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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-47A-20-DL
    Last Military Serial:A65-9 RAAF
    Construction Number:09286
    Last Civil Registration:VH-CWS
    Latest Owner or Location:Peter George Christoudias

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    Dates

    Event

    Circa March 1943

    Constructed as a C-47A-20-DL by Douglas at Long Beach, California, USA.

    Circa 25 March 1943

    Taken on Strength/Charge with the United States Army Air Force with s/n 42-23424.

    30 April 1943

    Taken on Strength/Charge with the Royal Australian Air Force with s/n A65-9.
    Used callsign VHCTI.

    From 27 August 1945 to 16 September 1945

    Attached to the British Mission in Japan.

    Civil registration VH-BAL reserved but not taken up.

    6 April 1946

    To Qantas Airways.

    12 December 1946

    Assigned civil registration: VH-EAM

    12 December 1946

    To JNP Enterprises Pty. Ltd, Broome, WA with new c/r VH-CWS.

    By 19 August 1948

    To Qantas with new c/r VH-EAM.

    19 August 1948

    Crashed.
    Summary: The airframe was damaged but was repairable. There were 5,236 hours on the airframe at the time. It was a local testing flight from Brisbane-Archerfield Airport, QLD (YBAF), Australia. The accident occurred at Brisbane-Archerfield Airport, QLD (Australia) while taking off. Narrative: The Certificate of Airworthiness of DC-3 VH-EAM expired on July 23, 1948 and the aircraft was overhauled at Archerfield Airport, Australia. On completion of the overhaul on August 19, a Certificate of Inspection was issued to carry out a test flight...
    For a complete description of the event read the Aviation Safety Network Report.

    22 July 1953

    To East-West Airways with new c/r VH-EWA.
    Named *Peel City*.

    1 May 1959

    To East-West Airways with new c/r VH-EWF {2}.
    Renamed *Oxley City*.

    23 December 1961

    Leased to Westralian Air Surveys.

    From 2 June 1965 to Circa December 1965

    Leased to Airlines of South Australia.

    27 November 1967

    Civil registration revised.
    The East West DC-3 fleet were reregistered to free-up the EW- block for the growning Friendship fleet.

    September 1968


    Photographer: Geoff Goodall
    Notes: When East West Airlines retired several DC-3s in 1967, their ownership was transferred to associate company Pacificand Western Aviation at Tamworth to arrange their disposal. VH-PWN was previously VH-EWF. It was photographed at Tamworth in September 1968 prior to its sale to Queensland Pacific Trading Ltd.

    Circa September 1969

    Leased to Queensland Pacific Trading Co. Pty Ltd.

    8 May 1972

    Leased to Adastra Aerial Surveys Pty Ltd.

    Circa September 1972

    To Bush Pilot Airways (PNG) Pty Ltd.

    9 June 1973


    Photographer: Danny Tanner
    Notes: At Cairns International, Queensland

    4 January 1982

    To Air Queensland Ltd.
    Bush Pilots Airways Ltd changed its name to Air Queensland Ltd.

    22 June 1986


    Photographer: Danny Tanner
    Notes: At Cairns, Queensland

    September 1987

    Withdrawn from use.
    Withdrawn from use and stored at Cairns.

    7 April 1988

    To Air Rambler (Australia) Pty Ltd Trading as DC-3 Queensland with new c/r VH-PWN {1}.

    Circa 1989


    Photographer: Arthur Scarf
    Notes: 1989 photo at Bankstown

    10 June 1991

    To R. P. Lang, Highbury, S. A. Trading as Desert Air Safaris keeping c/r VH-PWN {1}.

    Circa April 1993

    To Pioneer Adventures keeping c/r VH-PWN {1}.

    15 July 1993

    To Pionair Wigram New Zealand with new c/r ZK-AMS.
    Named *Spirit of Queenstown*.

    Circa 1995


    Photographer: Arthur Scarf
    Notes: 1995 photo at Wanaka

    March 1999


    Photographer: Mark Cranston
    Notes: At Auckland International

    Circa 2004

    Leased to Pionair Australia Pty Ltd.

    14 March 2006

    To Classic Wings, Midland, W. A with new c/r VH-CWS.

    12 January 2009

    To Westpac Banking Corporation, Concord West, NSW keeping c/r VH-CWS.

    Circa 17 May 2010

    Certificate of airworthiness for VH-CWS (DC3C-S1C3G, 9286) issued.

    17 May 2010

    To Slattery Auctions Australia Pty Ltd, Hexham, NSW keeping c/r VH-CWS.

    24 June 2010

    To JNP Enterprises Pty. Ltd, Broome, WA keeping c/r VH-CWS.

    24 June 2010

    Operated by Peter Christoudias.

    7 July 2010

    Operated by Peter George Christoudias.

    Circa October 2012

    Aircraft advertised for sale.

    23 March 2014


    Photographer: Terry Fletcher
    Notes: Aircraft now (2014) noted stored at Bankstown, NSW Australia

    11 December 2015

    Civil registration, VH-CWS, cancelled.


    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
    AMCAR
    AussieAirliners.org by R. N. Smith
    Australian Government, Civil Aviation Safety Authority
    Aviation Safety Network

    Individual Contributors
    Terry Fletcher

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