Built for Trans Australia Airlines

Entered onto Australian Aircraft Register as VH-TAC - August 28, 1946

Registered to Department of Civil Aviation

Registered to Australian National Airlines Commission - October 22, 1946

Arrived Melbourne at conclusion of delivery flight from U.S.A. - October 31, 1946

Aircraft was named 'John Forrest'

Operated first revenue service with Trans Australia Airlines - December 1, 1946

Sold to British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines - April 22, 1948

Reregistered as VH-BPA - April 22, 1948

Aircraft was named 'Adventure'

Operated first B.C.P.A. service utilising aircraft owned by the airline - April 25, 1948

Flight crew: Capts J.W. Bennett, V. Polley, J. Bonnington

Route: Sydney-Nadi-Canton Island-Honolulu-San Francisco

Sold to Qantas Empire Airways Ltd - February 15, 1949

Reregistered as VH-EBL - February 15, 1949

Aircraft was renamed 'Hong Kong Trader'

Operated survey flight Sydney-Darwin-Labuan-Hong Kong (Capt E. Simms) - March 3, 1949

Operated first Qantas DC-4 flight to Iwakuni, Japan and return (Capt L.M. Hampshire) - April 21-24, 1950

Operated last flight to Noumea - December 1959

Sold to Ansett-ANA - January 13, 1961

Aircraft reregistered as VH-INY - January 13, 1961

Ferried Sydney-Melbourne on delivery flight - January 15, 1961

Operated first Ansett-ANA revenue service Melbourne-Devonport - January 17, 1961

Leased to McRobertson Miller Airlines - November 16, 1965

Converted to freighter configuration - 1968

Aircraft had flown some 33,856 hours

Ownership transferred to Ansett Transport Industries (Operations) P/L - December 18, 1969

Withdrawn from service and placed in storage at Melbourne - December 24, 1969

Entered onto South African Aircraft Register as ZS-IGB - January 1, 1970

Cancelled from Australian Aircraft Register - January 2, 1970

Sold to Marine Diamond Co, Johannesburg, South Africa - January 5, 1970

Departed Melbourne on delivery flight to South Africa - January 5, 1970

Arrived South Africa at conclusion of delivery flight - January 10, 1970

Transferred to Consolidated Diamond Mines - January 1972

Sold to Suidwes Lugdiens / Southwest Airways - May 1972

Aircraft was named 'Ondangua'

Withdrawn from service and stored at Windhoek, South Africa - October 5, 1977

Scrapped at Eros Airport, Windhoek for parts - January 1979

This aircraft had the distinction of being owned and operated by all four Australian airlines

VH-BPA. B.C.P.A. - in the full livery at Nadi Airport, date unknown.

(P. Sheehan Collection via Whites. 1125-501.)

VH-EBL. Qantas - operating the final Skymaster service to Hong Kong, July 1957.

(Qantas Heritage Collection. 1125-522.)

VH-EBL. Qantas - in the old style livery departing Noumea for last time, December 1959.

(Qantas Heritage Collection. 1125-521.)

VH-EBL. Qantas - in the original white livery at Lae Airport, date unknown.

(K. Gould Photograph. 1125-309.)

VH-EBL. Qantas - in the old style livery at Port Moresby Airport, date unknown.

(P. J. Gates Collection. 1125-477.)

VH-INY. Ansett-ANA 'Sykmaster' - in the full livery at Melbourne's Essendon Airport, date unknown.

(G. Bennett Collection. 1125-380.)

VH-INY. Ansett-ANA 'Sykmaster' - in the full livery at Melbourne's Essendon Airport, March 1967.

(G. Bennett Collection. 1125-379.)

VH-INY. Ansett-ANA 'Sykmaster' - in the full livery at Melbourne's Essendon Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection via Ansett. 1125-282.)

VH-INY. Ansett-ANA 'Sykmaster' - in the full livery at Melbourne's Essendon Airport, date unknown.

(B. Dannecker Collection. 1125-293.)

VH-INY. Ansett-ANA 'Skymaster' - in the full livery at Richmond R.A.A.F. Base, Sydney, May 1967.

(B. Dannecker Collection. 1125-025.)

VH-INY. Ansett-ANA 'Cargomaster' - in the full livery at Brisbane Airport, date unknown.

(P. J. Gates Collection. 1125-193.)

VH-INY. Ansett-ANA 'Cargomaster' - in the full livery at Melbourne's Essendon Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection. 1125-248.)

VH-INY. Ansett-ANA 'Cargomaster' - in the full livery at Melbourne's Essendon Airport, date unknown.

(P. J. Gates Collection. 1125-286.)

ZS-IGB. South West Airways - in the full livery at Johannesburg, May 1973.

(G. Wilkes Collection. 1125-128.)

ZS-IGB. South West Airways - in the full livery at Johannesburg, May 1973.

(R. N. Smith Collection. 1125-135.)

ZS-IGB. Suidwes Lugdiens - in the full livery at Johannesburg, July 1973.

(R. N. Smith Collection. 1125-214.)

ZS-IGB. Suidwes Lugdiens - in the full livery at Johannesburg, August 1973.

(G. Bennett Collection. 1125-400.)