Brief History
The Canadian Noorduyn company designed and built the Norseman in the 1930s as a rugged bush utility transport. The RAAF received fourteen of the 10-seat Noorduyn Norseman aircraft which were issued by the US Government to Australia under Lend/Lease provisions. The aircraft were allocated the serials A71-1 to A71-14 respectively.
Annexures:
A. Potted History - Noorduyn Norseman - RAAF Service and Post RAAF Service
B. Photograph Gallery (next page)
Annex A
POTTED HISTORY - NOORDUYN NORSEMAN - RAAF
RAAF Serial
|
Date |
Potted Aircraft History
|
A71-3 |
23 Aug 43 |
Transferred to RAAF under Lend-Lease and flown to Newark, New Jersey and prepared for shipment to Australia by the US War Shipping Administration New York, USA. |
31 Oct 43 |
Received by No 2 Aircraft Park, Bankstown Airport NSW for assembly and testing. |
|
1 Nov 43 |
Allotted RAAF Serial A71-2. |
|
1 Dec 43 |
Allocated to 5 Communications Unit (5CU) at RAAF Base Garbutt, QLD. |
|
19 Dec 44 |
On a travel flight from Archerfield to Townsville, the aircraft developed engine troubles and was forced to land on a sandbank in the Burdekin River, 12 miles South of Ravenswood, QLD at 1730hrs. |
|
27 Dec 44 |
6 Central Recovery Depot tasked to recover the aircraft and deliver to 5CU. |
|
18 Jan 45 |
Allocated to 3 Aircraft Repair Depot (13ARD) Detachment at Garbutt. |
|
11 Mar 45 |
Received by 5CU. |
|
18 Jan 46 |
Allocated to 7 Aircraft Depot (7AD) at RAAF Station Tocumwal, NSW. |
|
11 Oct 46 |
Offered to Commonwealth Disposals Commission (CDC) for disposal. |
|
2 Jun 49 |
Sold by CDC to The Zinc Corporation Ltd, Melbourne, VIC for 2,500 pounds. |
|
28 Jun 49 |
Collected by purchaser and departed for Broken Hill, NSW and stored pending civil conversion. |
|
History After RAAF Service |
||
26 Jun 50 |
Registration application from Gibbes Sepik Airways, Wewak, New Guinea. Flown from Broken Hill to Bankstown Airport for civil conversion by Kingsford Smith Aviation Services (KSAS). During the flight fabric was torn from the wings by a dust storm near Parkes NSW causing a forced landing. A team of fabric workers from KSAS went to Parkes and repaired the aircraft. Converted to civil standard by KSAS. |
|
20 Oct 50 |
Registered VH-BNT to Gibbes Sepik Airways. Certificate of Airworthiness (C of A) for two crew and 16 passengers.
|
|
30 Oct 50 |
Ferried from Sydney to New Guinea. |
|
3 Nov 50 |
Minor damage at Tapini strip, Central Province, New Guinea. |
|
17Apr55 |
On a routine flight from Madang to Lalibu strip, Southern Highlands Province and return, the aircraft struck a soft patch when landing at Lalibu. Aircraft pitched over and landed on its back. |
|
23 Aug 55 |
Fuel starvation caused an engine failure immediately after take-off from Minj field, Jawaka Province, PNG, forcing a straight-ahead crash landing. The aircraft was totally destroyed. |
|
|
||
A71-5 |
27Nov43 |
Transferred to RAAF under Lend-Lease and flown to Newark, New Jersey and prepared for shipment to Australia by the US War Shipping Administration New York, USA. |
20 Feb 44 |
Received by 1 Aircraft Depot (1AD) RAAF Laverton, VIC for assembly and testing. |
|
21 Feb 44 |
Allotted RAAF Serial A71-5. |
|
31 Oct 44 |
Allocated to 1AD Ferry Flight (1ADFF) to be held until required by another unit. |
|
15 Nov 44 |
When landing in a moderate crosswind the aircraft weathercocked resulting in a ground loop and the stbd wing hitting the ground. |
|
6 Feb 45 |
Allocated to 1 Communications Unit (1CU) Essendon Airport, Melbourne VIC to replace A71-9. |
|
18 Jan 46 |
Allocated to No 7 Aircraft Depot (7AD) at RAAF Station Tocumwal, NSW. |
|
1 Feb 46 |
Received by 7AD and stored under cover in Category D storage. |
|
17 Aug 48 |
Selected for post war use, stored as Cat B pending use by the Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition (ANARE). |
|
9 Sep 49 |
Downgraded to Category D, no longer retained for use by ANARE |
|
13 Feb 50 |
Offered for sale on CDC Air List 6885. |
|
27 Jun 50 |
Sold to Gibbes Sepik Airways, Wewak New Guinea for 1,500 pounds [$3,000]. |
|
18 Oct 50 |
Flown from Tocumwal to Deniliquin by ex-RAAF SQNLDR Bobby Gibbes. |
|
History After RAAF Service |
||
31Oct 50 |
Registration application from Gibbes Sepik Airways, Wewak, New Guinea. |
|
13 Oct 51 |
Civil conversion at Albury aerodrome NSW by Riverina Aircraft Service. Registered VH-ASN to Gibbes Sepik Airways. C of A for two crew and 16 passengers. |
|
1951 |
Delivered to Wewak, PNG. |
|
18 Aug 52 |
Struck soft patch, tipped onto nose during first ever landing at a newly prepared strip at Tari Airstrip, Hela Province, PNG. |
|
10 Jul 53 |
Engine failure caused by burst oil line on flight from Port Moresby to Goroka caused a forced landing at Menyamya strip, Morobe Province, PNG. New engine flown in and aircraft recovered to Goroka. |
|
Nov 58 |
Purchased by Mandated Airlines (MAL), Lae, PNG. |
|
30 Mar 60 |
Registered as VH-GSE to Ansett-MAL, Lae, PNG. |
|
29 Jan 63 |
Struck-off register and withdrawn from service. |
|
12 Sep 63 |
Restored to register as VH-GSE with Mandated Airlines, Lae, PNG. |
|
23 Oct 63 |
Purchased by Pay & Williamson Pty Ltd, Narromine, NSW |
|
17 Nov 63 |
Converted to crop-duster at Narromine, NSW. |
|
26 Sep 66 |
While crop dusting near Armidale, NSW, the aircraft failed to climb away after becoming airborne and struck a gully with its main wheels. Airborne again, the aircraft struck the top strand of a wire fence then alighted on the main wheels in a rock-strewn paddock, collided with a tractor, overturned and was destroyed by fire. |
|
|
||
A71-6 |
25 Nov 43 |
Transferred to RAAF under Lend-Lease and flown to Newark, New Jersey and prepared for shipment to Australia by the US War Shipping Administration New York, USA. |
20 Feb 44 |
Received by 1 Aircraft Depot (1AD) RAAF Laverton, VIC for assembly and testing. |
|
21 Feb 44 |
Allotted RAAF Serial A71-6. |
|
8 Jun 44 |
Allocated to 1 Communications Unit (1CU) Essendon Airport, Merlbourne, VIC. |
|
11 Jun 44 |
Allocated to 4 Communications Unit (4CU) Archerfield, Brisbane, QLD to replace A71-12. |
|
8 Jan 46 |
Allocated to 7 Aircraft Depot (7AD) at RAAF Station Tocumwal, NSW. |
|
11 Oct 48 |
Offered to Commonwealth Disposal Commission (CDC) for disposal. |
|
2 Jun 49 |
Sold by CDC to The Zinc Corporation Ltd Melbourne, VIC for 2,500 pounds [$5,000]. |
|
28 Jun 49 |
Flown out of Tocumwal by purchaser. |
|
History After RAAF Service |
||
1950 |
Registration application from Gibbes Sepik Airways, Wewak, New Guinea. DCA approval given for A71-6 to be ferried to PNG for Gibbes Sepik Airways to perform the civil conversion at their workshops in Wewak |
|
5 Feb 51 |
Registered as VH-GSA. C of A issued. |
|
4 Oct 56 |
Aircraft was diverted to Mount Hagen when on a flight from Tari to Minj. Aircraft landed short of the strip and overturned. |
|
26 Sep 57 |
Flew to Lake Kapiagu to search for crashed Gibbes Sepik Airways Norseman VH-BNE. Later dropped supplies to the ground party who were dismantling VH-BNE for ground transportation. |
|
8 Aug 58 |
A cargo flight from Minj to Mendi carrying a load of bagged cement encountered a thunderstorm and was unable to land at Mendi because of the weather. The pilot then became lost in clouds and crashed into surrounding hills killing him. |
|
|
||
A71-7 |
24 Nov 43 |
Transferred to RAAF under Lend-Lease and flown to Newark, New Jersey and prepared for shipment to Australia by the US War Shipping Administration, New York, USA. |
20 Feb 44 |
Received by No 1 Aircraft Depot (1AD) RAAF Laverton VIC for assembly and testing. |
|
2 May 44 |
Allocated to 1 Communications Unit (1CU) Essendon Airport VIC. |
|
18 Jan 46 |
Allocated to No 7 Aircraft Depot (7AD) at RAAF Station Tocumwal, NSW. |
|
17 Aug 48 |
Selected for post war use by Antarctic Expedition. To be stored as Category B. |
|
9 Sep 49 |
Downgraded to Category D, no longer retained for use by the Antarctic Expedition. |
|
13 Feb 50 |
Offered for sale on CDC Air List 6885 |
|
27 Jun 50 |
Sold to Gibbes Sepik Airways, Wewak New Guinea for 1,500 pounds [$3,000]. |
|
18 Oct 50 |
Flown from Tocumwal to Deniliquin by ex-RAAF SQNLDR Bobby Gibbes. |
|
History After RAAF Service |
||
30 Oct 50 |
Registration application from Gibbes Sepik Airways, Wewak, Papua New Guinea. |
|
28 Mar 51 |
DCA approval to export to PNG.
|
|
23 May 51 |
Registered VH-ASR to Gibbes Sepik Airways. C of A for two crew and 16 passengers. |
|
6 Oct 51 |
Crashed during a forced landing 16 miles South-West of Madang due to engine structural failure while on a flight from Madang to Mendi. Aircraft extensively damaged and declared a write-off. |
|
|
||
A71-8 |
24 Nov 43 |
Transferred to RAAF under Lend-Lease and flown to Newark, New Jersey and prepared for shipment to Australia by the US War Shipping Administration New York, USA. |
20 Feb 44 |
Received by No 1 Aircraft Depot (1AD) RAAF Laverton VIC for assembly and testing. |
|
21 Feb 44 |
Allotted RAAF Serial A71-8. |
|
2 May 44 |
Allocated to 1 Communications Unit (1CU) Essendon Airport, Melbourne, VIC. |
|
11 Jul 44 |
Allocated to 5 Aircraft Depot (5AD) at RAAF Forest Hills, NSW for use by Air Officer Commanding, 2 Training Group. |
|
13 Jan 46 |
Issued to 5AD Store for under cover storage. Stored as Category D. |
|
1 Aug 47 |
Offered to Commonwealth Disposal Commission (CDC) for disposal. |
|
28 Nov 47 |
Sold by CDC to P.H Burton, PO Box 184 Bourke NSW for 1,050 pounds [$2,010]. |
|
23 Feb 48 |
Removed from Tocumwal by purchaser. |
|
History After RAAF Service |
||
1 Jun 48 |
Registration application from Bourke Airways Pty Ltd, Bourke NSW. |
|
9 Jun 48 |
Registered as VH-BLM. C of A issued for two crew and seven passengers. |
|
8 Jul 49 |
CofA expired, not renewed. |
|
5 May 50 |
Sold to Gibbes Sepik Airways, Wewak, Papua New Guinea. |
|
12 May 50 |
CofA renewed. Ferried to Wewak by ex-RAAF SQNLDR Bobby Gibbes. |
|
17 Jun 50 |
Tyre burst on landing at Jackson Strip, Port Moresby. Aircraft ran off strip causing major damage to undercarriage and port wing. |
|
17 Dec 50 |
Repaired at Port Moresby and CofA renewed. |
|
13 Jun 52 |
Engine failed on flight from Wewak to Angoram causing a forced landing at Tring East, Sepik Province. VH-BLM later flown out. |
|
4 Jun 53 |
Hit a concealed log and overturned when landing at Vanimo, Sanduan Province, PNG. Aircraft suffered significant damage. Aircraft shipped to Sydney for repair. Ferried back to PNG when repaired. |
|
25 May 56 |
Wing dug in causing ground loop when landing at Wewak. Repaired at Wewak and returned to service November 1956. |
|
Nov 58 |
Sold to Mandated Airlines Ltd, Lae. PNG |
|
Apr 59 |
Registered as VH-GSC. |
|
15 Dec 60 |
Ansett-MAL freighter was posted missing in bad weather on a scheduled flight from Minj to Mendi, PNG. A large aerial search was launched and the wreck found two days later at height of 2,285 metres, 18 miles East of Mt Hagen. The aircraft was totally destroyed. |
|
|
||
A71-10 |
5 Dec 43 |
Transferred to RAAF under Lend-Lease and flown to Newark, New Jersey and prepared for shipment to Australia by the US War Shipping Administration New York, USA. |
|
20 Feb 44 |
Received by 1 Aircraft Depot (1AD) RAAF Laverton VIC for assembly and testing. |
|
21 Feb 44 |
Allotted RAAF Serial A71-10. |
|
30 Mar 44 |
Allocated to 1 Aircraft Performance Unit (APU) at RAAF Laverton for performance testing and trials of a modified tail wheel strut. |
|
31 May 44 |
Performance testing completed; a new tail wheel lock designed to improve taxying. |
|
16 Aug 44 |
Allocated to 5 Communications Unit (5CU) RAAF Garbutt, QLD. |
|
27 Aug 44 |
Received by 5CU. Coded as KF-H. |
|
18 Jan 46 |
Allocated to No 7 Aircraft Depot (7AD) at RAAF Station Tocumwal, NSW. |
|
14 Mar 46 |
Received by 7AD Care & Maintenance Unit and stored under cover in Category D storage. |
|
1 Aug 47 |
Offered to Commonwealth Disposal Commission (CDC) for disposal. |
|
28 Nov 47 |
Sold by CDC to Kingsford Smith Aviation Services, PO Box 23, Mascot, NSW for 500 pounds. |
|
10 Feb 48 |
Removed from Tocumwal by purchaser. |
|
History After RAAF Service |
|
|
27 Jul 49 |
Registration application from Gibbes Sepik Airways (GSA), Wewak, Papua New Guinea. |
|
25 Nov 49 |
Registered as VH-BNL. C of A issued for two crew and seven passenger seats or 16 lap-straps on bench seats. |
|
Nov 49 |
Ferried to Wewak and in service with GSA as their second Norseman. |
|
12 Jul 50 |
When taking off from the clearing five miles South-East of Goroka, the port wing struck an earth mound concealed by the kunai grass causing the aircraft to crash. The aircraft was severely damaged. The aircraft was dismantled in-situ and carried out in sections to Goroka by native porters. |
|
May 51 |
DCA advised aircraft would now be used for spares. |
|
29 May 51 |
Struck off register and C of A withdrawn. |
|
14 Nov 57 |
Aircraft rebuilt and registered as VH-BNL. |
|
Nov 58 |
Sold to Mandated Airlines Ltd, Lae. PNG |
|
30 Mar 60 |
Reregistered as VH-GSF with Ansett-MAL, Lae, PNG. |
|
4 Oct 63 |
Sold to Pay & Williamson Pty Ltd Narromine, NSW |
|
10 Nov 63 |
Arrived Bankstown for conversion to agricultural use. |
|
Jan 64 |
Delivered to Scone, NSW. |
|
17 Feb 68 |
Withdrawn from service. |
|
15 Jan 69 |
Restored to register with Skyservice Aviation Pty Ltd, Camden, NSW. |
|
18 Jan 70 |
Engine failed burst into flames during a skydiving display off Manly Beach. The aircraft struck the sea six miles off the beach, five miles North-East of Sydney Heads |
|
||
A71-11 |
15 Dec 43 |
15Dec43 Transferred to RAAF under Lend-Lease and flown to Newark, New Jersey and prepared for shipment to Australia by the US War Shipping Administration New York, USA. |
29 Feb 44 |
Received by No 2 Aircraft Park (2AP) Bankstown Airport NSW for assembly and testing. |
|
1 Apr 44 |
Allotted RAAF Serial A71-11. |
|
29 Apr 44 |
Received 7 Communications Unit (7CU) RAAF Pearce, WA. |
|
4 May 44 |
Ground looped after landing causing major damage. Repaired. |
|
4 Sep 44 |
Allocated to 4 Communications Unit (4CU) at Archerfield, QLD and received by 4CU following ferry flight from Pearce to Archerfield. |
|
12 Dec 44 |
Allocated to 3 Communications Unit (3CU) at Mascot Airport, NSW. Used for the movement of essential spare parts from 6 Aircraft Depot (6AD) at Oakey, QLD to Mascot airport for Aircraft Operationally Grounded awaiting spares. |
|
4 Aug 45 |
Ground-looped after landing from a local training flight the aircraft caused the undercarriage to collapse and inflict significant damage to the aircraft. |
|
8 Sep 45 |
Allocated to 2AD to effect repairs. |
|
14 May 46 |
Received by 7AD Care & Maintenance Unit and stored under cover in Category D storage. |
|
17 Aug 48 |
Selected for post war use. To be stored as Category B pending use by Antarctic Expedition. |
|
9 Sep 49 |
Downgraded to Category D, no longer retained for use by the Antarctic Expedition. |
|
13 Feb 50 |
Offered for sale on CDC Air List 6885. |
|
27 Jun 50 |
Sold to Gibbes Sepik Airways, Wewak, New Guinea for 1,500 pounds [$3,000]. |
|
18 Oct 50 |
Flown from Tocumwal to Deniliquin by ex-RAAF SQNLDR Bobby Gibbes (ace). |
|
History After RAAF Service |
||
30 Oct 50 |
Registration application from Gibbes Sepik Airways (GSA), Wewak, Papua New Guinea. |
|
21 Sep 52 |
Registered as VH-ASS. C of A issued for two crew and seven passenger seats or 16 lap-straps on bench seats. |
|
1952 |
Ferried to Wewak, PNG. |
|
29 Oct 56 |
Engine failure caused forced landing whereupon aircraft overturned. |
|
20 Jun 57 |
Sold to Carsair Air Service, Port Moresby PNG. |
|
1960 |
Sold to Robert G. Carswell, Hangar 71, Archerfield Airport, Qld. |
|
1964 |
Purchased as spares source by Pay & Williamson Pty Ltd, Scone, NSW. |
|
Jul 64 |
Trucked from Bankstown to Scone. Currently no additional information. |
|
|
||
A71-12 |
9 Dec 43 |
Transferred to RAAF under Lend-Lease and flown to Newark, New Jersey and prepared for shipment to Australia by the US War Shipping Administration New York, USA. |
|
7 Mar 44 |
Received by No 3 Aircraft Depot (3AD) RAAF Amberley, QLD for assembly and testing. |
|
8 Mar 44 |
Allotted RAAF Serial A71-12. |
|
14 Mar 44 |
Issued to 6 Aircraft Depot (6AD) at Oakey, QLD |
|
18 Apr 44 |
Allocated to 4 Communications Unit (4CU) at Archerfield, QLD. |
|
8 Jan 46 |
Allocated to No 7 Aircraft Depot (7AD) at RAAF Station Tocumwal, NSW. |
|
17 Jan 46 |
Received by 7AD Care & Maintenance Unit and stored under cover in Category D storage. |
|
1 Aug 46 |
Offered to CDC for disposal. |
|
28 Nov 47 |
Sold by CDC to Kingsford Smith Aviation Services, PO Box 23, Mascot, NSW for 500 pounds. |
|
4 Feb 48 |
Flown from Tocumwal to Mascot by purchaser. |
|
History After RAAF Service |
|
|
18 Jan 49 |
Registration application by Silver City Airways (Australia) Pty Ltd, Broken Hill’ NSW |
|
15 Feb 49 |
Registered as VH-BHG. C of A issued for two crew and six passengers. |
|
18 Dec 51 |
Sold to Zinc Corp Ltd, Melbourne, VIC. |
|
May 53 |
Bobby Gibbes of Gibbes Sepik Airways placed a deposit on the agreed price of £8,000 for VH-BHG. |
|
17 Jul 53 |
Sold to Gibbes Sepik Airways, Wewak, PNG. |
|
Nov 58 |
Sold to Mandated Airlines Ltd, Lae PNG. |
|
Jan 59 |
Reregistered as VH-GSB. |
|
Apr 60 |
Sold to Ansett-MAL Ltd, Lae, PNG. |
|
1962 |
Bobby Gibbes swapped his newly imported personal Cessna 185 VH-RHG with Ansett-MAL for a Norseman VH-GSB fresh from overhaul. |
|
11 Jun 62 |
Re-registered as VH-RHG to Robert H. Gibbes, Goroka, PNG. |
|
1964 |
Sold to Pay & Williamson for crop dusting, ferried from New Guinea to Bankstown to have agricultural hopper installed. |
|
5 Mar 65 |
Restored to Register VH-GSG: Pay & Williamson Pty Ltd, Scone NSW. |
|
15 Jul 65 |
While spreading superphosphate near Murrurundi, NSW engine power was lost shortly after takeoff in the subsequent forced landing the aircraft overturned. |
|
1968 |
Sold to Ed Fleming of Skyservice Aviation Pty Ltd, Camden Airport, NSW. |
|
1970 |
Leased to Air Research Pty Ltd, Sydney NSW. Fitted for aerial mineral survey. |
|
4 Nov 71 |
Change of ownership to finance company Mercredits (WA) Ltd, Sydney. Struck off the register. |
|
17 Nov 72 |
Reregistered to Edward G. Fleming, Sydney NSW. |
|
21 Jul 73 |
Struck off register and shipped to Canada when Canadian Ed Fleming, co-owner of Skyservice Aviation, returned to Canada after Skyservice ceased operating in Australia. |
|
1974 |
Registered as CF-ISM to Edward G. Fleming, Vancouver, British Columbia. |
|
Jun 74 |
Sold to D. C. Jorgenson, Ignace, Ontario. |
|
10 Apr 76 |
Sold to Grand Rapids Air, St-Norbert, Manitoba. |
|
16 Jun 78 |
Crashed on take-off from Lake Witchai, Manitoba. Investigators estimated that the aircraft was at or over the maximum authorized weight limit. |
|
||
A71-13 |
9 Dec 43 |
Transferred to RAAF under Lend-Lease and flown to Newark, New Jersey and prepared for shipment to Australia by the US War Shipping Administration New York, USA. |
|
7 Mar 44 |
Received by 3 Aircraft Depot (3AD) RAAF Amberley, QLD for assembly and testing. |
|
8 Mar 44 |
Allotted RAAF Serial A71-13. |
|
14 Mar 44 |
Issued to and received by 6 Aircraft Depot (6AD) Oakey, QLD. |
|
18 Apr 44 |
Allocated to 4 Communications Unit (4CU) at Archerfield, QLD. |
|
8 Jan 46 |
Allocated to No 7 Aircraft Depot (7AD) at RAAF Station Tocumwal, NSW. |
|
17 Jan 46 |
Received by 7AD Care & Maintenance Unit and stored under cover in Category D storage. |
|
1 Aug 46 |
Offered to CDC for disposal. |
|
28 Nov 47 |
Sold by CDC to Kingsford Smith Aviation Services PO Box 23 Mascot NSW for 500 pounds. |
|
17 Feb 48 |
Flown from Tocumwal to Mascot by purchaser. |
|
History After RAAF Service |
|
|
29 Oct 48 |
Sold to R.H. Gibbes for £5,500. Registration application: Gibbes Sepik Airways (GSA), Wewak, PNG. |
|
18 Nov 48 |
18Nov48 Registered as VH-BNE. C of A issued. |
|
10 Dec 48 |
Made the inaugural GSA commercial flight with a Norseman aircraft. Goroka-Angoram-Goroka. |
|
13 Nov 53 |
Overturned on landing at Telefomin, Sandaun Province when a wheel struck a soft spot on the strip. On-site repairs took one year to complete. |
|
16 Nov 54 |
Ferried Telefolmin-Goroka by Bobby Gibbes, with a rough repair of the wing spar. Aircraft then commenced a major rebuild in the company workshop at Goroka. |
|
29 Jun 57 |
Overturned during forced landing in swamp at Lake Kopiago while air-dropping supplies to patrol officers. They were rescued from an area of constant native tribal fighting by Qantas floatplane Beaver VH-EAU which landed on the lake. |
|
4 Jul 57 |
An aircraft retrieval team trekked from Tali to the crash site. The aircraft was dismantled in-situ and prepared for transportation by the native porters. Engine was discarded in situ. |
|
15 Aug 57 |
The retrieval team reached Tari after an arduous journey of some 113 km, including being forced to hack a path through 60 km of virgin jungle along the way. The then Director of Civil Aviation, Mr V.A. Rule declared the salvage operation was “an amazing feat, unique in the history of Commonwealth aviation”. |
|
57/58 |
The recovered pieces were flown to Goroka and the aircraft rebuilt by GSA engineers. |
|
Nov 58 |
Sold to Mandated Airlines Ltd, Lae, PNG. |
|
18 Jun 60 |
Reregistered as VH-GSD. |
|
19 Mar 60 |
When taking off from Lalibu strip in Southern Highlands Province, a drop in fuel pressure forced an attempted return to the strip but the engine power failed completely and the aircraft overturned on rough terrain. |
|
Mar 60 |
MAL flew a team of engineers to Lalibu to collect all parts that could be salvaged. VH-GSD was pulled back on to its wheels, the engine and wings removed, the fuselage cut into sections and carried to Mount Hagen where it was loaded into a Ju52 and flown to Goroka for repair. |
|
Jun 60 |
Sold to Ansett-MAL, Lae, PNG |
|
12 Sep 60 |
Struck-off register. Currently no further information known. |
|
||
A71-14 |
9 Dec 43 |
Transferred to RAAF under Lend-Lease and flown to Newark, New Jersey and prepared for shipment to Australia by the US War Shipping Administration New York, USA. |
7 Mar 44 |
Received by 3 Aircraft Depot (3AD) RAAF Amberley, QLD for assembly and testing. |
|
8 Mar 44 |
Allotted RAAF Serial A71-14. |
|
20 Mar 44 |
Issued to, and received by, 6 Aircraft Depot (6AD) at Oakey, QLD. |
|
21 Apr 44 |
Allocated and received 7 Communications Unit (7CU) at RAAF Pearce, WA |
|
19 Oct 44 |
Allocated to No 13 Aircraft Repair Depot (13ARD) Breddan, QLD. |
|
4 Dec 44 |
Ferried from Pearce to Breddan via Kalgoolie – Cook - Parafield- Broken Hill – Amberley -Rockhampton. |
|
14 May 45 |
Temporary allocation to 5CU until A71-2 or A71-3 become serviceable. |
|
18 Jan 46 |
Allocated to No 7 Aircraft Depot (7AD) at RAAF Station Tocumwal, NSW. |
|
19 Jan 46 |
Received by 7AD Care & Maintenance Unit and stored under cover in Category D storage. |
|
1 Aug 46 |
Offered to CDC for disposal. |
|
28 Nov 47 |
Sold by CDC to Kingsford Smith Aviation Services, PO Box 23, Mascot, NSW for 500 pounds. |
|
27 Jan 48 |
Flown from Tocumwal to Mascot by purchaser. |
|
History After RAAF Service |
||
Feb 48 |
Civil conversion at Mascot by Kingsford Smith Aviation Service. Fitted with two additional cabin windows and seven passenger seats from an ex-RAAF Dragon. |
|
5 Mar 48 |
Registration application: Zinc Corporation Ltd (Aviation Division), Broken Hill NSW. Registered as VH-BHF. |
|
14 Apr 48 |
CofA issued as Mascot. The first civilianized Norseman in Australia. |
|
26 Apr 48 |
Arrived at Broome, WA. Based at Broome to support remote survey parties. |
|
20 Jun 48 |
Returned to Broken Hill. |
|
1 Aug 48 |
Change of ownership to Silver City Airways (Australia) Pty Ltd, Broken Hill NSW |
|
20 Apr 49 |
Ferried to Mascot for inspection and C of A renewal by Marshall Airways. |
|
May 49 |
Returned to Broken Hill. |
|
1 Aug 50 |
Ferried to Essendon Airport, Melbourne VIC for inspection and CofA renewal by Australian National Airways. |
|
18 Dec 51 |
Change of ownership to Zinc Corporation Ltd, Melbourne VIC. |
|
17 Sep 52 |
The aircraft caught fire on the ground at Mainoru airstrip, Arnhem Land NT due to an electric fault in the HF radio. Aircraft totally destroyed. |
|
Dec 52 |
Struck-off register. |
|
|
Note:
1. Aircraft written off in RAAF service have been omitted from the list for clarity.
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