VH-ANF. Douglas DC-4-1009. c/n 42917-12.

Was also registered as: NC10202; VH-BPC; VH-EBK; VH-EDA; N5581S; C-GPFG.

 

 

This aircraft was built for Western Airlines at the Douglas Santa Monica plant - March 15, 1945

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as NC10202 - November 28, 1945

Delivered to Western Airlines - March 24, 1946

Sold to Australian National Airways - April 09, 1947

The aircraft had flown 2,493 hours at the time of sale

Departed San Francisco on the delivery flight to Australia - April 12, 1947

It arrived at Melbourne (Essendon) on completion of the delivery flight- April 16, 1947

Delivery route: San Francisco - Las Vegas - Honolulu - Canton Island - Nadi - Melbourne

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-ANF - April 21, 1947

Registered to Australian National Airways Pty Ltd, Melbourne

The aircraft was named 'Loongana' (swift)

It entered service with A.N.A. - April 1947

Sold to British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines - April 22, 1948

Reregistered as VH-BPC - April 22, 1948

The aircraft was renamd 'Resolution'

Operated the final A.N.A. crewed B.C.P.A. DC-4 service Vancouver - Honolulu - April 25, 1948

It was officially handed over to B.C.P.A. on completion of this flight to Australia

Sold to Qantas Empire Airways Ltd - February 15, 1949

The aircraft had now flown 8,441 hours at the time of sale

Reregistered as VH-EBK - February 15, 1949

Registered to Qantas Empire Airways, Sydney

It arrived at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) on delivery to Qantas Empire Airways - February 18, 1949

Reregistered VH-EDA - September 23, 1959

The aircraft was renamed 'Malayan Trader' and later 'Pacific Trader'

Chartered by Trans-Australia Airlins - September 10 - 12, 1967 and October 09, 1967

Operated the final DC-4 Sydney - Norfolk Island service (Captain R. Bishop) as QF436 - February 27, 1977

Operated the final DC-4 Norfolk Island - Sydney service (Captain N. L. Maguire) as QF437 - February 27, 1977

Flight crew: Captains R. Bishop, N. L. Maguire; F/O W. Pettingell; S/O J. Kavanagh;

Chief Flight Steward K. Sanders; Flight Stewards A. O'Toole, A. Jones; Flight Hostess P. Huggett

Withdrawn from use and stored at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - February 1977

The aircraft had flown 55,120 hours with 9,807 cycles

Sold to Air Express, Melbourne and accepted at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - August 19, 1977

The aircraft was renamed 'Tasmanian Enterprise'

Departed Sydney (Kingsford Smith) on delivery to Air Express at Melbourne (Essendon) - August 20, 1977

Operated final Air Express service Melbourne (Essendon) - Launceston - Melbourne (Essendon) - August 03 - 04, 1979

Air Express ceased all operations due to financial problems - August 20, 1979

Placed in open storage at Melbourne (Essendon) having flown a total of 57,239:35 hours with 10,459 cycles

Sold to Basler Air Freight Inc - January 22, 1980

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - January 22, 1980

Titles were removed at Melbourne (Essendon) prior to the aircraft departing for the United States

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N5581S - February 06, 1980

This aircraft was incorrectly painted as 'N5581T' at Melbourne (Essendon) before departure

Departed Melbourne (Essendon) on the ferry flight flight to the United States - February 17, 1980

Ferry route: Melbourne - Brisbane - Nadi - Honolulu - San Francisco

Sold to Calm Air International Ltd, Canada - November 1981

Entered onto the Canadian Aircraft Register as C-GPFG - ?

The aircraft was destroyed when it crashed at Hidden Bay, Saskatchewan, Canada - June 16, 1987

It was on a flight from Kasba Bay when it undershot the runway forcing the undercarriage through the wing

It was written off and scrapped

Cancelled from the Canadian Aircraft Register - March 21, 1990

For details regarding this accident please click 'HERE'

 

 

VH-ANF. Australian National Airways Pty Ltd - 'Loongana' in the original livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-140.)

VH-ANF. Australian National Airways Pty Ltd - 'Loongana' in the original livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-458.)

VH-BPC. BCPA British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines - 'Resolution' in the original livery at Nadi Airport, July 1948.

(Whites Aviation WA-14044-F Copyright Image 1125-634.)

VH-BPC. BCPA British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines - 'Resolution' in the original livery at Nadi Airport, July 1948.

(Whites Aviation WA-14042-F Copyright Image 1125-635.)

VH-EBK. QEA Qantas Empire Airways - 'Malayan Trader' in the original livery at Hong Kong Kai Tak Airport, October 10, 1949.

(Whites Aviation WA-22446-F Copyright Image 1125-636.)

VH-EDA. Qantas - 'Malayan Trader' in the revised livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-124.)

VH-EDA. Qantas - 'Malayan Trader' in the revised livery with additional 'Qantas Empire Airways' titles at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-541.)

VH-EDA. Qantas - 'Malayan Trader' in the revised livery at Auckland Whenuapai Airport, circa 1964.

(R. F. Killick Copyright Image 1125-710.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - 'Pacific Trader' in the original livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, date unknown.

(T. Breese Collection Copyright Image 1125-637.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - 'Pacific Trader' in the original livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, October 1966.

(G. Bennett Collection Copyright Image 1125-415.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - 'Pacific Trader' in the original livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, December 1966.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1125-459.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - 'Pacific Trader' in the original livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, December 1966.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1125-460.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - 'Pacific Trader' in the original livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, September 1967.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1125-037.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - 'Pacific Trader' in the original livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, September 1967.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1125-038.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - 'Pacific Trader' in the revised livery at Brisbane Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-136.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - 'Pacific Trader' in the revised livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 1969.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1125-461.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - 'Pacific Trader' in the revised livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 1969.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1125-462.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - 'Pacific Trader' at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 1969.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1125-463.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - 'Pacific Trader' at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, circa 1971.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1125-529.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - 'Pacific Trader' at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, circa 1971.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1125-530.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - 'Pacific Trader' at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, circa 1971.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1125-531.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - 'Pacific Trader' at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, circa 1971.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1125-532.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - 'Pacific Trader' in the 'ochre' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, circa 1972.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1125-567.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - 'Pacific Trader' in the 'ochre' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, circa 1972.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1125-569.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - 'Pacific Trader' in the 'ochre' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, circa 1972.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1125-570.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - 'Pacific Trader' in the 'ochre' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, circa 1972.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1125-571.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - 'Pacific Trader' in the 'ochre' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, circa 1972.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1125-542.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - 'Pacific Trader' in the 'ochre' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, April 1972.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1125-041.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - 'Pacific Trader' in the 'ochre' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, December 1975.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1125-077.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - 'Pacific Trader' in the 'ochre' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, December 1975.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1125-076.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - 'Pacific Trader' in the 'ochre' livery at Norfolk Island, December 1975.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1125-043.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - 'Pacific Trader' in the 'ochre' livery at Norfolk Island, December 1975.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1125-187.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - 'Pacific Trader' in the 'ochre' livery at Norfolk Island, December 1975.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1125-045.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - 'Pacific Trader' in the 'ochre' livery at Norfolk Island, January 1976.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1125-008.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - 'Pacific Trader' in the 'ochre' livery at Norfolk Island, January 1976.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1125-072.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - 'Pacific Trader' in the 'ochre' livery at Norfolk Island, January 1976.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1125-079.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - 'Pacific Trader' in the 'ochre' livery at Norfolk Island, January 1976.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1125-073.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - 'Pacific Trader' in the 'ochre' livery at Norfolk Island, January 1976.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1125-075.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - 'Pacific Trader' in the 'ochre' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, August 1976.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1125-040.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - 'Pacific Trader' in the 'ochre' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, December 1976.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1125-042.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - 'Pacific Trader' in the 'ochre' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, February 1977.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-044.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - 'Pacific Trader' in the 'ochre' livery at Norfolk Island, February 26, 1977.

(E. Favelle Copyright Image 1125-639.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - 'Pacific Trader' in the 'ochre' livery at Norfolk Island, February 26, 1977.

(E. Favelle Copyright Image 1125-640.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - 'Pacific Trader' in the 'ochre' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, February 27, 1977.

This was the final Qantas Douglas DC-4 service to Norfolk Island.

(G. Wilkes Copyright Image 1125-129.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - 'Pacific Trader' in the 'ochre' livery at Norfolk Island, February 27, 1977.

Passengers deplane from the final Douglas DC-4 service to the Island.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1125-577.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - 'Pacific Trader' in the 'ochre' livery at Norfolk Island, February 27, 1977.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1125-578.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - 'Pacific Trader' in the 'ochre' livery at Norfolk Island, February 27, 1977.

To mark the occasion the local population were allowed onto the tarmac to inspect the final Qantas Douglas DC-4 to operate to the Island.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1125-579.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - 'Pacific Trader' in the 'ochre' livery at Norfolk Island, February 27, 1977.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1125-580.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - 'Pacific Trader' in the 'ochre' livery at Norfolk Island, February 27, 1977.

Qantas Norfolk Island staff and the aircraft crew gather to mark the end of an era.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1125-581.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - 'Pacific Trader' in the 'ochre' livery at Norfolk Island, February 27, 1977.

Captain Norm Maguire (Senior Flying Instructor, DC-4) poses for the camera.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1125-582.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - 'Pacific Trader' in the 'ochre' livery at Norfolk Island, February 27, 1977.

Captain Norm Maguire (Senior Flying Instructor, DC-4) accepts a special presentation from the Island's Administrator.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1125-583.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - 'Pacific Trader' in the 'ochre' livery at Norfolk Island, February 27, 1977.

Captain Norm Maguire (Senior Flying Instructor, DC-4) accepts a special presentation from the Island's Administrator.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1125-584.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - 'Pacific Trader' in the 'ochre' livery at Norfolk Island, February 27, 1977.

Captains Ron Bishop and Norm Maguire prepare for the final Douglas DC-4 service from the Island.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1125-585.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - 'Pacific Trader' in the 'ochre' livery at Norfolk Island, February 27, 1977.

Qantas Island staff and aircraft crew gather for one last photo opportunity.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1125-586.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - 'Pacific Trader' in the 'ochre' livery at Norfolk Island, February 27, 1977.

Passengers board the final Qantas Douglas DC-4 service from the Island.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1125-588.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - 'Pacific Trader' in the 'ochre' livery at Norfolk Island, February 27, 1977.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1125-589.)

VH-EDA. Qantas Australia - 'Pacific Trader' in the 'ochre' livery at Norfolk Island, February 27, 1977.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1125-590.)

VH-EDA. Air Express - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, August 1977.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1125-591.)

VH-EDA. Air Express - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, August 1977.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1125-068.)

VH-EDA. Air Express - in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, August 1977.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-218.)

VH-EDA. Air Express - in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, August 1977.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-067.)

VH-EDA. Air Express - 'Tasmanian Enterprise' in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-083.)

VH-EDA. Air Express - 'Tasmanian Enterprise' in the standard livery with additional 'John Denver Flys Kwikasair' titles at Brisbane Airport, November 1977.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-069.)

VH-EDA. Air Express - 'Tasmanian Enterprise' in the standard livery with additional 'John Denver Flys Kwikasair' titles at Melbourne Essendon Airport, November 1977.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1125-081.)

VH-EDA. Air Express - 'Tasmanian Enterprise' in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, January 1978.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1125-288.)

VH-EDA. Air Express - 'Tasmanian Enterprise' in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, January 1978.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1125-082.)

VH-EDA. Air Express - 'Tasmanian Enterprise' in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, January 1978.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1125-413.)

VH-EDA. Air Express - 'Tasmanian Enterprise' in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, May 1978.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-009.)

VH-EDA. Air Express - 'Tasmanian Enterprise' in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, September 1978.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1125-414.)

VH-EDA. Air Express - 'Tasmanian Enterprise' in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-575.)

N5581T. Basler Airlines - in the basic Air Express livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, February 1980.

This aircraft had the incorrect registration painted on it.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1125-410.)

N5581T. Basler Airlines - in the basic Air Express livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, February 1980.

This aircraft had the incorrect registration painted on it.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1125-014.)

N5581T. Basler Airlines - in the basic Air Express livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, February 1980.

(G. Bennett Collection Copyright Image 1125-409.)

N5581S. Basler Airlines - in the basic Air Express livery at an unknown airport, November 1980.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-086.)

N5581S. Basler Airlines - in the basic Air Express livery at Oshkosh Airport, June 1981.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-328.)