VH-TBA Bristol 170-31 Freighter

VH-TBA. Bristol 170-31 Freighter. c/n 13176.

Was also registered as: S4427; AP-AME.

This aircraft was first flown as a 'G-18-68' - 1955

Sold to the Pakistan Air Force - February 11, 1955

It was allocated the Pakistani Air Force registration 'S4427'

It was transferred to the Pakistan Government - April 1961

Entered onto the Pakistani Aircraft Register as AP-AME - ?

It was sold to Trans-Australia Airlines - May 1961

It arrived at Sydney (Bankstown) on completion of the ferry flight - May 19, 1961

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-TBA - August 02, 1961

Registered to Australian National Airlines Commission, Melbourne

The aircraft was named 'Leahy Brothers'

It was flown to Lae, Papua New Guinea for operations in Papua New Guinea - August 02, 1961

Operated its first revenue service with Trans-Australia Airlines - August 06, 1961

Operated its final revenue service with Trans-Australia Airlines - January 01, 1967

Withdrawn from service and stored at Lae

Sold to Australian Aircraft Sales (ACT) Pty Ltd - May 14, 1968

Sold to Air Express (Holdings) Pty Ltd

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - July 20, 1968

It was ferried Lae - Brisbane (Archerfield) under special 'permit to fly' - October 1968

It was stripped for spare parts as the main spar had reached its fatigue life limit

VH-TBA. TAA Sunbird Services - 'Leahy Brothers' in the standard livery Lae Airport, July 1965.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1920-045.)

VH-TBA. TAA Sunbird Services - 'Leahy Brothers' in the standard livery Lae Airport, July 1965.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1920-046.)

VH-TBA. TAA Sunbird Services - 'Leahy Brothers' in the standard livery Goroka Airport, August 1966.

(G. Bennett Collection Copyright Image 1920-306.)

VH-TBA. TAA Sunbird Services - 'Leahy Brothers' in the standard livery Goroka Airport, August 1966.

(G. Bennett Collection Copyright Image 1920-307.)

VH-TBA. Air Express - in the basic T. A. A. livery Port Moresby Airport, October 1968.

(E. D. Daw Collection Copyright Image 1920-197.)

VH-TBA. Air Express - in the basic T. A. A. livery Brisbane Archerfield Airport, October 1968.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1920-390.)

VH-TBA. Air Express - in the basic T. A. A. livery Brisbane Archerfield Airport, date unknown