VH-EDC Douglas DC-3

VH-JVF. Douglas C-47A-20-DK. c/n 12874.

Was also registered as: 42-93010; A65-46; VH-CAR; VH-EDC.

Construction of this aircraft was completed at the Douglas Oklahoma City plant - March 28, 1944

It was built as a Douglas C-47A-20-DK

It was allocated the United States serial number '42-93010'

Transferred to the Royal Australian Air Force under the 'lend / lease' agreement - April 17, 1944

Entered onto the Australian Military Aircraft Register as 'A65-46'

It operated using the radio callsign 'VHCIC'

Allocated to No 38 Squadron - May 01, 1944

Allocated to No 36 Squadron - December 22, 1944

Allocated to No 1 Aircraft Performance Unit - June 18, 1946

Allocated to Central Flying School - August 07, 1947

Withdrawn from use and offered to Commonwealth Disposal Commission for disposal - September 17, 1948

Struck-off charge - October 26, 1948

Sold to the Commonwealth of Australia / Department of Civil Aviation for $A 12,800

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-JVF - November 17, 1949

Registered to Department of Civil Aviation, Melbourne

Reregistered as VH-CAR - July 14, 1950

The aircraft was maintained for the Department of Civil Aviation by Trans-Australia Airlines

Utilised by Goodyear for cross-wind landing trials - July 1950 to January 1951

Sold to Qantas Airways - May 1961

Reregistered as VH-EDC - June 07, 1961

Registered to Qantas Empire Airways Ltd, Sydney

Leased to Fiji Airways in the basic Qantas livery - April 12, 1965 to June 27, 1966

Registered to Qantas Airways Ltd - June 05, 1970

Sold to Queensland Pacific Trading Co - November 1971

Registered to Queensland Pacific Trading Company Pty Ltd - November 15, 1971

Sold to Bush Pilots Airways - June 17, 1972

Registered to Bush Pilots Airways Ltd - June 26, 1972

Leased to Connair Pty Ltd - November 1972 to March 1973

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

Operated in Papua New Guinea by Bush Pilots

Registered to Bush Pilots Airways Pty Ltd - January 27, 1977

Registered to Air Queensland Ltd - January 08, 1982

Withdrawn from service and stored at Cairns - August 03, 1987

Ferried Cairns - Brisbane for storage - December 12, 1987

Sold to DC-3 Queensland - February 1988

Registered to Air Rambler (Australia) Pty Ltd - April 07, 1988

Ferried Brisbane - Cairns - June 17, 1988

Sold to South Pacific Airmotive - June 10, 1991

Registered to South Pacific Airmotive Pty Ltd, Camden, N.S.W. - July 30, 1992

Aircraft was forced to ditch into Botany Bay, Sydney after taking-off on charter flight to Norfolk Island - April 24, 1994

All 21 passengers and 3 crew escaped with minor or no injuries

The aircraft was salvaged using inflatable airbags, removed to a hangar and treated for salt-water immersion

This accident was attributed to the malfunction of the port engine due to excessive wear

The starboard engine was also not performing as per specifications again due to wear

The airframe was trucked to Camden Airport with view to returning it to airworthy status

Considered to be uneconomical to repair and was permantly withdrawn from use

To view and download complete accident report click 'HERE'

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - July 05, 2006

VH-EDC. Qantas - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, circa 1964.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 0251-440.)

VH-EDC. Qantas - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, circa 1964.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 0251-442.)

VH-EDC. Qantas - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, circa 1964.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 0251-443.)

VH-EDC. Qantas - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, circa 1964.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 0251-445.)

VH-EDC. Qantas - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, circa 1964.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 0251-446.)

VH-EDC. Fiji Airways - in the standard Qantas livery at Brisbane Airport, July 1966.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-703.)

VH-EDC. Qantas - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 1967.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-434.)

VH-EDC. Qantas - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, April 1967.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-238.)

VH-EDC. Qantas - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, April 1967.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-237.)

VH-EDC. Qantas - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 1968.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0251-648.)

VH-EDC. Qantas - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 1968.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0251-649.)

VH-EDC. Qantas - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, April 1970.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0251-650.)

VH-EDC. Qantas - in the standard livery at Sydney Bankstown Airport, June 1970.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0251-223.)

VH-EDC. Queensland Pacific Airways - in the standard livery at Brisbane Airport, January 1972.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-938.)

VH-EDC. Queensland Pacific Airways - in the standard livery at Oakey Airport, March 1972.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-219.)

VH-EDC. Queensland Pacific Airways - in the standard livery at Oakey Airport, March 1972.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-220.)

VH-EDC. Bush Pilots Airways - in the original livery at Brisbane Airport, December 1974.

(E. D. Daw Copyright Image 0251-288.)

VH-EDC. Bush Pilots Airways - in the original livery at Cairns Airport, November 1976.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 0251-073.)

VH-EDC. Bush Pilots Airways - in the original livery at Cairns Airport, November 1976.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 0251-030.)

VH-EDC. Bush Pilots Airways - in the revised livery at Cairns Airport, October 1977.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 0251-074.)

VH-EDC. BPA Australia's Northern Airline - in the standard livery at Cairns Airport, April 1978.

(E. D. Daw Copyright Image 0251-289.)

VH-EDC. BPA Australia's Northern Airline - in the standard livery at Cairns Airport, December 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0251-075.)

VH-EDC. BPA Queensland's Airline - in the standard livery at Rockhampton Airport, November 1981.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 0251-076.)

VH-EDC. BPA Queensland's Airline - in the standard livery at Rockhampton Airport, November 1981.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 0250-050.)

VH-EDC. BPA Queensland's Airline - in the standard livery at Cairns Airport, January 1982.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0251-225.)

VH-EDC. Air Queensland - in the standard livery at Cairns Airport, November 1982.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0251-290.)