VH-MAL Douglas DC-3

This aircraft was constructed under the United States Army Air Force Contract

Construction was completed at the Douglas Longbeach plant - June 1942

It was built as a Douglas C-47-DL

It was allocated the United States serial number '41-18385'

Delivered to United States Army Air Force at Mobile, AL - June 04, 1942

Served as a Waco CG4A Harrian glider-towing tug in the United States

Delivered to the 5th Air Force in Brisbane - August 18, 1943

Returned to the United States - November 15, 1944

Considered to be surplus to requirements and struck-off charge - October 15, 1945

Sold to R. Farrell Export-Import Co, Hong Kong for $HK 195,000 - October 1945

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as NC58093 - 1945

Registered to Roy Farrell Export-Import Company

Utilised for charter flights in the Far East operating from Shanghai and Hong Kong

Sold to Cathay Pacific Airways

Operated the first direct Hong Kong - Sydney (Kingsford Smith) service - July 12, 1946

Entered onto the Hong Kong Aircraft Register as VR-HDB - October 03, 1946

This was Cathay Pacific's first aircraft and was named 'Betsy'

Suffered major damage at Bhamo, Burma requiring a replacement wing - June 05, 1949

Damage was caused when starboard engine caught fire prior to take-off, detaching from the engine mounts

Sold to W. R. Carpenter & Sons for $HK 320,000 - August 23, 1953

Delivered to Mandated Airlines at Lae - August 06, 1955

Ferry crew: Captains J. Perry, G. Withers; Engineer B. Humphreys

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-MAL - August 23, 1955

Registered to W. R. Carpenter Co t/a Mandated Airlines Ltd

It was operated in a 28 seat configuration

Registered to New Guinea Co - June 26, 1959

Crashed on take-off at Madang following premature undercarriage retraction - September 15, 1960

The accident was attributed to the First Officer who was undergoing training under the command of Captain G. Bigge

Repaired and returned to service

Transferred to Ansett-M.A.L. - January 18, 1961

Registered to Ansett (P&NG) Ltd - May 09, 1968

Painted in Ansett 'delta' livery with Airlines of Papua New Guinea titles - January 1970

Leased to Bush Pilots Airways - September 1973

Registered to Bush Pilots Airways (PNG) Pty Ltd - March 04, 1974

Sold to Bush Pilots Airways May 04, 1974

Originally carried 'Cargomaster' nose titles

Registered to Bush Pilots Airways Ltd - January 27, 1977

Registered to Air Queensland Ltd - January 08, 1982

Withdrawn from use and stored at Cairns - 1983

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - May 11, 1983

Sold to Cathay Pacific Airways - September 1983

Repainted at Cairns by Air Queensland into the original Cathay Pacific livery

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-MAL - September 09, 1983

Ferried Cairns - Sydney (Kingsford Smith) for photo shoot with a Cathay Pacific Boeing 747

It carried original registration of 'VR-HDB' and 'VH-MAL' for the ferry flight to Hong Kong

Ferry route: Sydney - Coolangatta - Cairns - Port Moresby - Wewak - Biak - Davao - Manila - Hong Kong

Arrived at Cathay Pacific's headquarters in Hong Kong - September 23, 1983

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - October 06, 1983

Preserved at the Kowloon Museum of Science & Technology

VH-MAL. Mandated Airlines - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-310.)

VH-MAL. Ansett-M.A.L. - in the standard livery at Lae Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-351.)

VH-MAL. Ansett-M.A.L. - in the standard livery at Lae Airport, July 29, 1966.

(G. Bennett Collection Copyright Image 0250-929.)

VH-MAL. Ansett Airlines of Papua New Guinea - in the 'delta' livery at Brisbane Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-352.)

VH-MAL. Ansett Airlines of Papua New Guinea - in the 'delta' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, November 1971.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-262.)

VH-MAL. Bush Pilots Airways Australia - in the original livery at Cairns Airport, August 1974.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-224.)

VH-MAL. Air Cargo by Bush Pilots Airways Australia - 'Cargomaster' in the original livery at Cairns Airport, August 1976.

(G. Bennett Collection Copyright Image 0251-129.)

VH-MAL. Bush Pilots Airways Australia Air Cargo - 'Cargomaster' in the original livery at Cairns Airport, November 1976.

(G. Bennett Collection Copyright Image 0251-132.)

VH-MAL. Bush Pilots Airways Australia Air Cargo - 'Cargomaster' in the revised livery at Cairns Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-059.)

VH-MAL. Bush Pilots Airways Australia Air Cargo - 'Cargomaster' in the revised livery at Cairns Airport, October 28, 1979.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-226.)

VH-MAL. Air Cargo by Bush Pilots Airways Australia - 'Cargomaster' in the revised livery at Cairns Airport, November 1979.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 0251-127.)

VH-MAL. Air Cargo by Bush Pilots Airways Australia - 'Cargomaster' in the revised livery at Cairns Airport, November 1979.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 0251-128.)

VH-MAL. Bush Pilots Airways Australia Air Cargo - 'Cargomaster' in the revised livery at Cairns Airport, June 1980.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0251-622.)

VH-MAL. BPA Queensland's Airline Air Cargo - in the standard livery at Cairns Airport, January 1980.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 0251-125.)

VH-MAL. BPA Queensland's Airline Air Cargo - in the standard livery at Cairns Airport, January 1980.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 0251-130.)

VH-MAL. BPA Queensland's Airline Air Cargo - in the standard livery at Cairns Airport, December 1981.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 0251-133.)

VH-MAL. BPA Queensland's Airline Air Cargo - in the standard livery at Brisbane Airport, January 1982.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 0251-131.)

VH-MAL. Air Queensland Air Cargo - in the standard livery at Cairns Airport, October 1982.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 0251-123.)

VH-MAL. Air Queensland Air Cargo - in the standard livery at Cairns Airport, October 1982.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 0251-124.)

VH-MAL. Air Queensland Air Cargo - in the standard livery at Cairns Airport, Noveober 1982.

(E. D. Daw Copyright Image 0251-337.)

VH-MAL. Cathay Pacific Airways - in the original livery at Cairns Airport, September 03, 1983.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0250-561.)

VH-MAL. Cathay Pacific Airways - in the original livery at Cairns Airport, September 03, 1983.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0250-562.)

VH-MAL. Cathay Pacific Airways - in the original livery at Cairns Airport, September 03, 1983.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0250-560.)

VR-HDB. Cathay Pacific Airways - in the original livery at Cairns Airport, September 04, 1983.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0250-549.)

VR-HDB. Cathay Pacific Airways - in the original livery at Cairns Airport, September 04, 1983.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0250-550.)

VR-HDB. Cathay Pacific Airways - in the original livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, September 17, 1983.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0251-816.)

VR-HDB. Cathay Pacific Airways - in the original livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, September 18, 1983.