VH-BAT Vickers Viscount 747

VH-BAT. Vickers Viscount 747. c/n 97.

Was also registered as: VH-RMO.

This aircraft was ordered new by Butler Air Transport - June 18, 1954

Built at the Vickers-Armstrong Weybridge factory

First flown as G-ANXV - September 15, 1955

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-BAT - October 21, 1955

Registered to Butler Air Transport Pty Ltd

It arrived at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) on completion of the delivery flight - October 04, 1955

The aircraft was named 'RMA Warral'

Operated its first revenue service Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Coolangatta - November 04, 1955

Due to regulatory problems only limited services were operated at this time

Entered regular passenger service on Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Dubbo route - November 16, 1955

Operational problems were experienced with a number of N. S. W. country airstips with pavement cracking

The Viscount was replaced by Airspeed Ambassadors on a number of these routes

Operated Butler's inaugural Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Melbourne (Essendon) service - December 12, 1955

Transferred to Ansett-ANA when Butler was taken over by Ansett - September 1958

Reregistered VH-RMO - May 1963

Leased to M.M.A. - April 18, 1968 to September 08, 1968

The aircraft was named 'Oakover'

Withdrawn from service and stored at Melbourne (Essendon) Airport - December 31, 1968

It had flown 29,064 hours with 24,441 cycles to date

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

Overhaulled and repainted in the modified Ansett livery in prepartion for the anticipated sale to Pan Indonesian

The sale did not eventuate and the aircraft was stored in the Melbourne (Essendon) Airport graveyard

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - March 26, 1970

Scrapped at Melbourne (Essendon) Airport - July 22, 1976

Fuselage removed - October 25, 1976

G-ANXV. Butler Air Transport - 'RMA Warral' in the standard livery at Wisley Airport, September 1955.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0129-461.)

VH-BAT. Butler Air Transport - 'RMA Warral' in the standard livery at an unknown airport, date unknown.

(E. D. Daw Collection Copyright Image 0129-135.)

VH-BAT. Butler Air Transport - 'RMA Warral' in the standard livery at an unknown airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0129-142.)

VH-BAT. Butler Air Transport - 'RMA Warral' in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, date unknown.

(E. D. Daw Collection Copyright Image 0129-196.)

VH-BAT. Butler Air Transport - 'RMA Warral' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0129-423.)

VH-BAT. Butler Air Transport - 'RMA Warral' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, date unknown.

(L. Wise Collection Copyright Image 0129-462.)

VH-BAT. Ansett-ANA - in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, December 1958.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0129-021.)

VH-BAT. Ansett-ANA - in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, date unknown.

(E. D. Daw Collection Copyright Image 0129-136.)

VH-RMO. Ansett-ANA - in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, date unknown.

(E. D. Daw Collection Copyright Image 0129-139.)

VH-RMO. Ansett-ANA - in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, date unknown.

(G. Bennett Collection Copyright Image 0129-373.)

VH-RMO. Ansett-ANA - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, February 1965.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0129-107.)

VH-RMO. Ansett-ANA - in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, April 1966.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0129-309.)

VH-RMO. Ansett-ANA - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, December 1966.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0129-325.)

VH-RMO. Ansett-ANA - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, December 1966.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0129-484.)

VH-RMO. Ansett-ANA - in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0129-194.)

VH-RMO. Ansett-ANA - in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, April 1967.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0129-204.)

VH-RMO. MMA Jetstream Service - 'Oakover' in the standard livery at Perth Airport, July 1968.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0129-234.)

VH-RMO. MMA Jetstream Service - 'Oakover' in the standard livery at Perth Airport, August 1968.

(J. Hopton Copyright Image 0129-449.)

VH-RMO. Ansett-ANA - in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, April 25, 1969.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0129-485.)

VH-RMO. Pan Indonesia - in a modified Ansett-ANA livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, June 1969.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0129-486.)

VH-RMO. Pan Indonesia - in a modified Ansett-ANA livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, June 1969.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 0129-372.)

VH-RMO. Pan Indonesia - in a modified Ansett-ANA livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0129-487.)

VH-RMO. Pan Indonesia - in a modified Ansett-ANA livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, April 1976.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0129-025.)

VH-RMO. Pan Indonesia - in a modified Ansett-ANA livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, July 1976.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 0129-375.)

VH-RMO. Pan Indonesia - in a modified Ansett-ANA livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, July 1976.