Construction was completed at the Douglas Oklahoma City plant - February 1945

It was built as a Douglas C-47B-25-DK

Allocated U. S. serial number '44-76345'

Delivered to the United States Army Air Force - February 12, 1945

It was transferred to Royal Australian Air Force under the lend / lease agreement

Delivered to the Royal Australian Air Force at Brisbane - March 02, 1945

It was allocated the R.A.A.F. serial number 'A65-78'

It was operated using the radio call-sign 'VHCIU'

Issued to No 37 Squadron, 86 Transport Wing

Used to deploy No 81 Transport Wing to Japan - 1945

This aircraft was the first allied aircraft to fly into Hiroshima after the atomic bombing

Utilised to ferry journalists into the city and evacuate wounded civilians

It was used to fly freight to Korea five days a week with RAAF Transport Flight - 1956

Transferred to the Aircraft Research and Development Unit, East Sale

Withdrawn from operational use - 1999

Transferred to the Royal Australian Air Force Museum, Point Cook, Victoria

It operated its last flight Edinburgh A.F.B., South Australia - Point Cook, Victoria - November 19, 1999

The aircraft had flown 16,454 hours

On display at the RAAF Museum, Point Cook

A65-78. Royal Australian Air Force - in the old livery at Sydney Richmond Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-377.)

A65-78. Royal Australian Air Force - in the standard livery with the old 'ARDU' logo at East Sale Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-738.)

A65-78. Royal Australian Air Force - in the standard livery with the old 'ARDU' logo at East Sale Airport, November 1986.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0251-459.)

A65-78. Royal Australian Air Force - in the standard livery with the revised 'ARDU' logo at an unknown airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0251-738.)

A65-78. Royal Australian Air Force - in the low viz livery at an unknown airport, December 1985.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0251-745.)

A65-78. Royal Australian Air Force - in the low viz livery at Adelaide Edinburgh Airport, June 1990.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0251-279.)