Construction was completed at the Douglas Long Beach plant, California - April 1937

It was built as a Douglas DC-3-194B for a K.L.M. order and was the 67th DC-3 to be completed

Entered onto the Dutch Aircraft Register as PH-ALW - April 12, 1937

First flown at Santa Monica, California - April 24, 1937

Accepted by Fokker at Santa Monica as their 10th DC-3 - April 25, 1937

The aircraft was named 'Wielewaal' (Golden Oriole)

It was configured to seat 11 passengers in 'sleeper' seats with a starboard passenger door

Departed Santa Monica on the ferry flight to New York - April 25, 1937

It arrived at New York for embarkation on the S.S. Penniland - April 28, 1937

The 'S.S. Penniland' departed New York Harbour for Rotterdam - May 15, 1937

It was assembled at Waalhaven, Rotterdam by Fokker and ferried to Amsterdam (Schiphol) - May 1937

Operated its irst K.L.M. revenue service Amsterdam (Schiphol) - Batavia - June 03, 1937

It was one of nine DC-3s operated by the airline on this route

Registered to K.N.I.L.M. - June 01, 1940

Due to wartime requirements the aircraft acquired a camouflage livery - February 1942

Departed Lydda, Palestine on the last service to Batavia (Captain E. van Dijk) - February 08, 1942

Unable to obtain a landing clearance at Singapore it arrived at Medan - February 14, 1942

The seating was removed at Medan to accommodate a group of 36 women and children awaiting evacuation

It arrived at Batavia on the day that Singapore capitulated - February 15, 1942

Made a force-landing in Sumatra - February 26, 1942

Repaired and flown out

Operated its final civilian flight Bandoeng - Port Headland (Captain E. Dunlop) - March 07, 1942

Passengers: Lt Gov. General Dr H. van Mook and K.N.I.L.M. ground staff

Used Boeabatos Road as a runway whilst heavy fighting was taking place 15 km away, departing at 0100 hrs

It arrived safely at Port Headland some 7 hours 32 minutes later

Offered to the Commonwealth of Australia by K.N.I.L.M. for 5 Pounds Australian - March 19, 1942

Under instruction from General MacArthur all ex K.L.M. and K.N.I.L.M. aircraft in Australia were to be

leased / taken-over by the United States Army Air Force (USAAF)

Aircraft had an estimated value of $US 53,000 placed on it

Flown under the Sydney Harbour Bridge in a protest at this take-over order (Captain P. Deenik) - May 14, 1942

Delivered to the U. S. A .A. F. at Archerfield as a Douglas C-49H - May 15, 1942

Allocated the United States serial number '41-1944' (some sources quote '1944' or '11944')

Allocated the Australian war-time radio call-sign 'VHCXE'

Issued to 21st Transport Squadron, 374th TCG - May 05, 1942

It was the first DC-3 to land at Wau, Papua New Guinea - May 23, 1942

Transferred to GHQ and fitted with 7 passenger seats for use by General MacArthur - June 1942

Operated Melbourne (Essendon) - Canberra - Melbourne (Essendon) with Gen. MacArthur as passenger - July 17, 1942

Reported that due to an excessive nosebleed during steep a descent into Canberra he did not use this aircraft again

Issued to GHQ SWPA, HQ Squadron, 5th Air Force, Archerfield - September 24, 1942

Issued to Allied Directorate of Air Transport (A.D.A.T.) at Townsville - September 27, 1942

Converted to a troop transport with floor and side-saddle seating by C. A. C. - May 14 - August 12, 1943

Issued to No 36 Squadron, R. A. A .F. - August 15, 1943

It was given the new radio call-sign 'VHCXL' and operated in natural metal livery with 'USAAF' star

Used for courier services in Papua New Guinea and the Philippines

Operated its final service with No 36 Squadron Townsville - Melbourne (Essendon) (Capt L. Ball) - January 13, 1944

Australian National Airways (A.N.A.) offered the U.S.A.A.F. 5,000 Pounds for the aircraft - March 02, 1944

Officially returned to A. D. A. T. - March 23, 1944

Issued to A. N. A. by the A.D.A.T. for operation under contract to the A.D.A.T.

It was damaged during a crosswind landing at Melbourne (Laverton) but was repaired on site - April 12, 1944

Operated its final Royal Australian Air Force service - April 23, 1944

Officially returned to the USAAF / A.D.A.T. by the R.A.A.F. - April 23, 1944

Delivered to A.N.A. at Melbourne (Essendon) via No 36 Squadron - April 25, 1944

Entered service with A.N.A. on the Pacific Islands Courier Service - April 1944

It was allocated the USAAF serial number '42-83229' as a book-keeping exercise - June 14, 1944

Offered for sale to A.N.A. with 7,500 airframe hours - November 11, 1944

Struck-off-charge by USAAF - March 17, 1945

Sold to Australian National Airways by the United States Foreign Economic Administration - May 1946

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-ANR (CofR 985) - May 22, 1946

Registered to Australian National Airways Pty Ltd, Melbourne

The aircraft had been converted to airliner configuration with a port-side passenger door - October 18, 1946

Designated a Douglas DC-3-G202A

It had flown a total of 7,802 hours - October 26, 1946

The aircraft was named 'Oana' (to inform) - October 26, 1946

Utilised on Guinea Airways service - 1946

Converted to Wright Cyclone R1820-97 engines - October 30, 1947

Used by A. N. A. on its Queensland and North Queensland services

It was damaged at Vanrook Station near Normanton, Queensland - February 23, 1950

The aircraft became bogged and tipped over onto its nose due to the poor condition of the airstrip

Flown directly to Melbourne (Essendon) by Captain P. T .L. Taylor in 7 hours for repairs

The aircraft had flown 18,720 hours - May 1950

Underwent a major overhaul by Fairey Aviation at Sydney (Bankstown) having flown 26,623 hours - April 1955

Ownership transferred to Ansett-ANA when it acquired A. N. A. - October 21, 1957

Leased to Butler Air Transport - April 1958

Converted to 'Viewmaster' standard by Fairey Aviation at Sydney (Bankstown) - July - September 1958

This was the first 'Viewmaster' conversion to be carried out in Australia

Re-entered service with Butler Air Transport - October 01, 1958

Registered to Airlines of N. S. W. - December 17, 1959

Withdrawn from service - July 1968

Ferried Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Melbourne (Essendon) for major overhaul - July 23, 1968

After wings and center section of the DC-3 'VH-ANQ' were fitted it was returned to service for charter operations

Registered to Ansett Transport Industries (Operations) Pty Ltd, Melbourne - December 18, 1969

Used for food and fodder drops in N. S. W. during the floods of 1971

Withdrawn from service - July 17, 1972

Aircraft was leased to Captain Alex Garriock; F/O John Wilson; Engineer Bert Robinson - July 24, 1972

They wished to save the aircraft from being scrapped and paid Ansett $1.00 per year in lease fees

Flown Sydney (Kingsford Smith) to HMAS Nirimba (Schofields, Sydney - RAN Navy Base) for storage - July 24, 1972

Flight crew: Captain Alex Garriock; F/O John Wilson

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - August 14, 1972

The aircraft had flown 48,774 hours to date

The Australian Navy withdrew its permission for the aircraft to be stored at HMAS Nirimba - 1974

Granted a ferry permit it was flown HMAS Nirimba - Camden with undercarriage down - December 14, 1974

Flight crew: Captain Alex Garriock; F/O John Wilson

The lessees were approached by Air Activities Group, Scout Association of N. S. W. - 1975

The Scouts sort access to the aircraft by the Air Activities Group as part of their training courses

A strong association developed between the lessors and the Scouts

Captain Garriock died in a light aircraft accident - July 30, 1977

His son Lex Garriock took over as a part lessor with John Wilson and the Scout Association

Ansett repainted the aircraft over three days to return it to a respectable condition - 1978 / 1979

Sold by Airlines of N. S. W. to George Markey - January 24, 1981

Restoration was commenced with the aircraft remaining at Camden Airport

Donated to the Queensland Air Museum - February 18, 1994

It arrived at the QAM (Caloundra) having been relocated using 2 semi-trailers - September 15, 1994

The fuselage and center section were re-attached - October 19, 1994

Currently on display at the Queensland Air Museum - 2010