HARS members Clive Gibbons, Don Binskin, Roy Finney, Ron McConville, Leon Smith, John Brownjohn, Henry Knight and Frank Purvis all worked hard to change the carby on engine No3, whilst also uploading more more fuel and chasing down the last of the electrical glitches.

Leon Jolly from SafeAir was also on hand to carry out the required prop AD’s and to replace the leaking prop seals on No’s 2 and 3. Leon set up his workshop in ATAE’s hangar and showed us how a prop overhaul is done.  Leon is a professional and soon had HARS member John Brownjohn and Mick O’Grady working well under his guidance.

Frank Bowden helped source the much needed lifting crane at minimal cost through the company that his son works for.   The crane company representative Peter Mc Carthy was excellent and took great interest in what we do.

With a prop feather pump, accelerator pump, distributor valve, vhf radio repair remaining, the HARS restoration team are just about ready to hand over to the flight crew for the return flight to Albion Park, NSW.

Due to the excessive rain and water, members occupied their time with the recovery of the DC-4 spares inventory.  With the assistance of some careful fork-lift operation in the mud by Jeff Bowen members managed to load Alan Lever’s Peterbuilt with Doherty Transport’s Trailer.  Thanks guys for your support.

Although the weather put a stop to work on the aircraft, many loose ends were tidied up in preparation for the next phase.  We all look forward to receiving news of the next update.

Manufactured by Douglas Aircraft Company Inc. at Santa Monica and delivered to the U.S.A.A.F. on 14/5/1945 seeing war service as 44-9126. The only difference with this aircraft from the other types was that it had a different fuel tank arrangement whereby the cabin tanks were replaced by collapsible bag tanks in the wing. Whilst in service with the U.S.A.A.F. and later with the U.S.A.F. aircraft was mainly used to transport cargo and troops when required. In December 1971 aircraft was withdrawn from service and placed in storage at Davis Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona. Purchased by Dross Metals Inc. at auction on 13/11/1975.

A reprieve from the ultimate fate of scrapping came when it was sold to Transglobal Inc., which was based at Fort Lauderdale in Florida on 5/10/1978 and registered N9013V. Sold to Flying Fish of Indiana on 7/9/1979. Leased to Tiger Leasing of Pompano on 7/1/1980. Due to some infraction of the law the Sheriff of Hardee County on 22/1/1980 seized this aircraft. Sold to Carolina Aircraft Corporation on 14/7/1980. Ownership of aircraft was transferred to Florida Aircraft Leasing Corporation on 1/10/1980. Later withdrawn from service and placed in storage at Fort Lauderdale in Florida.

Sold to Thomas F Mach on 24/1/1981. It was to be further involved in trouble as the Bahaman Authorities seized the aircraft at Nassau for smuggling during April 1981. Sold to Force International Enterprises in November 1983. Resold to Lynch Air Tankers, which was based at Billings in Montana on 14/6/1984. Ownership of aircraft transferred to Lynch Air Cargo Inc., when the company was renamed on 28/3/1986.

Purchased by Pacific Air Freighters Pty. Ltd, which was based at Archerfield Airport and ferried to Australia from Montana and known to have routed via Chino, Hilo and Majuro. On arrival at Majuro aircraft was delayed for a few days with a mechanical defect, which needed to be rectified before the ferry flight continued via Honiara, and Cairns and arrived at Archerfield on 16/6/1995. The ferry flight was under the command of Captain G Layton one of the co-owners of the company.

Initially this aircraft operated in Australia under the American registration. Its first revenue earning service for the company was flown on 30/9/1995 when it flew general freight from Brisbane to Noumea. Reregistered VH-PAF to the company on 31/1/1996. Its first revenue earning flight for the company under the Australian registration was flown on 16/2/1996 when it carried freight from Eagle Farm to Honiara. Whilst in service with the company aircraft mainly used for cargo charters to the Pacific Islands.

Over the weekend of the 10th and 11th of August this aircraft was a visitor to Essendon Airport to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the Airport. Whilst at Essendon it put on a spirited display and the crew of the aircraft allowed interested people the opportunity of seeing over the aircraft and also asking questions.

On 14/10/1996 aircraft commenced a long term lease to Goroka Air Services of Papua New Guinea however on 25/12/1996 it returned to Australia after operating in New Guinea for only three months and refuelled at Cairns on the way down to Brisbane. After arrival at Brisbane aircraft has remained static with a security guard being its constant companion. Aircraft was advertised for sale by tender in March 1997.

Sold at auction on 22/5/1997 at Archerfield to Airfreighters International P/L, which was based at Palm Beach and registered to the company on 13/10/1997. Departed Archerfield for its new home at Lismore on 29/6/1997 and on arrival was parked there. Even though Air Freighters International owns this aircraft it still operates under the name of Pacific Air Freighters.

On 15/9/2000 this aircraft was chartered by Ansett Australia Cargo and departed Brisbane for Darwin carrying a consignment of general freight. After arrival at Darwin it was chartered by the United Nations and carried fright to Dili. Returned to Darwin and departed for Cairns on route to Brisbane on 23/9/2000. Over the 23rd and 24th of October aircraft was chartered by Pacific Air Express to operate a Brisbane – Honiara – Brisbane flight carrying a load of tuna on the return flight and again chartered by Pacific Air Express to operate a further charter to Honiara and return to Brisbane.

In October 2001 noted at Archerfield Airport but on 2/12/2001 noted at Bankstown Airport with Trans Australia Airlines on the left hand side of the fuselage only for a film.

Still in service with the company as a freighter in 2004 carrying freight within Australia and also to Fiji, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu when required. Withdrawn from service and noted parked at Archerfield in February 2005 for sale.

The aircraft was then delivered to 38 Squadron of the RAAF at Archerfield Base on 8 May 1945 as A65-95, with a domestic registration of VH-RFL. The Squadron moved to Schofields NSW on 15 August 1946 and the aircraft was transferred to 37 Squadron on 10 October 1946 where she had her wartime camouflage removed and was employed on courier flights to Japan in support of the British Commonwealth Occupation Forces.

After a short period with 86 Wing at Richmond, where she flew with 36 Squadron and 1 Communications Unit on general support tasks, A65-95 was transferred to the Central Flying School at East Sale. While at East Sale, A65-95 was engaged in support of the RAAF School of Radio Ballarat and training of GCA operators as well as aircrew training and general transport support tasks.

A65-95 was transferred to the Aircraft Research and Development Unit (ARDU) at Laverton Victoria on 14 March 1961 and stayed with that unit when it moved to Edinburgh South Australia in February 1977. While at ARDU, A65-95 was engaged primarily on the calibration of radio navigation aids, although there were many occasions when she was used to transport university Air Cadets to camps at Edinburgh, Amberley, Wagga and Fairbairn. Other tasks A65-95 was engaged in were RAAF Signaller training, search and rescue, aerial photography and trials support.

A65-95 served in ARDU until 1997 and was decommissioned in 2000. At this time she had flown a total of 14,900 hours and was 55 years old.

She was acquired by HARS in July 2000 and had been the victim of spare parts requirements for a few years. As a result she required many parts to get her back in the air again. This was achieved by begging, borrowing and ‘acquiring’ parts until she was ready to fly again. She was then flown from Edinburgh in Adelaide to Bankstown in Sydney, where she went through restoration and registration onto the domestic register as VH-EAE. It took a further 2 years to replace the borrowed parts and complete the 100 hourly service and become airworthy again.

Thanks to the RAAF the aircraft was essentially left in RAAF livery. The only changes to the livery were that the words ‘Royal Australian Air Force’ on both sides of the fuselage were changed to ‘Historical Aircraft Restoration Society’ and the ARDU insignias on the tail were changed to the HARS insignias.

VH-EAE was nearing the completion of restoration work when on 8 January 2003 a severe thunderstorm hit Bankstown and the strong winds dislodged the rudder chock resulting in the rubber being free to flap in the breeze. Significant damage was caused to the rudder and control systems and nullified any plans of transferring the aircraft to Albion Park until repairs were done. After completing the necessary repair work, A65-95 was flown to Albion Park, her new home, on 20 February 2003.

The first HARS mission for A65-95 was a visit to Temora on 22 March 2003. On the 5 July 2003, A65-95 headed for Temora once again. This sortie was a busy one making two trips to Temora in the one day.  On board for the first trip were several VIP’s including Nancy Bird Walton who thoroughly enjoyed the flight and keenly observed on the flight deck as A65-95 purred along magnificently through the crisp calm morning air.

Douglas C-47 Dakota A65-95 VH-EAE

Aircraft Specifications

Douglas C-47B Dakota

Length 19.66 m  |  64 ft 6 in

Wing Span 28.96 m  |  95 ft

Height 5.10 m  |  16 ft 6 in

Maximum Take Off Weight 12,700 kg  |  28,000 lbs

Empty Weight 8,160 kg  |  18,000 lbs

Maximum Speed 346 km/h  |  215 mph (187 kt)

Cruise Speed 273 km/h  |  170 mph (147 kt)

Maximum Range 1650 kms  |  1025 miles (890 nm)

Engines

Power Plant Two Pratt & Whitney R-1830 14-cylinder, air-cooled, twin row radial engines

Power Plant Weight 665 kg  |  1467 lbs

Displacement 30 ltr  |  1830 cu in

Maximum Power 895 kW  |  1200 hp

Maximum RPM 2400

Propellors Three bladed variable pitch