VH-ASG Silver Gull


Type: L-12-26 Electra Junior
MSN: 1302
Previous Identities: L2-34
42-1302
Subsequent Identities: 9M-ANK

History:

20JAN42 Export CofA E-8259 issued.
31JAN42 Delivered to the Netherlands East Indies Government for the ML/KNIL (Royal Netherlands Indies Army) as L2-34.
FEB42 Shipped to the NEI but diverted to Australia due to the outbreak of hostilities.
42 Taken over by the USAAC and given the temporary serial number 42-1302. The aircraft was named Joan.
27APR42 Walter Maiersperger was endorsed on C-40, 21302 by Lt Perry at Townsville. (Source: 1)
04MAY42 From this date the aircraft was flown almost exclusively by Walter Maiersperger. It operated out of Townsville to destinations including Torrens Creek, Cloncurry, Cairns, Charters Towers, Longreach, Antill Plains and Mareeba. (Source: 1)
07JUN42 Flown by Walter Maiersperger Garbutt (Townsville)-Cairns-Cooktown-Coen-Horn Island-Coen-Cooktown (Total Time 7:50). (Source: 1)
08JUN42 Flown by Walter Maiersperger Cooktown-Mareeba-Garbutt. The aircraft was consistently flown from Townsville by Maiersperger until 12JUL42. (Source: 1)
12AUG42 The aircraft reappears in Maiersperger's log book as 42-1302 when he flew it from Eagle Farm (Brisbane) to Townsville. (Source: 1)
12AUG42 Flown by Walter Maiersperger Townsville-Eagle Farm. (Source: 1)
22AUG42 Flown from Townsville to Charters Towers and return by Major Hughes and Alf Humble. (Extracted from Alf Humble's logbook by David Vincent).
42 In late 1942 Lockheed UC-40D 42-1302 which had been acquired from the Dutch, was assigned to 6th Troop Carrier Squadron to operate a daily courier/mail flight from Port Moresby to Milne Bay. (Source: 374th Troop Carrier Group by Col. Edward T. Imparato, page 77)
45 Photographed at Townsville in bare metal with USAAF star insignia, tail number 21302 and "TAD" arrow insignia on fin.
MAR46 DCA file shows UC-40D 42-1302 imported by W.S. Robinson, c/- G. Beohm, Sydney. The aircraft is located at Eagle Farm, Brisbane and its logs show a total time of 1,135 hours. The aircraft has been purchased from the U.S. Foreign Disposals Commission in Manila, Philippines by Associated Airlines Pty Ltd of Essendon, VIC.
25APR46 Len Diprose, Associated Airlines Chief Pilot, states that he flew from Melbourne to Brisbane on this date to inspect the Lockheed C-40 42-1302 and the same day ferried it to Fishermens Bend for a CofA overhaul by CAC. Instruments were in Dutch. He handed it to CAC for overhaul and to be fitted out the same as VH-ABH. (Source: "My Career in Aviation" by Len Diprose, AHSA Newsletter 1/1993)
10MAY46 Registration application from Associated Airlines specifying 2 crew and 5 passengers. To be operated in the private category, based Fishermens Bend.
28NOV46 Test flown at Fishermens Bend by Len Diprose On his first test flight after overhaul, the right hand wheel fell off during the landing roll. Found that the wheel bearings had been put in back to front. No other damage. (Source: "My Career in Aviation" by Len Diprose, AHSA Newsletter 1/1993)
04DEC46 Next flight was from Fishermens Bend to Essendon and return by Len Diprose.
09DEC46 Added to the Australian Register as VH-ASG. Subsequently entered service with Associated Airlines named "Silver Gull". Operated as an executive aircraft for Broken Hill Proprietary/Zinc Corp. Based initially at Fishermens Bend and later at Essendon.
09MAR50 Damaged in a ground accident at Parafield, SA but subsequently repaired.
57 Based at Adelaide for several months on mineral surveys with a towed bird magnetometer under the fuselage.
12APR59 Noted flying at Essendon.
60 Sold to R.G. Carswell, Archerfield, QLD for £5,000.
NOV60 Operated ex Darwin carrying buffalo meat from station airstrips back to Darwin.
15MAR61 Official change of ownership to R.G. Carswell, Archerfield, QLD.
APR61 Leased for two weeks by Air Culture Pty Ltd of Perth and used to uplift live crayfish from Jurien Bay to Perth. (Replacing Avro 19 VH-BIX which had crashed).
APR61 The aircraft returned to Carsair in Darwin.
21JUL61 Flown from Darwin to Wolner Station and return by Bob Carswell and E.C. Osgood carrying buffalo meat. (This and following entries extracted from the logbook of E.C. Osgood by Geoff Goodall).
05SEP61 Darwin to Wolner Station and return by Carswell and Osgood.
09SEP61 Circuits at Darwin by Carswell and Osgood.
21SEP61 Darwin to Wolner Station and return by Osgood.
22SEP61 Circuits at Darwin by Osgood.
25SEP61 Darwin to Wolner Station and four other properties and back to Darwin with buffalo meat by Osgood.
30SEP61 Darwin to several properties by Osgood.
02OCT61 Darwin to several properties by Osgood. Daily runs until 09OCT61.
09OCT61 Darwin to several properties by Osgood. Last flight by Osgood.
62 Change of ownership to Mrs H.E. Edgar, Metro Station, Springsure, QLD.
05MAY62 Noted at Mt. Isa, QLD.
26JUN62 Noted at Charleville, QLD.
OCT62 Advertised for sale by Airwork Company (North Queensland) Pty Ltd, Mt Isa for £7,600.
30JAN63 Noted at Archerfield in open storage. Still named "Silver Gull".
DEC63 Added to the Malaysian Register as 9M-ANK to Malaysia Air Charter Co Ltd of Kuala Lumpur. Used to fly workers to mining camps on the Malaysian east coast.
21DEC63 Struck off the Australian Register.
26OCT66 9M-ANK crashed on landing at Bukit Besi, West Malaysia and damaged beyond repair.
68 The dismantled remains of 9M-ANK were noted in a hangar at Kuala Lumpur.



SOURCES
1
Log Book of Walter Maiersperger referenced in Man and Aerial Machines, No. 53, Nov-Dec 1995

 


Issue Date Remarks
9 14OCT23
Added four remarkable images of the aircraft as 9M-ANK with Malaysia Air Charter circa June 1965. Thanks to Chris Mellor for these photos which were taken by his late father Bruce Mellor.
Image 1 Image 2 Image 3 Image 4
8 03AUG22
Added an image thanks to Eric Allen.
7 01DEC18
Added several flights in 1942 sourced from the log book of Walter Maiersperger. Thanks to Roger Marks and Bob Livingstone and Source 1.
Also added several photos thanks to Geoff Goodall.
6 20OCT18
Added a reference to the aircraft being assigned to the 6th TCS in late 1942. Thanks to Al Bovelt and Geoff Goodall.
5 03APR16
Refreshed page layout with no change to data.
4 01FEB13
Deleted the reference to registration 9V-ANK as this is now believed to have been in error.
3 01JUN12
Added an image of 42-1302 Joan thanks to David Vincent.
2 06AUG11
Added details of the overhaul for Associated Airlines drawn from the biography of Len Diprose. Thanks to Geoff Goodall..
1 07FEB00 -





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