VH-RRA Douglas DC-3

Construction was completed at the Douglas Oaklahoma City plant - April 1945

It was built as a Douglas C-47B-30-DK

Delivered to the United States Army Air Force - April 21, 1945

It was allocated the U. S. serial number '44-76767'

Transferred to the Royal Australian Air Force under the lend / lease agreement - May 06, 1945

Entered onto the Australian Military Aircraft Register as A65-97

It was operated using the radio callsign 'VHRFN'

Issued to No 35 Squadron - May 06, 1945

Allocated to No 36 Squadron, 86th Transport Wing

Issued to RAAF Transport Flight, Japan where it operated a tri-weekly courier flights - 1946

It was allocated to Aircraft Research & Development Unit - ?

It was deemed to be surplus to requirements and was struck-off charge - December 09, 1964

Sold to C. S. I. R. O. - December 29, 1964

Converted to civil standards by East-West Airlines at Tamworth, N. S. W.

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-RRA (CofR 5336) - October 39, 1965

Registered to the C.S.I.R.O. Radio Physics Division, Sydney University, Sydney

Transferred to C.S.I.R.O. Division of Cloud Physics - September 29, 1971

The aircraft was crewed and maintained by East-West Airlines for the C. S. I. R. O.

Whilst in service the aircraft was modified for research into upper atmospheric physics

It was used for cloud-seeding experiments around Australia when favourable conditions existed

Withdrawn from use at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - July 20, 1978

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - March 07, 1979

It was stripped of useful parts by Setair and Rebel Air

The remains were then used by Sydney Airport Fire Department for fire practice

Scrapped at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) when it became totally unusable - 1988

A65-97. Royal Australian Air Force - in the standard livery at an unknown airport, circa 1957.

(J. Zegir Collection Copyright Image 0251-815.)

VH-RRA. CSIRO Radio Physics Division - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, December 1968.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0251-672.)

VH-RRA. CSIRO Radio Physics Division - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, December 1968.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0251-673.)

VH-RRA. CSIRO Division of Cloud Physics - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 1978.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0250-595.)

VH-RRA. CSIRO Division of Cloud Physics - in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, June 1978.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-993.)

VH-RRA. CSIRO Division of Atmospheric Physics - in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, June 1978.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0251-056.)

VH-RRA. CSIRO Division of Cloud Physics - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, October 1978.

Inside the cabin looking forward.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0250-532.)

VH-RRA. CSIRO Division of Cloud Physics - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, October 1978.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0250-542.)

VH-RRA. CSIRO Division of Cloud Physics - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, October 1978.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0250-543.)

VH-RRA. CSIRO Division of Cloud Physics - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, October 1978.

Inside the cabin looking aft with Roy Hobbs of East-West Airlines seated.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0250-544.)

VH-RRA. CSIRO Division of Cloud Physics - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0250-593.)

VH-RRA. CSIRO Division of Cloud Physics - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0250-594.)

VH-RRA. CSIRO - in the basic livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, June 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0250-091.)

VH-RRA. CSIRO - in the basic livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, August 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0251-464.)

VH-RRA. CSIRO - in the basic livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, April 1981.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0251-302.)

VH-RRA. CSIRO - in the basic livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, July 1981.