VH-BUR
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| Type: | Douglas C-47A-85-DL |
| MSN: | 19934 |
| Previous Identities: | 43-15468 VH-BHE |
| Subsequent Identities: | 9N-AAY |
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Note:
This aircraft never served with Adastra but as an Australian survey
DC-3 its story deserves to be told somewhere.
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History:
| 28MAR44 | Delivered to USAAF as 43-15468. (Source: 1) | |
| 26APR44 | Assigned to USAAF at Brisbane. (Source: 2) | |
| 29NOV46 | Sold by US Disposals at Clark Field, Philippines. (Source: 2) | |
| 04DEC46 | Arrived at Mascot from Manila as "315468". Captain R. Godsall plus 2 crew, no passengers. (Source: 2) | |
| 28FEB47 | Registered VH-BHE to The Zinc Corp Ltd., Melbourne, Vic. (Source: 2) | |
| 47 | Inspected for civil certification by the Department of Aircraft Production at Parafield, SA. (Source: 2) | |
| 02SEP47 | CofA issued at Parafield. (Source: 2) | |
| 29MAR48 | DCA memo to the effect that VH-BHE (and VH-BHD) are being operated under charter to Qantas Empire Airways. (Source: 2) | |
| 29MAR48 | Arrived Mascot from Lae, PNG. Capt G.S. Richardson, 2 crew, 2 pax, agent QEA. (Source: 2) | |
| 04APR48 | Arrived Mascot from Rabaul, PNG. Capt Bamman, 3 crew, 10 pax, agent QEA. (Source: 2) | |
| 03MAY48 | Arrived Mascot from Singapore. Capt Richardson, 4 crew, 15 pax, agent QEA. (Source: 2) | |
| 25MAY48 | Arrived Mascot from Singapore. Capt Richardson, 4 crew, 15 pax, agent QEA. (Source: 2) | |
| 27JUN48 | Arrived Mascot from Singapore. Capt Richardson, 5 crew, 12 pax, agent QEA. (Source: 2) | |
| 05JUL48 | DCA memo to the effect that VH-BHE is operated by Silver City Airways (Australia) Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of The Zinc Corporation. (Source: 2) | |
| 08JUL48 | Arrived Mascot from Lae, PNG. Capt Richardson, 3 crew, 2 pax. (Source: 2) | |
| AUG48 | Change of ownership to Silver City Airways (Australia) Pty. Ltd., Broken Hill, NSW. (Source: 2) | |
| 04OCT48 | Arrived Mascot from Singapore. Capt Richardson, 5 crew, 17 pax, agent QEA. (Source: 2) | |
| 19OCT48 | Arrived Mascot from Singapore. Capt Richardson, 5 crew, 19 pax, agent QEA. (Source: 2) | |
| 28OCT48 | Arrived Mascot from Ambon. Capt Jacobsen, 5 crew, 18 pax, agent QEA. (Source: 2) | |
| 14NOV48 | Arrived Mascot from Singapore. Capt Robinson, 5 crew, 15 pax, agent QEA. (Source: 2) | |
| 21NOV48 | Arrived Mascot from Ambon. Capt Proctor, 5 crew, 21 pax, agent QEA. (Source: 2) | |
| 26NOV48 | Arrived Mascot from Ambon. Capt Richardson, 5 crew, 22 pax, agent QEA. (Source: 2) | |
| 01DEC48 | Arrived Mascot from Lae. 3 crew, 3 pax, agent QEA. (Source: 2) | |
| 19DEC48 | Arrived Mascot from Ambon. Capt Herbert, 5 crew, 14 pax, agent QEA. (Source: 2) | |
| 16OCT50 | Taken over by Trans-Australia Airlines as a freighter under charter from the owners. 21 passenger seats, buffet and hat racks removed. Total Time: 1294.35 hrs. (Source: 2) | |
| 27DEC50 | Charter to TAA terminated. (Source: 2) | |
| 27DEC50 | Change of ownership to Bureau of Mineral Resources, Ministry of National Development, Melbourne, Vic. (Source: 2) | |
| 51 | Aerial survey electronic engineer and geophysicist, John Newman converted the first Bureau of Mineral Resources magnetometer and installed it into their DC-3 VH-BUR and again in their second DC-3 VH-MIN. He built his own magnetometers and pioneered electronic printed circuit technology. (Source: 3) | |
| 11JAN51 | TAA applied to DCA to change the registration to VH-BUR. Aircraft was operated and serviced by TAA for the new owners. (Source: 2) | |
| TAA provided flight crew, engineering and full airworthiness responsibility. (Source: 8) | ||
| 25JAN51 | Re-registered VH-BUR. The aircraft is not fitted with VHF radio and therefore cannot be operated as a passenger or freight aircraft in the Regular Public Transport Category. (Source: 2) | |
| 20JUL51 | To 02APR52 East Gippsland (onshore) Vic (#101) 4,800 kms. (Source: 3) | |
| 06NOV51 | To 23NOV51 Eyre Peninsula SA (#102) 6,080 kms. (Source: 3) | |
| 20FEB52 | To 28FEB52 Yorke Peninsula SA (#106) 4,320 kms. (Source: 3) | |
| 26AUG52 | To 02OCT52 Darwin- Katherine, Rum Jungle NT (#103) 8,640 kms (with Austers VH-RSF and VH GBC). (Source: 3) | |
| 03OCT52 | To 07OCT52 Edith River NT (#104) 100 kms. (Source: 3) | |
| 27NOV52 | To 15DEC52 Radium Hill SA (#105) 11,260 kms. (Source: 3) | |
| 15JAN53 | To 24FEB53 Eyre Peninsula SA (#109) 9,840 kms. (Source: 3) | |
| 01JUN53 | To 25OCT53 Darwin- Katherine NT (#108) 5,070 kms. (Source: 3) | |
| 20JAN54 | To 03MAR54 Broken Hill NSW (#111) 6,880 kms. (Source: 3) | |
| 16MAY54 | To 23MAY54 Eucla Basin SA/WA (#114) 8,090 kms. (Source: 3) | |
| 28JUN54 | To 03SEP54 Halls Creek- Wyndham Region WA/NT (#116) 7,600 kms. (Source: 3) | |
| 13JUL54 | To 01SEP54 Canning Basin WA (#112) 500 kms. (Source: 3) | |
| 04SEP54 | To 01NOV54 Darwin-Katherine, Anson Bay NT (#113) 20,290 kms. (Source: 3) | |
| 08NOV54 | To 18NOV54 Georgetown Area Qld (#115) 6,960 kms. (Source: 3) | |
| 01APR55 | To 31JUL55 Muldiva Crk- Moyle River NT (#127) 5,200 kms. (Source: 3) | |
| 27APR55 | To 03AUG55 Mundogie Hill NT (#128) 5,280 kms. (Source: 3) | |
| 05OCT55 | To 05OCT55 [? error] Hampshire-Blythe River Tas (#145) 8,000 kms. (Source: 3) | |
| 11OCT55 | To 10DEC55 Eyre Peninsula SA (#123) 9,820 kms. (Source: 3) | |
| 55 | (1955? No date) Gregory Range (Rugged Hills)- Woody Woody Crk Area WA (#124) 125 kms. (Source: 3) | |
| 26MAR56 | To 02JUN56 East Gippsland (offshore) Vic (#152) 17,910 kms. (Source: 3) | |
| 04MAY56 | To 07JUN56 Nelson River - Rocky River Tas (#156) 500 kms. (Source: 3) | |
| 01JUN56 | To 29NOV56 Tennant Ck NT (#162) 22,150 kms. (Source: 3) | |
| 13JUL56 | To 19OCT56 Davenport Range NT (#150) 2,480 kms (with Auster VH-GVC). (Source: 3) | |
| 01JAN57 | To 01JUN57 Woomera Rocket Range SA (#181) 3,500 kms. (Source: 3) | |
| 25FEB57 | To 20MAR57 Eastern Highlands Vic/NSW (#169) 3,440 kms. (Source: 3) | |
| 16APR57 | To 31JUL57 Kalgoorlie region (Barlee, Jackson, Kalgoorlie) WA (#172) 37,280 kms. (Source: 3) | |
| 23AUG57 | The BMR requested TAA to install "a towed scintillometer bird, winch and accessory unit." (Source: 7) | |
| 20SEP57 | To 15NOV59 [sic] Broken Hill NSW (#182) 12,600 kms. (Source: 3) | |
| 22NOV57 | To 16DEC57 Cobar NSW (#166) 10,900 kms. (Source: 3) | |
| 01APR58 | To 30MAY58 Captains Flat NSW (#185) 63 kms. (Source: 3) | |
| 08APR58 | To 11APR58 Canberra ACT/NSW (#184) 1,710 kms. (Source: 3) | |
| 03MAY58 | To 14JUN58 Kurnalpi, Widgiemooltha WA (#190) 20,700 kms. (Source: 3) | |
| 21JUN58 | To 16JUL58 Tallaringa-Coober Pedy SA (#196) 10,320 kms. (Source: 3) | |
| 22JUL58 | To 13AUG58 Mount Hardy region NT (#191) 10,640 kms. (Source: 3) | |
| 08OCT58 | To 02DEC58 Nymagee- Cargelligo (Euabolong) NSW (#194) 23,100 kms. (Source: 3) | |
| 29APR60 | Change of ownership to Airlines of New South Wales, Sydney. Operated for NSW Department of Lands. Painted in Airlines of NSW colours with titles Aerial Survey Unit. (Source: 2) | |
| 03MAY60 | Registered to Airlines of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW. (Source: 4) | |
| 15JAN66 | Withdrawn from use. (Source: 4) | |
| 19JUL69 | The aircraft was ferried from Mascot to Tamworth for overhaul by East-West Airlines. (Source: 5) | |
| 24JUL69 | Jetair advised the Department of Civil Aviation that they had purchased DC-3 VH-BUR. (Source: 5) | |
| 04NOV69 | Restored
to Jetair Australia, Sydney, NSW. (Source: 4) Aircraft was purchased from Bandon Pty Ltd an associate of the Airfast Group. (Source: 5) | |
| 05JAN70 | By this date VH-BUR had entered service with Jetair based at Essendon, Melbourne. The aircraft was named "Joseph Stewart" (one of Jetair's directors). (Source: 5) | |
| JUL70 | A DCA minute paper stated that VH-BUR was the only Jetair DC-3 based in Brisbane at that time. (Source: 5) | |
| 27NOV70 | Without any public announcements, Jetair suspended all operations at 6.00pm. (Source: 5) | |
| 28NOV70 | VH-BUR departed Essendon for storage at Mascot, Sydney along with most of the Jetair fleet. (Source: 5) | |
| 24JAN71 | It was announced that the Australian Government would purchase the six Jetair DC-3s and that these along with five former RAAF DC-3s would be gifted to the Khmer Republic, Nepal and Laos as foreign aid. This controversial decision featured prominently in parliamentary debate and was widely reported in the national press. (Source: 5) | |
| 12MAR71 | Registered to Department of Foreign Affairs, Canberra, ACT. (Source: 4) | |
| JUN71 | VH-BUR was ferried from Sydney to Archerfield, Brisbane for overhaul by Air Express. (Source: 5) | |
| 25JUL71 | VH-BUR was photographed at Archerfield painted grey and white with "Australian Aid" above the cabin windows and the Australian flag on the fin. | |
| 14AUG71 | Departed Brisbane (with VH-EQN) on delivery to Kathmandu crewed by Captain R.E. Overell and F/O K. Meggs. (Source: 6) | |
| 30AUG71 | Removed from the Register as exported to Nepal as 9N-AAY. (Source: 4) | |
| 16OCT72 | Jetair director Alexander Barton wrote to the Australian Government stating the purchase prices and overhaul costs of Jetair's six DC-3s. Perhaps not surprisingly given its time in open storage, VH-BUR had been the cheapest purchase at $24,000.00 but the most expensive to overhaul at $85,250.00. (Source: 5) |
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SOURCES
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1
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J.M.G. Gradidge, "The Douglas DC-3 and its Predecessors", Air-Britain 1984. |
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2
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Geoff Goodall. |
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3
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Doug Morrison. Compiler's Note: Mentions of VH-BUR in Bureau of Mineral Resources geophysical survey indexes. The dates show start and completion of surveys - and it is possible the aircraft was elsewhere during this time. Some surveys overlap. Some surveys were commenced in one season and finished the next. BMR project numbers (#) and reported approx kilometres flown are shown. Some errors exist in these indexes and information should be used as a guide only although the dates in some instances will be precise. No mention of survey bases/airports are shown in these indexes. |
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4
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Tony Arbon, AustAirData. |
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5
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Roger McDonald, "Jetair Australia Limited", Aviation Heritage Vol. 35 No. 1, AHSA, March 2004. |
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6
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Gordon Reid, "Essendon Newsletter" 54/63 August/September 1971. |
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7
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TAA Engineering Change Order A3-247 via Greg Thom. |
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8
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Australian Airlines Engineering Department Engineering Report 147 Aircraft Owned / Operated / Maintained by TAA. Provided by Leigh Ryan. |
| Issue | Date | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 31DEC22 |
Added
a Slideshow
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| 4 | 04APR18 |
Added
6 images of VH-BUR during its service with the BMR.
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| 3 | 06FEB16 |
Added
information from Source 8 reference at JAN51. Thanks to Leigh
Ryan.
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| 2 | 05OCT12 |
Added
Source 7 reference at 23AUG57. Thanks to Greg Thom.
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| 1 | 02FEB11 |
Original
issue. Thanks to Geoff Goodall, Doug Morrison, Roger McDonald,
Gordon Reid and Tony Arbon.
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