VH-AEW "Darwin"



Type: L-14-WF62 Super Electra
Msn: 1497
Previous Identities:

  • EI-ABV
  • VH-ADW
Subsequent Identities:
  • Nil
History:

05MAY39 Export CofA No E-5047 issued.
09MAY39 Construction completed at Burbank.
15MAY39 Delivered to Aer Lingus Teoranta.
23JUN39 Added to the Irish Register as EI-ABV.
10NOV39 Irish CofA issued.
20MAR40 Australian Ministerial approval granted for Guinea Airways Ltd to import two Lockheed 14s. Approval was also given for the aircraft to carry Australian markings on their delivery flights to expedite diplomatic clearances. Aircraft were to be purchased through W.S. Shackleton Ltd of London.
13APR40 Registration application from Guinea Airways Ltd. Subsequently VH-ADW was allocated.
17APR40 GAL pilots departed Adelaide to collect the aircraft.
15MAY40 Added to the Australian Register as VH-ADW.
25MAY40 Struck off the Irish Register on sale to Australia.
29MAY40 The two L-14s departed Dublin on delivery to Australia. The aircraft were painted in camouflage with black Australian registrations underlined with blue/white/red stripes.
09JUN40 Both L-14s arrived at Parafield in the record flying time of 65.5 hours.
40 The aircraft entered service on the Adelaide-Darwin courier run named "Darwin".
27AUG40 Re-registered VH-AEW at the request of GAL to prevent confusion with MMA's Electra VH-ABW as both aircraft regularly operated into Darwin.
12DEC41 The port undercarriage collapsed at Alice Springs.
06NOV42 The aircraft was landed wheels up 1.5 miles from Alice Springs. The damage was quickly repaired.
43 The aircraft suffered many forced landings without damage while engaged on the Adelaide-Darwin courier run.
08MAY44 While operating a scheduled Guinea Airways flight from Adelaide to Port Lincoln, the aircraft diverted to Cleve, S.A. owing to a storm and rain at its destination. Capt J. Chapman and F/O L.E. Schubert. (NAA via G. Goodall)
08OCT45 The aircraft had an accident at Darwin. No further details known.
02JAN46 Leased to Australian National Airways for Brisbane-Cairns services for a time.
16APR47 CofA expired. To be renewed later for charter use by by Guinea Airways.
22SEP49 CofA lapsed and aircraft withdrawn from service at Parafield.
03JUL51 Noted stored behind the Department of Aircraft Production hangars at Parafield.
06AUG51 Struck off the Register.
SEP51 Sold to Browns Scrap Metal, Croydon, Adelaide and broken up in their yard.



Issue Date Remarks
3 06MAR06
Added reference to an incident on 08MAY44.
2 29MAR02
Amended date on to Irish register from 23AUG38 to 23JUN39.




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