VH-MMA Douglas DC-3

VH-MMA. Douglas C-47A-30-DL. c/n 9593.

Was also registered as: 42-23731; A65-13; P2-MMA; P2-ANS; VH-MWQ.

Construction of this aircraft was completed at the Douglas Long Beach plant, California - May 22, 1943

It was built as a Douglas C-47A-30-DL

Delivered to the United States Army Air Force - May 25, 1943

It was allocated the United States serial number '42-23731'

This aircraft was allocated to the Royal Australian Air Force under the' Lend - Lease' program

Received at 3 Aircraft Depot, Amberley, Queensland - June 21, 1943

Entered onto the Australian Military Aircraft Register as A65-13

It was operated using the radio callsign 'VHCTL'

Issued to No 34 Squadron using code letters 'FD-C' - July 02, 1943

Returned to 3 Aircraft Depot - April 18, 1946

Approved for disposal by the Commonwealth Disposals Commission - December 16, 1946

Sold to M.M.A. at Brisbane as a source of spares - January 08, 1947

It was struck-off charge at Sydney (Richmond) having flown 4,121 hours - January 15, 1947

Ferried Sydney (Richmond) - Perth - April 28, 1947

Flight crew: Captain C. N. Kleinig; Engineer F. Colquhoun

Converted to civilian standards by MMA at Maylands Airport, Perth

Test flown at Perth (Guildford) Airport - October 01, 1947

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-MMA - October 01, 1947

Registered to MacRobertson-Miller Aviation Co. Ltd, Perth

The aircraft was named 'RMA Ashburton'

Operated its first revenue service Perth - Darwin - October 01, 1947

Registered to the Commercial Aviation Company - October 01, 1955

Leased to MacRobertson Miller Airlines as the registered operator

Operated the first MMA service with a Purser/Loader (duty previously undertaken by pilots) - December 30, 1962

Registered to MacRobertson Miller Airlines - December 22, 1966

Operated MMAs final DC-3 RPT service Newman - Perth - January 17, 1969

Flight crew: Captain B. Smith, G. Hewitt; F/O E. Montague; Hostess C. Bott

Withdrawn from use and stored at Perth having flown 54,619 hours

Painted in Ansett Airlines of Papua New Guinea livery at Perth - January 1969

Departed Perth on the ferry flight to New Guinea - February 05, 1969

Ferry route: Perth - Forrest - Whyalla - Broken Hill - Rockhampton - Cairns - Lae

Registered to Ansett (P & NG) Ltd - February 17, 1969

Sold to Air Niugini for $15,000 - November 01, 1973

Entered onto the Papua New Guinea Aircraft Register as P2-MMA - January 29, 1974

Registered to Papua New Guinea National Airline

Leased to Connair as VH-MMA - January to May 1974

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - May 06, 1974

Reregistered as P2-ANS - November 06, 1975

Sold to Masling Commuter Services having flown 60,710 hours - May 06, 1976

Ferried Port Moresby - Sydney (Bankstown) - May 06, 1976

Cancelled from the Papua New Guinea Aircraft Register - May 06, 1976

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-MWQ - June 16, 1976

Registered to Masling Commuter Air Services Pty Ltd

Withdrawn from use at Sydney - 1979

Sold to Setair Pty Ltd having flown 64,134 hours - August 18, 1979

The aircraft was named 'Gooney Bird'

Sold to Air North Pty Ltd for $17,000 - July 28, 1983

Rebuilt at an estimated cost of $150,000

Reregistered as VH-MMA - November 15, 1983

Registered to Air North Pty Ltd

It was utilised during the pilot's dispute for charters to / from the Argyle Diamond Mine

Repainted into the new Air North livery - February 1990

Participated in the memorial fly-past over Darwin to mark 50th Anniversary of the Darwin bombing - February 19, 1992

Repainted into the all-silver livery of Henry & Walker - 1992

Registered to Vintage Aircraft Company Pty Ltd - August 13, 1993

Operated its final passenger flight - February 28, 1998

Placed in open storage at Darwin Airport

Sold to John Hardy of Hardy Aviation - 1999

Rebuilt by SAE Aircraft Maintenance, Darwin and test flown - July 28, 2001

The aircraft had flown 68,316 hours as of April 05, 2005

Withdrawn from service and stored at Darwin - 2009

The wings were removed from the aircraft and rebuilt - early 2012

Registered to Hardy Aviation (N.T.) Pty Limited, Parap, Northern Territory - July 13, 2012

The wings were reinstalled on the aircraft by Hardy Aviation engineers - July 23, 2013

The restoration was completed - March 2015

Displayed at the Darwin Airport General Aviation area without markings - March 21, 2015

This aircraft is airworthy - 2018

VH-MMA. MMA Mac.Robertson Miller Airlines - 'RMA Ashburton' in the standard livery at Perth Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-956.)

VH-MMA. Ansett Airlines of Papua New Guiiea - in the 'delta' livery at an unknown airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-358.)

VH-MMA. Ansett Airlines of Papua New Guiiea - in the 'delta' livery at an unknown airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-955.)

VH-MWQ. Masling - in the basic Air Niugini livery at Cootamundra Airport, July 1976.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0251-295.)

VH-MWQ. Masling - in the standard livery at Cootamundra Airport, September 1976.

(E. D. Daw Copyright Image 0251-296.)

VH-MWQ. Masling - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, December 1977.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0250-819.)

VH-MWQ. Masling - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, December 1977.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0250-820.)

VH-MWQ. Masling - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, December 1977.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0250-818.)

VH-MWQ. Masling - in the standard livery at Canberra Airport, February 1978.

(E. D. Daw Copyright Image 0251-297.)

VH-MWQ. Masling - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, November 1978.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0251-246.)

VH-MWQ. Masling - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, December 1978.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0251-760.)

VH-MWQ. Masling - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, December 1978.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0250-821.)

VH-MWQ. Masling - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, December 1978.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0251-628.)

VH-MWQ. Masling - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0250-589.)

VH-MWQ. Masling - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 1978.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0250-590.)

VH-MWQ. Masling - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0251-395.)

VH-MWQ. Masling - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0250-408.)

VH-MWQ. Masling - in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, August 1979.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-077.)