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    This page documents a history of a specific aircraft. The details provided vary from aircraft to aircraft and are dependent on the research and amount of data uploaded to the Aerial Visuals database.

    Airframe Family: Douglas DC-1 / DC-2/R2D / DC-3 Dakota / C-47/R4D Skytrain / C-53 Skytrooper
    Latest Model:C-47B-35-DK
    Last Military Serial:A65-104 RAAF
    Construction Number:16547
    Latest Owner or Location:Darwin Aviation Museum, Winnellie, Darwin, Northern Territory

    EDIT THE HISTORY HERE
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    Dates

    Event

    Constructed as a C-47B-35-DK by Douglas at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA.

    Circa 1944

    Taken on Strength/Charge with the United States Army Air Force with s/n 44-76963.

    New construction number, 33295, assigned to the airframe.

    To Royal Australian Air Force-RAAF with c/r.

    May 1945

    Taken on Strength/Charge with the Royal Australian Air Force with s/n A65-104 and operated with these markings: VHR-FU.
    The delivery date is provided.

    24 October 1946

    Involved in an incident.
    Forced landing at Garbutt (now Townsville) Airport, Queensland.

    1959

    Made the first flight in and out of Darwins new runway.

    August 1968


    Photographer: Geoff Goodall
    Notes: A65-104 at RAAF Pearce in August 1968. The three cyclindrical shapes under the wings and rear fuselage are Lindholme rafts, which could be dropped to survivors at sea during a SAR operation. The containers were roped together, the larger one had the inflatable raft while the two smaller containers carried survival equipment

    25 December 1974

    Written off.
    Summary: The airframe was written off. This was a military flight. The event occurred at Darwin Airport, NT (DRW) (Australia) while standing. Narrative: Damaged beyond repair by Cyclone Tracy.

    25 December 1974

    Damaged.
    Cyclone Tracy hit Darwin, A65-104 on the ground and damaged beyond repair; consequently written off.

    Written off.

    Scrapped.
    Aircraft was broken up, the nose went reportedly to East Sale as a training aid and the fuselage was, also reportedly, scrapped at Sydenham (near Sydney).

    Circa 1995

    Rear fuselage and wing center section with the right wing still attached to Australian Aviation Heritage Centre. Located outside, behind the exhibition hangar.

    To Australian Aviation Heritage Centre, Winnellie, Darwin, Northern Territory.
    View the Location Dossier

    Markings Applied: A65-104
    VH-RFU is a radio callsign and not painted on the aircraft.

    27 August 2001


    Photographer: Han de Ridder

    27 August 2001


    Photographer: Han de Ridder

    27 August 2001


    Photographer: Han de Ridder

    27 August 2001


    Photographer: Han de Ridder
    Notes: Still on its own landing gear

    27 August 2001


    Photographer: Han de Ridder

    27 August 2001


    Photographer: Han de Ridder

    27 August 2001


    Photographer: Han de Ridder

    27 August 2001


    Photographer: Han de Ridder

    27 August 2001


    Photographer: Han de Ridder

    To Darwin Aviation Museum, Winnellie, Darwin, Northern Territory.
    View the Location Dossier


    This dossier is waiting for review by an editor.This airframe dossier is based on
    unreviewed imported data.
    If you can verify the documented history or add to it with additional text and/or photos please feel free to do so by using the upload tool and the history editor.

    Credits
    Data for airframe dossiers come from various sources. The following were used to compile this dossier...

    Internet Sources
    Airbus, Boeing, Convair and Douglas Production List
    Aviation Safety Network

    Individual Contributors
    Han de Ridder
    Mike Henniger

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