VH-TAH. Douglas C-47A-50-DL. c/n 10001
Was also registered as: A65-19; VH-SBN.
Construction was completed at the Douglas Long Beach plant, California - August 05, 1943 It was built as a Douglas C-47A-50-DL It was allocated the United States serial number '42-24139' Transferred to the Royal Australian Air Force under lend / lease agreement - August 1943 Entered onto the Australian Military Aircraft Register as A65-19 It was operated using the radio callsign 'VHCTS' Allocated to No 33 & No 35 Squadrons & No 9 Communication Unit during the war Withdrawn from use and struck off charge - September 1946 Sold to the Department of Civil Aviation - September 1946 Transferred to Trans-Australia Airlines - September 20, 1946 Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-TAH - December 09, 1946 Registered to Australian National Airlines Commission, Melbourne The aircraft was named 'Cobb' and later 'Strezlecki' Operated its first revenue service as a freighter with Trans-Australia Airlines - February 03, 1947 Reregistered as VH-SBN - April 10, 1962 Transferred to New Guinea to operated 'Sun Bird' services Chartered by East-West Airlines fora short period - July 1968 Withdrawn from service and stored pending its sale - September 30, 1968 Sold to Bakhara Haven Pty Ltd - July 03, 1969 Sold to Jetair Australia Ltd - December 31, 1969 Withdrawn from use and stored Sydney (Kingsford Smith) when Jetair ceased operations - 1971 Sold to Department of Foreign Affairs - March 12, 1971 Donated as Foreign Aid to the Cambodian Air Force as '24139' Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - March 12, 1971 The final fate of this aircraft has not been confirmed but it is presumed to have been scrapped |
VH-TAH. Trans-Australia Airlines - 'Cobb' in the 'silver tail' livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, December 30, 1961. (J. Hopton Copyright Image 0251-259.) |
VH-TAH. Trans-Australia Airlines - 'Cobb' in the 'silver tail' livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, December 30, 1961. (B. Colledge Copyright Image 0250-669.) |
VH-SBN. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - in the 'white tail' livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, date unknown. (B. Colledge Copyright Image 0250-430.) |
VH-SBN. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - in the 'white tail' livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, date unknown. (B. Colledge Copyright Image 0250-440.) |
VH-SBN. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - in the 'white tail' livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, November 03, 1962. (J. Hopton Copyright Image 0251-256.) |
VH-SBN. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - in the 'white tail' livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, March 11, 1963. (J. Hopton Copyright Image 0251-257.) |
VH-SBN. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - in the 'white tail' livery at Brisbane Airport, date unknown. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-340.) |
VH-SBN. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - in the 'white tail' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 1965. (G. Wilkes Collection Copyright Image 0250-167.) |
VH-SBN. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - in the 'white tail' livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, date unknown. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0251-037.) |
VH-SBN. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - in the 'white tail' livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, February 1966. (G. Bennett Collection Copyright Image 0250-986.) |
VH-SBN. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - in the 'white tail' livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, February 1966. (G. Bennett Collection Copyright Image 0250-987.) |
VH-SBN. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - in the 'white tail' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 10, 1967. (R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0251-802.) |
VH-SBN. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - in the 'white tail' livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, January 21, 1967. (J. Hopton Copyright Image 0251-258.) |
VH-SBN. TAA - in the basic livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, June 1969. (G. Bennett Collection Copyright Image 0250-988.) |
VH-SBN. TAA - in the basic livery at Sydney Bankstown Airport, June 1969. (R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0250-803.) |
VH-SBN. TAA - in the basic livery at Sydney Bankstown Airport, July 12, 1969. (G. Bennett Collection Copyright Image 0250-989.) |
VH-SBN. Jetair - in the original livery at Sydney Bankstown Airport, date unknown. (G. Bennett Collection Copyright Image 0251-173.) |
VH-SBN. Jetair - in the original livery at Sydney Bankstown Airport, date unknown. (G. Bennett Collection Copyright Image 0251-174.) |
VH-SBN. Jetair - in the original livery at Sydney Bankstown Airport, January 10, 1970. (R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0251-803.) |
VH-SBN. Jetairairlines of Australia - in the revised livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, June 24, 1970. (R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0251-804.) |
VH-SBN. Jetairlines of Australia - in the revised livery at Sydney Bankstown Airport, December 1970. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-235.) |
VH-SBN. Jetairlines of Australia - in the revised livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, December 1970. (G. Wilkes Collection Copyright Image 0250-163.) |
VH-SBN. Jetairlines of Australia - in the revised livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, December 1970. (R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0250-805.) |
VH-SBN. Jetairlines of Australia - in the revised livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, December 1970. (R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0250-806.) |
VH-SBN. Jetairlines of Australia - in the revised livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, December 1970. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-234.) |
VH-SBN. Jetairlines of Australia - in the revised livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, January 1971. (G. Bennett Copyright Image 0251-175.) |
VH-SBN. Australian Aid - in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, March 1971. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0251-465.) |
VH-SBN. Australian Aid - in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, March 1971. (G. Bennett Copyright Image 0251-176.) |
VH-SBN. Australian Aid - in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, March 1971. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0250-415.) |