VH-BFC DHC-4A Caribou

This aircraft was originally built as a DHC-4 in 1961

First flown as FV55001 - 1962

Leased to the Swedish Air Force for evaluation purposes as 'TP-55' - June 1962

Assigned to TP-9 Squadron of F7 Wing at Satenas Air Base, Sweden

Returned to de Havilland and arrived at Downview, Canada - March 27, 1965

Entered onto the Canadian Aircraft Register as CF-SOD - ?

Upgraded to DHC-4A standard becoming the first such aircraft to be modified

Sold to Ansett-M.A.L. - May 08, 1965

Accepted by Ansett at Toronto, Canada August 07, 1965

Departed Toronto on the delivery flight to Australia - ?

Arrived at de Havilland Sydney (Bankstown) for the installation of gravity roller conveyor system - August 19, 1965

Delivery route: Toronto - San Francisco - Honolulu - Nadi - Sydney (Bankstown)

Flight crew: Captains W. Johns, J. Downie; F/E G. Salmond

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-BFC - September 17, 1965

Registered to Mandated Airlines Ltd

Delivered to Ansett-M.A.L. - September 17, 1965

Operated its first revenue service with Ansett-M.A.L. - September 17, 1965

Due to D.C.A. restrictions the aircraft could not use its STOL potential in New Guinea

Operated last revenue service in New Guinea - January 07, 1969

Ferried New Guinea - Melbourne (Essendon) - January 09, 1969

Sold to Hawker de Havilland Australia - January 1969

Sold to Bannock Aerospace Ltd, Canada - January 1969

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - June 19, 1969

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N11HB - June 1969

Departed Melbourne as N11HB on the ferry flight to Bannock - June 26, 1969

Sold to Anglo-Ecuador Oilfields Co - ?

Entered onto the Ecuadorian Aircraft Register as HC-AVY - ?

Sold to Sultan of Oman Air Force as '805'

Sold to La Sarre Air Services (Propair), Quebec, Canada - October 1977

Entered onto the Canadian Aircraft Register as C-GVGX - October 1977

Cancelled from Canadian Aircraft Register - October 1986

Reported to have been used to smuggle arms from El Salvador to Nicaragua - 1986

Current status - ?

CF-SOD. Ansett-M.A.L. - in the standard livery at Downview Airport, August 1965.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1920-015.)

VH-BFC. Ansett-M.A.L. - in the standard livery at Port Moresby Airport, October 1966.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1920-016.)

VH-BFC. Ansett-M.A.L. - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, August 1968.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1920-017.)

VH-BFC. Ansett-M.A.L. - in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, January 1969.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1920-014.)

VH-BFC. Ansett-M.A.L. - in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, January 1969.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1920-044.)

VH-BFC. Ansett-M.A.L. - in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, February 1969.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1920-018.)

VH-BFC. Ansett-M.A.L. - in the basic livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, March 1969.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1920-737.)

VH-BFC. Ansett-M.A.L. - in the basic livery at Sydney Bankstown Airport, April 19, 1969.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1920-019.)

N11HB. Ansett-M.A.L. - in the basic livery at an unknown airport, July 1969.

(E. D. Daw Collection Copyright Image 1920-105.)

N11HB. Ansett-M.A.L. - in the basic livery at Anchorage Airport, April 1971.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1920-349.)

HC-AVY. Anglo-Ecuador Oilfields - in the basic 'Ansett- MAL' livery at Calgary Airport, April 28, 1972.

(A. J. Hickey Copyright Image 1920-349.)

C-GVGX. La Sarre Air Services - in the standard livery at an unknown airport, June 1981.