VH-BZB. Douglas C-47A-25-DL. c/n 9414.


Construction completed at the Long Beach plant - April 1943

Built as a Douglas C-47A-25-DL

Allocated U.S. serial number 42-23552

Delivered to United States Army Air Force - April 21, 1943

Transferred to Royal Air Force as a Dakota III under the lend-lease agreement - May 7, 1943

Allocated the British serial number FD868

Delivered to British Overseas Airways Corporation - July 28, 1943

Entered onto the British Aircraft Register as G-AGHN - August 3, 1943

Allocated the radio call-sign 'ODZV'

Registered to W.S. Shackleton Ltd (aircraft brokers) and offered for sale - August 18, 1948

Sold to John Jamieson t/a Guinea Air Traders Ltd, Lae, New Guinea - August 18, 1948

Arrived at Sydney Airport on delivery to Guinea Air Traders (Capt Lionel van Praag) - September 1, 1948

Originally used in New Guinea for livestock charters

Later configured to seat 28 passengers for use in migrant charter business

Used British registration to avoid DCA restrictions placed on Australian registered aircraft engaged in this work

Flown to Tamworth, N.S.W. for type evaluation by East West Airlines shareholders - November 27, 1948

DCA advised GAT that British registered aircraft were not permitted to carry passengers within Australia

Aircraft flown Port Moresby-Cairns on pretext of flying aircraft to England for resale - September 21, 1949

Flown Cairns-Sydney and placed in open storage - ?

Sold to Ansett Airways when Guinea Air Traders experienced financial difficulties - November 21, 1949

Cancelled from the British Aircraft Register - November 21, 1949

Ferry permit granted for Sydney-Melbourne flight to have aircraft overhaulled by Ansett - April 26, 1950

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-BZB - August 9, 1950

Registered to Ansett Airways Pty Ltd

Configured to seat 28 passengers but retained the large double cabin doors

Aircraft was named 'Ansertes'

Registered to Ansett-ANA - October 21, 1957

Operated by Butler Air Transport with full BAT titles on the Ansett Airways livery - 1958

Withdrawn from use and stored - September 1958

Sold to Thai Airways Co. Ltd - September 1958

Entered onto the Thailand Aircraft Register as HS-TDF - September 26, 1958

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - October 1, 1958

Transferred to Royal Thai Air Force - December 1966

Allocated the Thai Air Force serial number '22352' and issued to 603 Squadron

Exact history of aircraft after this date is not clear as one report indicates it was scrapped - April 1973

Another report indicates that aircraft is on display at Bangkok National Science Center - August 2002

Current status - ?


VH-BZB. Ansett Airways - in the early livery at Melbourne's Essendon Airport, date unknown.
VH-BZK. Ansett Airways - in the early livery at Melbourne's Essendon Airport, date unknown.
VH-BZK. Ansett Airways - in 'Braniff' style livery at Melbourne's Essendon Airport, date unknown.