VH-AFA. Douglas C-47A-35-DL. c/n 9813.

Was also registered as: 42-23951; VR-NCO; 5N-AAO; EL-ANK; G-ATBE; CF-CQT; C-FCQT.

This aircraft was constructed at the Douglas Long Beach plant - June 1943

Built as a Douglas C-47A-35-DL under Contract No. AC-20669

Delivered to the United States Army Air Force (USAAF) - July 05, 1943

It was allocated the U. S. Air Force serial number '42-23951'

Delivered to 40 Troop Carrier Squadron, Fifth Air Force, Brisbane, Australia - August 20, 1943

The aircraft was named 'Lynda Jeanne'

Purchased by the Commonwealth of Australia / D.C.A. - July 10, 1944

Leased to Qantas Empire Airways Ltd, Brisbane

Commenced operations with Qantas for the ADAT - September 1944

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-AFA - March 24, 1945

Registered to Commonwealth of Australia, Melbourne

Leased to Qantas Empire Airway Pty Ltd as the registered operator

Had the distinction of operating the first Qantas service between Australia and New Guinea - April 02, 1945

Route: Sydney - Brisbane - Rockhampton - Townsville - Cairns - Port Moresby - Lae

Sold and registered to Australian National Airlines Commission, Melbourne - September 11, 1946

Aircraft was acquired for the Australian Government airline Trans-Australia Airlines

The aircraft was named 'Hume' and later 'Collins'

Operated its first T.A.A. revenue service - September 14, 1946

Operated its final T.A.A. revenue service - August 21, 1957

Sold and registered to Australian Aircraft Sales (AAS), Sydney - October 31, 1957

Sold to West African Airways Corporation

Entered onto the Nigerian Aircraft Register as VR-NCO - November 01, 1957

Registered to West African Airways Corporation

The aircraft was named 'Freetown'

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - November 29, 1957

Ownership transferred to Nigerian Airways - October 01, 1958

Reregistered as 5N-AAO - 1961

Sold to Aer Turas Teoranta, Ireland - February 27, 1964

Entered onto the Irish Aircraft Register as EI-ANK - March 09, 1964

Sold to Kenneth Whitehouse England, Jersey, Channel Islands - February 23, 1965

Cancelled from the Irish Aircraft Register - February 23, 1965

Entered onto the British Aircraft Register as G-ATBE (CofR R.8442/1) - February 23, 1965

Registered to K. W. England, St Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands

The intended sale to International Airfreight, England did not eventuate

Sold to Handley Page Ltd - June 13, 1967

Registered to Handley Page Limited, St. Albans, Hertfordshire (CofR R.8442/2)

Cancelled from the British Aircraft Register - September 11, 1969

Entered on to the British Aircraft Register as G-ATBE (CofR R.8442/3) - September 16, 1969

Registered to Handley Page Limited, St. Albans, Hertfordshire

Cancelled from the British Aircraft Register - April 01, 1970

Entered onto the Canadian Aircraft Register as CF-CQT - April 01, 1970

Registered to North Coast Air Services, Prince Rupert, Canada

The sale to North Coast Air Services, Prince Rupert, Canada was completed - May 08, 1970

Sold and registered to Ilford Riverton Airways Ltd, Winnipeg, Canada - 1974

It sustained major damage when it crashed at Gimli, Manitoba - March 24, 1975

It was left in a derelict state at Winnipeg Airport until repaired and returned to service - March 03, 1979

Reregistered as C-FCQT - ?

Sold to Northland Air Manitoba Ltd, Winnipeg, Canada - July 09, 1991

Northland Air was renamed Air Manitoba - July 09, 1991

Withdrawn from service and stored at Winnipeg - May 21, 1992

Sold to J. Mcbryan, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada - January 25, 1994

Reregistered to J. Mcbryan, Yellowknife - January 25, 1994

Sold to Points North Air Services Inc t/a Points North Air - July 21, 1994

Registered to Points North Air Services Inc, La Ronge, Saskatchewan - July 21, 1994

The aircraft was operated as a freighter

Withdrawn from use and stored - ?

This aircraft was used as a source of spare parts to keep the airline's other DC-3 flying

Cancelled from the Canadian Aircraft Register - March 21, 1996

Aircraft stored as La Ronge (Barber Field), Saskatchewan

The airframe was donated by Points North Freight Forwarding to the Saskatchewan Aviation Historical Society - 2007

The airframe (minus engines) was trucked to Saskatoon, Canada - October 2015

Aircraft to be restored and displayed at the Saskatchewan Aviation Museum and Learning Centre - Saskatoon

VH-AFA. Qantas Empire Airways - in the original livery at Lae Airport, date unknown.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 0251-402.)

VH-AFA. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - 'Hume' in the original livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, date unknown.

(B. Colledge Copyright Image 0250-775.)

VH-AFA. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - 'Hume' in the original livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, date unknown.

(B. Colledge Copyright Image 0250-614.)

CF-CQT. Northcoast - in the standard livery at an unknown airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0251-677.)

CF-CQT. Northcoast - in the standard livery at Vancouver International Airport, July 27, 1973.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0251-231.)

CF-CQT. Northcoast - in the standard livery at an unknown airport, September 1976.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0251-736.)

CF-CQT. Northcoast - in the faded livery at Winnipeg Airport, July 1978.

(A. J. Hickey Copyright Image 0251-699.)

CF-CQT. Ilford Riverton Airways - in the basic Northcoast livery at Winnipeg Airport, October 1980.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0251-433.)

CF-CQT. Ilford Riverton Airways - in the basic Northcoast livery at Winnipeg Airport, July 1982.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0251-022.)

C-FCQT. Ilford Riverton Airways - in the new livery at Winnipeg Airport, February 1983.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0251-023.)

C-FCQT. Northland Air - in the standard livery at Winnipeg Airport, July 1986.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0251-026.)

C-FCQT. Northland Air - in the standard livery at an unknown airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0251-027.)

C-FCQT. Air Manitoba - in the standard livery at an unknown airport, June 1991.

(A. J. Hickey Copyright Image 0251-735.)

C-FCQT. Air Manitoba - in the standard livery at an unknown airport, October 1991.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0251-737.)

C-FCQT. Points North Air - in the standard livery at Points North Landing, April 14, 1998.

(A. J. Hickey Copyright Image 0251-694.)

C-FCQT. Points North Air - in the standard livery near Points North Landing, April 15, 1998.

(A. J. Hickey Copyright Image 0251-698.)

C-FCQT. Points North Air - in the standard livery at the Saskatchewan Aviation Museum, Saskatoon, March 12, 2017.

(K. Hickey Copyright Image 0251-695.)

C-FCQT. Points North Air - in the standard livery at the Saskatchewan Aviation Museum, Saskatoon, March 12, 2017.

(K. Hickey Copyright Image 0251-696.)

C-FCQT. Points North Air - in the standard livery at the Saskatchewan Aviation Museum, Saskatoon, March 12, 2017.

(K. Hickey Copyright Image 0251-697.)