| Built as a C-60A-5-LO for the USAAC as 42-56060 | |
| Transferred under lend lease to Netherlands East Indies Air Force as LT-932 | |
| NOTE: This aircraft is also reported as LT-931 but LT-932 is believed to be correct. Because of this uncertainty and because the RAAF status cards are indexed under LT numbers, the RAAF usage of this aeroplane is not shown | |
| 44 | Allotted
to 37 Sqn RAAF on loan from the NEIAF. (This applies equally to LT-931 or
LT-932) The aircraft retained its Dutch LT serial while on loan to the RAAF although it is believed that it was allocated the radio call-sign VHRDT. |
| 02SEP50 | Registration application from Air Cargo Pty. Ltd., Bankstown signed by Doug Fawcett. Previous identity quoted as C-60A c/n 2553. No mention of earlier history. (NAA) |
| SEP50 | DCA allocate registration VH-AKY. (NAA) |
| 03OCT50 | DCA memo allocated VH-FAC in lieu of VH-AKY on request of Mr Fawcett. (NAA) |
| 09DEC50 | Test flown at Bankstown after CofA overhaul. Aircraft configured as a freighter with two crew. (NAA) |
| 50 | Leased to Gibbes Sepik Airways, PNG as VH-FAC |
| APR51 | Converted
at Bankstown to carry forty (40) passengers. (NAA) Aircraft returned to service with Gibbes Sepik Airways. |
| 07MAY51 | DCA Port Moresby requests DCA Head Office to send a copy of the Load Chart for VH-FAC and asks if the aircraft has been approved to carry 40 passengers. (NAA) |
| 26JUN51 | Damaged
in a forced landing at Jacquinot Bay due to fuel exhaustion and navigational
difficulties. There were no injuries to the two crew, Wiza and Flanagan.
(NAA) The aircraft incurred only minor damage and was subsequently flown to Lae for repairs. |
| 08AUG51 | DCA report that aircraft is under repair. (NAA) |
| 31AUG51 | DCA report that permanent repairs have been completed and that the CofA suspension has been lifted. (NAA) |
| 21NOV51 | CofA renewed at Wewak. (NAA) |
| 28FEB52 | CofA renewed at Bankstown. (NAA) |
| MAY52 | Miss Patricia Graham joined Gibbes Sepik Airways as the first female commercial pilot in PNG. Initially flew as First Officer on Lodestar and later Captain on Norseman. |
| 13NOV52 | Memo from DCA Port Moresby to DCA Head Office advising that as a result of an inspection by a Departmental surveyor the CofA has been suspended and that the aircraft is not to be flown commercially pending a complete overhaul. (NAA) |
| Gibbes
Sepik Airways originally leased VH-FAC in anticipation of gaining an airline
licence between Port Moresby and Sydney. GSA applied for such a licence
in April 1951 but DCA refused the application on the grounds that the route
was already served by Qantas and Trans Oceanic Airways. "The leased Lodestar which remained in the Gibbes Sepik Airways fleet until 1953 was a financial and operational embarrassment right from the start. It was expensive to operate, unserviceable for long periods, and unsuited to the type of internal operations the company conducted. The company had attempted unsuccessfully to have the lease with Fawcett Aviation terminated soon after the aircraft's arrival." ("Sepik Pilot" by James Sinclair) | |
| 04JUN53 | Departed Port Moresby for Cairns on return to Fawcett Aviation. (NAA) |
| 09JUN53 | Memo from DCA Port Moresby to Head Office: "VH-FAC owned by Fawcett Aviation and operated by Gibbes Sepik Airways has been unservicable at Port Moresby for approximately 10 months. Captain Wiza, the normal pilot of this aircraft, requested to ferry it to Sydney with Engineer Clayton as second pilot." Memo goes on to say Clayton has a Private Licence only. Approval refused due to the poor condition of the aircraft and the fact that Wiza did not have an instructor rating. Fawcett was phoned and told that he would have to provide a suitable commercial pilot as second pilot. Later Mr. Blair arrived in Port Moresby and DCA approved the ferry flight. VH-FAC was satisfactorally test flown at Port Moresby. (NAA) |
| 27AUG54 | Struck off the register as withdrawn from service. |
| JUL56 | Sold to Fieldair Ltd of NZ. |
| SEP56 | Fairey Aviation at Bankstown began converting the aircraft to an aerial topdresser with a 4 ton capacity rubber hopper. |
| 10NOV56 | Registered ZK-BMC and named "Makutonga". |
| 17NOV56 | Ferried to NZ by Lionel Van Praag and Titus Oates. (Date also quoted as 10NOV56) |
| 20OCT57 | Crashed near Upper Bideford, NZ. Aircraft struck high ground in deteriorating weather. Both occupants were killed and the aircraft destroyed by impact and fire. |
| Issue | Date | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 05MAR06 |
Major
update drawn from the aircraft file in the National Archives of Australia.
Thanks to Geoff Goodall.
|
| 1 | 18MAR99 |
Original
issue
|
