VH-AEU. Douglas C-47-DL. c/n 6108.

Was also registered as: 41-19465; VH-SBO; ; P2-SBO; P2-ANT.

 

Construction of this aircraft was completed at the Douglas Long Beach, California plant - December 06, 1942

It was built as a Douglas 'C-47-DL'

Allocated the United States serial number '41-19465'

It was delivered to the United States Army Air Force at Mobile, Alabama - December 19, 1942

Allocated to the 5th Air Force and delivered to Brisbane (Archerfield) - January 15, 1943

It was allocated to the 374th Troop Carrier Group with radio callsign 'VHCGJ'

The aircraft was named 'Cold Turkey'

It was allocated to the 21st Troop Carrier Squadron - February 10, 1943

Handed over to the Department of Civil Aviation, having flown 1,844 hours - July 10, 1944

It was acquired under the 'Lend-Lease' agreement for use by Australian airlines

It was converted to civilian standards by Qantas Empire Airways Ltd at Brisbane (Archerfield)

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-AEU - July 11, 1944

Registered to Commonwealth of Australia / Department of Civil Aviation, Melbourne

Leased to Qantas Empire Airways Ltd - July 16, 1944 to January 20, 1945

Chartered by Guinea Airways - January 20, 1945 to November 19, 1945

Chartered by MacRobertson Miller Aviation - November 22, 1945

Transferred to Trans-Australia Airlines having flown 7,506 hours - 1947

Registered to Australian National Airlines Commission, Melbourne - March 25, 1947

The aircraft was named 'Throsby' then 'Lawson'

Operated its first Trans-Australia Airlines revenue service - March 30, 1947

Ferried to New Guinea for use on the airline's internal routes - August 24, 1960

Reregistered as VH-SBO - January 10, 1962

The aircraft was renamed 'Goroka'

Withdrawn from service having flown 49,876 hours - October 31, 1973

Sold to Air Niugini - November 01, 1973

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - June 01, 1974

Entered onto the New Guinea Aircraft Register as P2-SBO - June 02, 1974

It was converted to 'Tour Liner' configuration and entered service - June 1975

Reregistered as P2-ANT - November 06, 1975

Withdrawn from Air Niugini service and stored at Port Moresby - July 03, 1977

Sold to Travmar Holdings Pty Ltd, Rutherford, N.S.W. - December 02, 1978

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-SBO - January 18, 1979

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - June 27, 1979

Reinstated onto the Australian Aircraft Register - September 19, 1979

Repainted in a predominantly blue color scheme for the TV star Norman Gunston's outback tour

Withdrawn from service and stored at Sydney (Bankstown) - January 1981

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - January 30, 1981

It was badly damaged during crash of a suicidal pilot at Sydney (Bankstown) - September 15, 1982

The remains were used by the Bankstown Airport Fire Department

The nose section of this aircraft has been preserved at Tamworth

 

 

VH-AEU. Trans-Australia Airlines - 'Throsby' in the old livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, July 1956.

(B. Colledge Copyright Image 0250-690.)

VH-AEU. Trans-Australia Airlines - 'Throsby' in the old livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, July 1956.

(B. Colledge Copyright Image 0250-182.)

VH-AEU. Trans-Australia Airlines - 'Throsby' in the old livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, July 1956.

(B. Colledge Copyright Image 0250-634.)

VH-SBO. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - in the revised livery at Port Moresby Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-496.)

VH-SBO. TAA Sunbird Services - in the standard livery at Lae Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-336.)

VH-SBO. TAA Sunbird Services - in the standard livery at Lae Airport, July 30, 1966.

(G. Bennett Collection Copyright Image 0250-983.)

VH-SBO. TAA Sunbird Services - 'Ivan Champion' in the revised livery at an unknown airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0251-362.)

P2-ANT. Air Niugini - in the standard livery with additional 'Tour Liner' titles at Port Moresby Airport, December 05, 1975.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-788.)

P2-ANT. Air Niugini - in the standard livery with additional 'Tour Liner' titles at Port Moresby Airport, July 1976.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-789.)

P2-ANT. Air Niugini - in the standard livery with additional 'Tour Liner' titles at Lae Airport, August 1976.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-711.)

P2-ANT. Travmar - in the basic all-white livery at Sydney Bankstown Airport, January 15, 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0250-790.)

P2-ANT. Travmar - in the basic all-white livery at Sydney Bankstown Airport, January 15, 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0250-804.)

P2-ANT. Travmar - in the basic all-white livery at Sydney Bankstown Airport, January 15, 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0250-791.)

VH-SBO. Travmar - in the basic livery at Sydney Bankstown Airport, January 1979.

(G. Wilkes Copyright Image 0250-739.)

VH-SBO. Travmar - in the standard livery with additional 'Tour Liner' titles at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 10, 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0250-807.)

VH-SBO. Travmar - in the standard livery with additional 'Tour Liner' titles at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 10, 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0251-758.)

VH-SBO. Travmar - in the standard livery with additional 'Tour Liner' titles at Melbourne Essendon Smith Airport, May 1979.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-811.)

VH-SBO. Travmar - in the standard livery with additional 'Tour Liner' titles at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, June 20, 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0250-808.)

VH-SBO. Travmar - in the standard livery with additional 'Tour Liner' titles at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, June 20, 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0250-809.)

VH-SBO. Travmar - in the standard livery with additional 'Tour Liner' and '2WS' titles at Melbourne Essendon Airport, November 1979.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-810.)

VH-SBO. Travmar - in the 'Norman Gunston' livery at Perth Airport, January 27, 1980.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-293.)

VH-SBO. Travmar - in the 'Norman Gunston' livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, January 1980.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0251-248.)

VH-SBO. Travmar - in the 'Norman Gunston' livery at Sydney Bankstown Airport, December 15, 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0250-806.)

VH-SBO. Travmar - in the 'Norman Gunston' livery at Sydney Bankstown Airport, December 15, 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0250-805.)

VH-SBO. Travmar - in the 'Norman Gunston' livery at Sydney Bankstown Airport, May 06, 1981.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0251-247.)