This aircraft was ordered by the Australan Government for the Royal Australian Air Force

Built by deHavilland Canada at Downsview, Toronto

First flown - ?

Powered by Pratt & Whitney R2000 Twin Wasp radial engines of 1450 hp

Arrived Sydney (RAAF Richmond) on completion of the ferry flight from Canada - December 04, 1964

It was operated by RAAF Transport Flight Vietnam (RTFV) - March 1965

It was based at Vung Tau, South Vietnam

The RAAF Transport Flight Vietnam became RAAF No. 35 Squadron

Operations in Vietnam were performed under the call sign 'Wallaby' that became known as 'Wallaby Airlines'

The aircraft was badly damaged whilst landing at Da Lat Airfield, Tuyen Duc Province - July 1968

As the aircraft passed over a newly dug drainage culvert it collapsed under the aircraft's weight

The starboard wing, engine, propeller and undercarriage were severly damaged

Flight crew: Pilot Officer I. M. Baldwin; Flying Officer B. G. Young

A repair team was sent from Vung Tau to assess the damage and commence temporary repairs

After some 14 days the aircraft was returned to a 'flyable' condition and ferried back to Vung Tau

A closer inspection uncovered damage to the mainplane that was beyond the capability of the Australian

Aircraft Engineers with their limited resources

The aircraft was passed to the United States Army 330th Company for repair

Around 1,400 man hours was spent rectifying the damage before the aircraft was returned to No 35 Squadron

for further engineering work

This aircraft was finally returned to flying duties but the damaged wing centre section was still causing problems

It was decided to return the aircraft to Australia for a complete overhaul - October 1968

It was returned to Australia as deck cargo on the HMAS Sydney - December 1968

On its arrival at Sydney the aircraft was off-loaded onto a barge at the naval dockyard, Garden Island

The barge was towed down the coast to Botany Bay then up the Georges River to Bankstown Airport

The overhaul was carried out by Hawker de Havilland Australia at the Bankstown Airport facility

The overhaul took some six months to complete before the aircraft was air tested by a mixed crew of

de Havilland and R.A.A.F. pilots

The aircraft was observed at the Australian Bi-Centenial Air Show at RAAF Richmond - 1988

Used by No 38 Squadron for flood relief operations in N.S.W. - May 03 - 08, 1990

It was withdrawn from service and stored at Oakey, Queensland awaiting disposal

This aircraft was donated to the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS) for preservation - ?

The aircraft was accompanied by 'A4-234' and 6 semi-trailer loads of spare parts

It is intended to maintain this aircraft in an airworthy condition and fly it for another 20 years as the

'Vietnam Veterans Memorial Flight'

Departed Oakey on its ferry flight to the HARS facility at Albion Park Regional Airport - October 29, 2011

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-VBA - November 08, 2011

Registered to the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society, Inc, Albion Park

It was observed at the Avalon Air Show with '45 Years of Operations' titles on the nose - March 2013

Current with HARS