VH-EBN Douglas DC-4

This aircraft was constructed as a Douglas C-54A-1-DO

It was rolled off the Douglas production line at Santa Monica - December 1943

Delivered to the United States Army Air Force - January 06, 1944

Allocated the U. S. serial number 42-107439

Sold to Reconstruction Finance Corp - November 13, 1945

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as NC90414 - ?

Sold to American Airlines Inc by Republic Aviation - April 08, 1946

The aircraft was named 'Flagship America'

Sold to Aircraft Sales Ltd, Los Angeles - April 02, 1949

Sold to Qantas Empire Airways - July 09, 1949

It arrived at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) on delivery to Qantas - July 14, 1949

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-EBN - July 18, 1949

Registered to Qantas Empire Airways Ltd, Sydney

The aircraft was named 'New Guinea Trader'

Cancelled from the United States Aircraft Register - July 21, 1949

Entered service with Qantas Airways - November 14, 1949

It was substancially damaged whilst landing at Norfolk Island - December 09, 1956

It struck an earth embankment short of runway threshold on the flair-out

Extensive damage was caused to the aircraft's centre section but it was repaired on site and returned to service

Leased to Malayan Airways - September 10, 1958

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - September 10, 1958

Entered onto the Malayan Aircraft Register as VR-SEA - September 10, 1958

Whilst leased to Malayan the aircraft was named 'Albatross'

Returned to Qantas Airways at the end of the lease - April 1960

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-EBN - April 11, 1960

Registered to Qantas Empire Airways Ltd, Sydney

Reregistered as VH-EDB - July 1961

The aircraft was to be named 'Pacific Trader' but this was changed to 'Norfolk Trader'

Fitted with long range fuel tanks by Hawker de Havilland at Sydney (Bankstown) - April 1963

Leased to Airlines of N.S.W. - August 05, 1963

It was used on services to Casino, Coffs Harbour, Cooma and Wagga Wagga

Returned to Qantas Airways at the end of the lease - September 12, 1963

Chartered by Trans-Australia Airlines - April 19 - 25, 1973

Operated its last revenue service Norfolk Island - Sydney (Captain W. B. Tainton) as QF437 - February 19, 1977

Withdrawn from service and stored at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - February 28, 1977

The aircraft had flown 59,881 hours with 10,632 landings to date

Sold to Air Express, Melbourne - August 1977

Registered to Air Express Ltd - August 19, 1977

Accepted by Air Express at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - August 22, 1977

The aircraft was named 'Tasmanian Tiger'

Departed Sydney (Kingsford Smith) on the ferry flight to Melbourne (Essendon) - August 22, 1977

Operated final Air Express service - Melbourne (Essendon) - Launceston - Melbourne (Essendon) - August 17, 1979

Placed in open storage at Melbourne (Essendon) having flown 58,494.25 hours with 11,254 landings

Sold to Basler Flight Services Inc - January 21, 1980

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N5581T - ?

Aircraft was incorrectly painted as 'N5581S' prior to departing on the ferry flight to the United States

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - January 22, 1980

Departed Melbourne (Essendon) on the ferry flight routing via Brisbane - Nadi - Honolulu - March 09, 1980

Sold to Calm Air International - March 1982

Entered onto the Canadian Aircraft Register as C-GPSH - March 1982

Sold to Basler Flight Services Inc - April 1984

Cancelled from the Canadian Aircraft Register - April 02, 1984

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N5581T - April 02, 1984

Withdrawn from service and stored at Oshkosh - 1985

Sold to Soundair Corporation, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada - August 1986

Entered onto the Canadian Aircraft Register as C-GPSH - August 13, 1986

Cancelled from the Canadian Aircraft Register - August 03, 1990

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N7171H - August 10, 1990

Registered to Ernst and Young Inc

Sold to International Airline Support Group, Miami, Florida - December 1990

Registered to International Airline Support Group - December 28, 1990

It was observed at Miami (Opa-Locka) awaiting maintenance - January 1991

Cancelled from the United States Aircraft Register - January 31, 1991

Sold to Buffalo Airways (1968) Ltd - January 31, 1991

Rolled out at Miami (Opa-Locka) in the basic Buffalo livery without titles after overhaul by Milair - April 1991

Entered onto the Canadian Aircraft Register as C-GPSH - July 30, 1991

Registered to Buffalo Airways (1986) Limited, Hay River, NWT

The aircraft was named 'Arctic Distributor'

Registered to Buffalo Airways Limited, Hay River - December 08, 1994

To view some interesting YouTube footage on this aircraft please click 'HERE'

It was badly damaged when it ran off the runway at Carat Lake, Nunavut Territory, Canada - December 18, 2006

The aircraft ended up on its nose with extensive damage around lower forward fuselage

To read more about this accident please click 'HERE'

Nose section from DC-4 C-GXCN which had been written off on January 05, 2006 was transported to

Carak Lake to replace the damaged nose section of C-GPSH - July 2007

Aircraft was reportedly moved to Hay River, NWT for further rectification work to be carried out - August 30, 2007

Returned to service - ?

The aircraft was withdrawn from service - 2009

It was observed in storage at Hay River as 'Freightliner 1' - September 14, 2014

It was observed stored without engines in a derelict condition at Hay River - June 21, 2017

Still listed as being current with Buffalo Airways

2107439. American Airlines - 'Flagship America' in the original livery somewhere over California, circa 1946.

(Douglas Aircraft Corporation Copyright Image 1125-682.)

VR-SEA. Malayan Airways - 'Albatross' in the standard livery at Singapore Paya Lebar Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-706.)

VH-EBN. Qantas - 'New Guinea Trader' in the original 'white' livery at Auckland Whenuapai Airport, May 1957.

(P. Sheehan Collection Copyright Image 1125-725.)

VH-EDB. Qantas - 'New Guinea Trader' in the original 'white' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, February 1961.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-115.)

VH-EDB. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - 'Norfolk Trader' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, date unknown.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1125-536.)

VH-EDB. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - 'Norfolk Trader' in the standard livery at Norfolk Island Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-125.)

VH-EDB. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - 'Norfolk Trader' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-046.)

VH-EDB. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - 'Norfolk Trader' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 1966.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1125-466.)

VH-EDB. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - 'Norfolk Trader' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 1966.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1125-465.)

VH-EDB. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - 'Norfolk Trader' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, circa 1967.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1125-564.)

VH-EDB. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - 'Norfolk Trader' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, circa 1967.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1125-565.)

VH-EDB. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - 'Norfolk Trader' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, circa 1967.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1125-563.)

VH-EDB. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - 'Norfolk Trader' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, April 1968.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1125-690.)

VH-EDB. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - 'Norfolk Trader' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, June 1968.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1125-087.)

VH-EDB. Qantas Australia - 'Norfolk Trader' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, December 1968.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1125-011.)

VH-EDB. Qantas Australia - 'Norfolk Trader' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 1969.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1125-469.)

VH-EDB. Qantas Australia - 'Norfolk Trader' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 1969.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1125-468.)

VH-EDB. Qantas Australia - 'Norfolk Trader' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 1969.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1125-467.)

VH-EDB. Qantas Australia - 'Norfolk Trader' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, July 1969.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-223.)

VH-EDB. Qantas Australia - 'Norfolk Trader' in the standard livery at Christchurch Airport, November 08, 1971.

(J. Mounce Collection Copyright Image 1125-714.)

VH-EDB. Qantas Australia - 'Norfolk Trader' in the 'ochre' livery at Norfolk Island Airport, December 1975.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1125-326.)

VH-EDB. Qantas Australia - 'Norfolk Trader' in the 'ochre' livery at Norfolk Island Airport, December 1975.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1125-222.)

VH-EDB. Qantas Australia - 'Norfolk Trader' in the 'ochre' livery at Norfolk Island Airport, December 30, 1975.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1125-713.)

VH-EDB. Qantas Australia - 'Norfolk Trader' in the 'ochre' livery at Norfolk Island Airport, December 30, 1975.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1125-088.)

VH-EDB. Qantas Australia - 'Norfolk Trader' in the 'ochre' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, December 1976.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1125-048.)

VH-EDB. Qantas Australia - 'Norfolk Trader' in the 'ochre' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 1977.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-047.)

VH-EDB. Air Express - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, July 1977.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-070.)

VH-EDB. Air Express - in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, August 1977.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1125-221.)

VH-EDB. Air Express - in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, August 1977.

(J. Mounce Collection Copyright Image 1125-715.)

VH-EDB. Air Express - 'Tasmanian Tiger' in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, November 1977.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-071.)

VH-EDB. Air Express - 'Tasmanian Tiger' in the standard livery at Port Moresby Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-010.)