourne prior to aircraft departing for U.S.A.

Entered onto U. S. Aircraft Register as N5581S - February 6, 1980

Was incorrectly painted as 'N5581T' at Melbourne before departure

Departed Melbourne on delivery flight routing via Brisbane-Nadi-Honolulu - February 17, 1980

Sold to Calm Air International Ltd, Canada - November 1981

Entered onto Canadian Aircraft Register as C-GPFG

Crashed at Hidden Bay, Saskatchewan, Canada - June 16, 1987

Aircraft on flight from Kasba Bay when it undershot the runway forcing undercarriage through the wing

Written off & scrapped

VH-ANF. Australian National Airways - in the original metal livery at Essendon Airport, date unknown.

(E. D. Daw Collection. 1125-140.)

VH-ANF. Australian National Airways - in the original metal livery at Essendon Airport, date unknown.

(B. Dannecker Collection. 1125-458.)

VH-EDA. Qantas - in the original white livery at Sydney Airport, date unknown.

(G. Wilkes Collection. 1125-124.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - in the revised livery at Sydney Airport, October 1966.

(G. Bennett Collection. 1125-415.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - in the revised livery at Sydney Airport, December 1966.

(R. N. Smith Photograph. 1125-459.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - in the revised livery at Sydney Airport, December 1966.

(R. N. Smith Photograph. 1125-460.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - inside the cabin at Sydney Airport, May 1969.

(R. N. Smith Photograph. 1125-463.)

 

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - inside the cockpit at Sydney Airport, 1971.

(Qantas Heritage Collection. 1125-529.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - inside the cockpit at Sydney Airport, 1971.

(Qantas Heritage Collection. 1125-530.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - inside the cockpit at Sydney Airport, 1971.

(Qantas Heritage Collection. 1125-531.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - inside the cockpit at Sydney Airport, 1971.

(Qantas Heritage Collection. 1125-532.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - in the revised livery at Sydney Airport, September 1967.

(R. N. Smith Photograph. 1125-037.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - in the revised livery at Sydney Airport, September 1967.

(R. N. Smith Photograph. 1125-038.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - in the with livery with revised titles at Brisbane Airport, date unknown.

(P. J. Gates Collection. 1125-136.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - in the white livery with revised titles at Sydney Airport, May 1969.

(R. N. Smith Photograph. 1125-461.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - in the final livery at Sydney Airport, April 1972.

(R. N. Smith Photograph. 1125-041.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - in the final livery departing Sydney for Norfolk, December 1975.

(R. N. Smith Photograph. 1125-076.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - in the final livery at Norfolk Island, December 1975.

(R. N. Smith Photograph. 1125-043.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - in the final livery at Norfolk Island, December 1975.

(E. D. Daw Photograph. 1125-045.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - in the final livery at Norfolk Island, December 1975.

(R. N. Smith Photograph. 1125-187.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - in the final livery at Norfolk Island, January 1976.

(R. N. Smith Photograph. 1125-008.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - in the final livery at Norfolk Island, January 1976.

(R. N. Smith Photograph. 1125-072.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - in the final livery at Norfolk Island, January 1976.

(R. N. Smith Photograph. 1125-079.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - in the final livery departing Norfolk for Sydney, January 1976.

(R. N. Smith Photograph. 1125-073.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - in the final livery departing Norfolk for Sydney, January 1976.

(R. N. Smith Photograph. 1125-075.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - in the final livery at Sydney Airport, August 1976.

(B. Dannecker Collection. 1125-040.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - in the final livery at Sydney Airport, December 1976.

(R. N. Smith Photograph. 1125-042.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - in the final livery at Sydney Airport, February 1977.

(B. Dannecker Collection. 1125-044.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - last flight to Norfolk ready to depart Sydney Airport, February 27, 1977.

(G. Wilkes Photograph. 1125-129.)

VH-EDA. Air Express - undergoing pre-delivery checks at Sydney Airport, August 1977.

(R. N. Smith Photograph. 1125-068.)

VH-EDA. Air Express - in thei full livery at Melbourne's Essendon Airport, August 1977.

(P. J. Gates Collection. 1125-218.)

VH-EDA. Air Express - in the full livery at Melbourne's Essendon Airport, August 1977.

(B. Dannecker Collection. 1125-067.)

VH-EDA. Air Express - in the full livery at Melbourne's Essendon Airport, date unknown.

(B. Dannecker Collection. 1125-083.)

VH-EDA. Air Express - with 'Kwikasair' titles at Melbourne Airport, November 1977.

(B. Dannecker Collection. 1125-069.)

VH-EDA. Air Express - with 'Kwikasair' titles at Melbourne's Essendon Airport, November 1977.

(R. N. Smith Photograph. 1125-081.)

VH-EDA. Air Express - in the full livery at Melbourne's Essendon Airport, January 1978.

(R. N. Smith Photograph. 1125-288.)

VH-EDA. Air Express - in the full livery at Melbourne's Essendon Airport, January 1978.

(R. N. Smith Photograph. 1125-082.)

VH-EDA. Air Express - in the full livery at Melbourne's Essendon Airport, January 1978.

(G. Bennett Photograph. 1125-413.)

VH-EDA. Air Express - in the full livery at Melbourne's Essendon Airport, May 1978.

(R. N. Smith Photograph. 1125-009.)

VH-EDA. Air Express - in the full livery at Melbourne's Essendon Airport, September 1978.

(G. Bennett Photograph. 1125-414.)

N5581T. Basler Airlines - in basic Air Express livery with wrong reg'n at Melbourne, February 1980.

(G. Bennett Photograph. 1125-410.)

N5581T. Basler Airlines - in basic Air Express livery with wrong reg'n at Melbourne, February 1980.

(R. N. Smith Collection. 1125-014.)

N5581T. Basler Airlines - in basic Air Express livery on delivery at Brisbane Airport, February 1980.

(G. Bennett Collection. 1125-409.)

N5581S. Basler Airlines - in basic Air Express livery at unknown location, November 1980.

(R. N. Smith Collection. 1125-086.)

N5581S. Basler Airlines - in basic Air Express livery at unknown location, June 1981.

(R. N. Smith Collection. 1125-328.)