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| Ordered by the Royal Air Force as FK254 but order subsequently cancelled | |
| 30JUN42 | To USAAF as C-60-LO serial 42-32174 |
| 22SEP42 | Arrived Brisbane |
| SEP42 | Assigned to 21TCS as VHCEE (callsign) |
| OCT42 | Assigned 22TCS |
| Assigned 39TCS | |
| 08JUL43 | Delivered to 36 Sqn RAAF as VHCEE named "Tiki" |
| 10FEB44 | Flown from Townsville to Eagle Farm (Brisbane) on return to USAAF |
| 29FEB44 | To Guinea Airways Ltd as VHCEE |
| 01MAR44 | Special CofA X15 issued |
| 02JUN45 | WFS and parked at Parafield. Subsequently returned to USAAF |
| FEB46 | Sold to Aircrafts Pty Ltd, Archerfield, QLD and converted at Parafield |
| 28NOV46 | Registered VH-BAG to Aircrafts Pty Ltd (CofR 1215) |
| 16DEC46 | Sold to Truth and Sportsman Ltd (a newspaper which had acquired a half share in APL) and leased back to Aircrafts Pty Ltd |
| 48 | Re-registered to Aircrafts Pty Ltd |
| JUL48 | Leased to Guinea Air Traders, Lae for one month during the overhaul of DC-3 VH-GAT. The Lodestar was to be re-registered VH-BYG as BAG had become a prohibited registration. In the event this did not proceed. |
| 18OCT48 | APL changed their operating name to Queensland Airlines |
| NOV48 | Livery changed with addition of Queensland Airlines titles in red above the cabin windows |
| 10MAR49 | The aircraft
departed Coolangatta (now Gold Coast Airport) at approximately 1115 hours
bound for Brisbane. As the undercarriage was retracting, the aircraft assumed
an abnormally nose high attitude until, at a height of approximately 200-300
feet, the starboard wing dropped and the aircraft began to lose altitude.
The aircraft was recovered briefly until the port wing dropped and it entered
a curving descent to the left. Although a level attitude was regained, the
aircraft was seen to drop almost vertically into a swampy area at Bilinga,
between the airstrip and the beach. The Lodestar struck the ground heavily
and immediately exploded in flames. The aircraft was fully booked with 18
passengers (including 2 nursed children) plus 3 crew, all of whom were killed
instantly. The crew comprised Captain R.C. Cook, First Officer J.D. Murtha
and Hostess Nerida Ferguson, all of Brisbane. APL's Chief Pilot, Captain
H.E. Keegan, his wife and two infant children were amongst the passengers.
A subsequent investigation determined that the aeroplane had been loaded
outside the aft trim limit and thus was tail heavy to the point of being
uncontrollable. [This account is drawn from "Air Crash" Vol 2, pp.99-105 by Macarthur Job published in 1992 by Aerospace Publications (ISBN 1 875671 01 3). This book, and others in the series, are highly recommended.] |
| 01MAY67 | The burned and corroded remains of one of the engines from VH-BAG was noted next to a flying school building at Coolangatta Airport. The engine had been uncovered earlier during earthworks at the airport. Although there was a suggestion that the engine might be incorporated into a memorial, nothing eventuated and the ultimate fate of the engine is unknown. (See photo above). |
| Issue | Date | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | 05NOV04 |
Added
more details of the crash drawn from Mac Job's excellent book "Air Crash"
Vol. 2.
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| 5 | 07OCT04 |
It
is now believed that the inaugural Brisbane to Melbourne service on 09SEP46 was
operated by VH-ARY and not VH-ARZ as stated in Issue #4.
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| 4 | 29AUG04 |
Deleted
reference to the commencement of Brisbane to Melbourne service on 09SEP48 as the
commencement date is now known to have been 09SEP46. This means that the service
could not have been inaugurated with VH-BAG as this aeroplane was still undergoing
overhaul at this time. Therefore the Melbourne service must have been inaugurated
with VH-ARZ (which see). Thanks to Roger McDonald for this correction.
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| 3 | 02JAN00 |
Corrected
Guinea Air Transport to Guinea Air Traders.
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