VH-TAD Douglas DC-6B

This aircraft was built for North American Airlines - November 15, 1954

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N6120C - ?

Entered service with North American Airlines - May 01, 1955

The airline was renamed Trans American Airlines - 1956

The airline was renamed Twentieth Century Airlines before it ceased flying - April 1957

It was leased to Eastern Airlines Inc - May 1957 to May 1962

It was leased to Columbia Airlines - May 23, 1962

Sold to Trans Australia Airlines - November 07, 1963

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-TAD - November 07, 1963

Registered to Australian National Airlines Commission, Melbourne

The aircraft was named 'John Ross'

Departed Burbank on the delivery flight to Australia - November 13, 1963 -

It arrived at Melboure (Essendon) on completion of the delivery flight - November 16, 1963

Operated its first revenue service Melbourne (Essendon) - Adelaide (West Beach) as TN512 - December 15, 1963

Operated its final revenue service Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Melboure (Essendon) as TN427 - July 29, 1966

Withdrawn from use and placed in open storage at Melbourne (Essendon) Airport

Sold to Trans Mediterranean Airways (T.M.A.), Lebanon - September 04, 1966

Entered onto the Lebanese Aircraft Register as OD-AER - ?

Departed Melbourne (Essendon) on the ferry flight to Lebanon - September 04, 1966

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - September 05, 1966

Sold to Zantop International Airlines - December 1973

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N90687 - ?

Sold to Lineas Aereas del Caribe - April 1976

Entered onto the Colombian Aircraft Register as HK-1707X - April 1976

The aircraft was destroyed when it crashed into a mountain near Sierra Cocuy, Colombia - December 08, 1978

At the time it was operating a cargo flight from Trinidad to Bogota, Colombia

Three flightcrew were killed and the aircraft was destroyed in ensuing fire

VH-TAD. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - 'John Ross' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-148.)

VH-TAD. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - 'John Ross' in the standard livery at Coolangatta Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-194.)

VH-TAD. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - 'John Ross' in the standard livery at Adelaide West Beach Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-217.)

VH-TAD. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - 'John Ross' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 1966.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-164.)

VH-TAD. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - 'John Ross' in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-390.)

VH-TAD. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - 'John Ross' in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, November 1966.

(G. Bennett Collection Copyright Image 1125-389.)

OD-AER. TMA of Lebanon - in the old livery at an unknown airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-183.)

OD-AER. TMA of Lebanon - in the old livery at an unknown airport, December 1968.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-181.)

OD-AER. TMA of Lebanon - in the old livery at an unknown airport, December 1968.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-182.)

OD-AER. TMA of Lebanon - in the old livery at London Heathrow Airport, March 1971.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-700.)

OD-AER. TMA of Lebanon - in the old livery at an unknown airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-451.)

HK-1707. LAC Colombia - in the standard livery at Miami Airport, June 1976.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-551.)

HK-1707. LAC Colombia - in the standard livery at Miami Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-448.)

HK-1707. LAC Lineas Aereas del Caribe Colombia - in the revised livery at Miami Airport, June 1977.