VH-ABK. de Havilland DH-104 Riley Dove 2. c/n 04113.
This aircraft was ordered by Iraqi Airways Built by de Havilland Aircraft Company Ltd, Hatfield, England First flown - ? Powered by de Havilland Gipsy Queen 240 hp engine Entered onto the Iraqi Aircraft Register as YI-ABL - December 1947 Registered to Iraqi Airways Limited The aircraft was named 'Um El Rabeen' Accepted by Iraqi Airways at Hatfield - December 30, 1947 Sold to Jordan National Airlines - 1952 Entered onto the Jordanian Aircraft Register as TJ-ACB - ? Registered to Jordan National Airlines It was later transferred to the Jordanian Air Force as 'D-101' - ? Sold to Sir Robert McAlpine & Sons Ltd, Luton t/a McAlpine Aviation - July 1965 Entered onto the British Aircraft Register as G-ATGJ (CofR R.8641/1) - July 12, 1965 Registered to Sir Robert McAlpine & Sons Limited, Aviation Division Arrived London (Luton) on completion of the ferry flight from Jordan - August 31, 1965 It was observed at London (Luton) with the hand painted registration 'G-ATGJ' - September 05, 1965 The aircraft was placed in open storage pending a decision on its future Cancelled from the British Aircraft Register - November 01, 1965 Work commenced to convert this aircraft to a Riley Dove retaining the original tailplane - 1969 When the conversion was completed it was redesignated a 'DH.104 Riley Dove 2' Entered onto the British Aircraft Register as G-ATGJ (CofR 8641/R2) - October 09, 1969 Registered to Sir Robert McAlpine & Sons Ltd, Aviation Division Test flown following its conversion as a 'Riley Dove' - February 17, 1970 Rregistered to McAlpine Aviation Ltd, Luton Airport (CofR 8641/R3) - May 20, 1970 It was withdrawn from service - 1973 Sold to Central Australian Airways Pty Ltd, Adelaide - 1973 Departed London (Luton) on the ferry flight to Australia - November 29, 1973 The aircraft became stranded at Sourabaya due to a lack of fuel Arrived Adelaide (Parafield) on completion of the ferry flight - February 01, 1974 Ferried Adelaide (Parafield) - Alice Springs for a certification inspection by Connair - ? Cancelled from the British Aircraft Register - March 20, 1974 Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-ABK - April 11, 1974 Registered to Central Australian Airways Pty Ltd, Adelaide Ferried Alice Springs - Adelaide (Parafield) - May 29, 1974 Sold to William Charlick Ltd and leased back to Central Australian Airways - July 09, 1976 Central Australian Airways ceased operations - November 30, 1976 Leased to North Coast Airlines as the registered operator - December 18, 1976 It was repainted into the North Coast Airlines livery at Adelaide (Parafield) North Coast Airlines cancelled the lease of this aircraft due to a dispute with the Department of Civil Aviation regarding the number of passengers that the aircraft could carry The aircraft remained 'parked' at Adelaide (Parafield) in the North Coast livery for the next three years Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - October 10, 1979 Sold to Pay's Air Service Pty Ltd, Scone - 1980 It was observed at Adelaide (Parafield) being worked on by engineers from Pay's Air Service - May 07, 1980 Departed Adelaide (Parafield) on the ferry flight to Scone using tradeplate registration 'CRX' - October 01, 1981 Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-ABK - January 26, 1982 Registered to Pay's Air Service Pty Ltd, Scone, N.S.W. It was withdrawn from service and cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - October 19, 1984 The stripped airframe was included in the sale of 'VH-ABM' to Moloney Aviation, Melbourne - 1986 It was trucked the Melbourne (Essendon) for use as spare to support VH-ABM - April 1986 It was observed 'parked' in the Essendon Graveyard on its belly with wings and engines removed - April 21, 1986 The remains were acquired by the Eureka Aviation Museum, Ballarat - 1987 It was observed at Ballarat - February 21, 1987 The nose section forward of the wing was observed displayed in the Museum's hangar - 2005 Current status - ? |
VH-ABK. Central Australian Airways - in the standard livery at an unknown airport, January 1976. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1920-128.) |