Ed Davies Collection

A65-108 c/n33297 – Royal Australian Air Force

May 20, 2022 Patrick Rodwell 344 Views Civil - U.S.

MODEL	REG	C/N	USAAF	LOCATION	DATE	FORMAT	PHOTOGRAPHER
C-47B-35-DK	A65-108	33297	44-76965	Australia	1956	616 Neg	Ed Coates

Ed Coates Photo, Via Larry Smalley.

C-47B-35-DK constructed under USAAF Contract AC535-AC-40652- #2032.

Ex 44-76965 ordered under Indent 2415 (5th of 10 C-47B-35-DK Aircraft Batch, delivery from USA to Australia May 45).

Rec 3AD ex USA 05/06/45.

Fitted with AN/APN-9 Loran Equipment.

DAT Rego VH-RFZ.

Rec 1CU ex 3AD 21/06/45.

On 13/08/45 aircraft flew Actress and Singer Miss Gracie Fields,(Wish Me Luck (As You Wave Me Goodbye fame)from Mascot to PNG.

Issued to Ansett ex 1CU 08/01/46.

Rec 1CU ex Ansett 30/01/46.

Accident 03/02/47 when aircraft suffered a engine defect on flight carrying Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall George Jones, forcing the pilot to make a cautionary landing for three hours at Port Wyndam WA.

Rec 86 Wing ex 1CU 04/08/48.

Rec DAP ex 86 Wing 21/09/51.

Rec 1AD ex DAP 14/03/52.

Rec 86 Wing ex 1AD 06/05/52.

Rec 91 Wing ex 86 Wing 19/07/52. A/c used for VIP Flights. Incident 10 miles West of Pusan 26/10/53 when there was a minor explosion on board caused by wiring fire. Pilot: Flt/Lt D B Brennan 021991 and crew not injured.

Rec 86 Wing ex 91 Wing to replace A65-98, 06/11/53. Minor Incident in flight some 15 Miles North North-East Nowra 12/10/54 with engine, Pilot: Sqn Ldr S D Evans (022127) and crew not injured.

Rec DAP ex 86 Wing 16/11/54.

Rec 86 Wing ex DAP 14/12/54. Incident when with No 34 VIP Flight the starboard engine failed, approximately 70 nautical miles South West of Canberra 25/05/56.
Pilot: Sqn Ldr S D Evans (022127) and crew not injured.

Rec DAP ex 86 Wing 15/04/58.

Rec 34 VIP Flight ex DAP 16/09/58.

During 1960/61, a Minor Accident at Coolangatta Airport Qld. Pilot R Egle 212832 and crew not injured.

Rec ARW ex 34 Sqn 02/03/62.

Rec 34 Sqn RAAF ex ARW 16/10/62. Held by 34 Sqn RAAF 1962-1966.

Rec East Sale ex 34 Sqn RAAF 11/08/67. Was 34SQN’s last Dakota, A65-108, flew out of Fairbairn on August 11, 1967.

Rec HDH ex East Sale 26/08/69.

Rec 38 Sqn RAAF ex HDH Bankstown 29/10/69.

Rec 3AD ex 38 Sqn RAAF 08/06/72 for refurbishment.

Rec 38 Sqn RAAF ex 3AD 18/09/72.

Rec East Sale ex 38 Sqn RAAF 26/10/73. Allotted Dept of Supply ex 38 Sqn RAAF for Disposal 23/01/74.

Held East Sale 31/10/74.

Incident 09/07/1975, East Sale Local: During a training flight, the crew experienced an Inflight runaway airscrew resulting in its detachment from the starboard engine, with the airscrew striking the starboard fuselage below and near cockpit windows, damaging hydraulic and controls. Pilots Sqn Ldr Brian Synnott (Sitting in Co-Pilot seat) and F/Lt Mike Lavercombe ( in Port Seat) were not injured. Aircraft landed safely without brakes, with the missing airscrew found by a RAAF Ground Party some 22 kms away on a farm South East of East Sale.

Hydraulic and specialized segments used in the flight restoration of A65-108 came from A65-104 which was previously been written off in Darwin, following Cyclone Tracy.
Rec HDH Bankstown ex East Sale 20/11/75.
Rec East Sale ex HDH 26/02/76. Held RAAF Base Sqn Point Cook ex East Sale 01/02/81. Now in the hands of Ron Schneider on the Lallat Plains, east of Rupanyup Vic.

Aircraft is on display at RAAF Museum at Point Cook.

RAAF Museum is the official museum of the Royal Australian Air Force, the second oldest air force in the world, located at RAAF Williams Point Cook, Victoria, Australia which is the oldest continuously operating Military Air Base in the world.