VH-EAO Douglas DC-3

Construction of this aircraft was completed at the Douglas Oklahoma City plant - July 15, 1944

It was built as a Douglas 'C-47A-30-DK'

It was allocated the United States serial number '43-48106'

Delivered to United States Army Air Force - ?

Transferred to the R. A .A. F. under the 'lend / lease' agreement - August 09, 1944

Entered onto the Australian Military Aircraft Register as 'A65-57'

It was operated using the radio callsign 'VHCUR'

It was allocated to No 33 Squadron during the war

Withdrawn from service as being surplus to requirements - ?

Sold to Qantas Empire Airways - December 1946

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-EAO - December 12, 1946

Registered to Qantas Empire Airways Ltd, Sydney

Accepted by Qantas Empire Airways - January 22, 1947

Operated its first revenue service with Qantas - April 06, 1947

It was reregistered as VH-EBX - August 05, 1957

Sold to Trans-Australia Airlines - September 01, 1960

Operated its first revenue service with T. A. A. - September 01, 1960

It was reregistered as VH-SBH - December 08, 1960

Registered to Australian National Airlines Commission, Melbourne

Operated its final Trans-Australia Airlines revenue service - June 28, 1962

Sold to the Royal Netherlands Air Force as 'X-18' - August 2, 1962

It was converted to a military transport by Hawker de Havilland at Bankstown prior to delivery

Cancelled from Australian Aircraft Register - August 31, 1962

Withdrawn from use at Biak as being surplus to requirements - October 1962

Sold to Jones Co Guerro Ltd, Manila, Philippines - November 07, 1962

Sold to Qantas Airways - January 1964

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-EDD - January 22, 1964

Registered to Qantas Empire Airways Ltd, Sydney

It was primarily utilised for pilot training and the carrying of freight

Sold and registered to Queensland Pacific Airways Pty Ltd - December 15, 1971

It was utilised to carry fresh fruit, vegetables and general freight between Cairns - Port Moresby

Sold to Bush Pilots Airways Ltd, Cairns - June 17, 1972

Registered to Bush Pilots Airways Ltd, Cairns - June 26, 1972

Registered to Bush Pilots Airways (PNG) Pty Ltd - August 08, 1973

Leased to Forrestair - November 1974 to November 1976

Registered to Bush Pilots Airways Ltd - January 27, 1977

Withdrawn from use and stored at Cairns - March 1977

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - April 21, 1977

The aircraft was dismantled at Cairns Airport with fuselage being donated tothe Cairns Airport Fire Department

The cockpit section was used as a disc jockey's booth at the Pacific International Hotel, Cairns

The remains of the fuselage was later scrapped but the whereabouts of nose section is not known at this time

VH-EAO. Qantas Empire Airways - in the original livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0251-055.)

VH-EAO. Qantas Empire Airways - in the all-metal livery at an unknown airport, date unknown.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 0251-404.)

VH-EDD. Qantas - in the final livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, circa 1964.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 0251-405.)

VH-EDD. Qantas - in the final livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, June 18, 1966.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-239.)

VH-EDD. Qantas - in the final livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, July 1967.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0251-726.)

VH-EDD. Qantas - in the final livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, December 1967.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0251-727.)

VH-EDD. Qantas - in the final livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, August 1968.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0251-728.)

VH-EDD. Qantas - in the final livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, August 1968.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0251-729.)

VH-EDD. Qantas - in the final livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, August 1968.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0251-730.)

VH-EDD. Qantas - in the final livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, August 1968.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0251-731.)

VH-EDD. Qantas - in the final livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, June 1971.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 0250-918.)

VH-EDD. Bush Pilots Airways Australia - in the standard livery at Cairns Airport, January 1973.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 0251-096.)

VH-EDD. Bush Pilots Airways Australia - in the standard livery with additional 'Forrestair' titles at Melbourne Essendon Airport, December 1974.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 0251-097.)

VH-EDD. Bush Pilots Airways Australia - in the standard livery with additional 'Forrestair' titles at Melbourne Essendon Airport, June 1975.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-461.)

VH-EDD. Bush Pilots Airways Australia - in the standard livery with additional 'Forrestair' titles at Melbourne Essendon Airport, June 1975.

(G. Wilkes Copyright Image 0250-285.)

VH-EDD. Bush Pilots Airways Australia - in the standard livery with additional 'Forrestair' titles at Melbourne Essendon Airport, June 1975.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-582.)

VH-EDD. Bush Pilots Airways Australia - in the standard livery with additional 'Forrestair' titles at Melbourne Essendon Airport, November 1975.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0250-720.)

VH-EDD. Bush Pilots Airways - in the basic livery at Cairns Airport, April 11, 1978.

(E. D. Daw Copyright Image 0251-292.)

VH-EDD. Bush Pilots - in the basic camouflage livery at Cairns Airport, December 1980.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 0251-098.)

VH-EDD. Bush Pilots - in the basic camouflage livery at Cairns Airport, December 1980.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 0251-099.)

VH-EDD. Bush Pilots - in the basic camouflage livery at Cairns Airport, December 1984.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 0251-100.)

VH-EDD. Bush Pilots - in the all-metal livery at Cairns Airport, date unknown.