VH-FAC Wewak Star
 |
 |
| Type: | L-18-56 Lodestar C-60A-5-LO |
| MSN: | 18-2553 |
| Previous Identities: | 42-56060 LT931 VHRDA (callsign) VH-AKY (NTU) |
| Subsequent Identities: | ZK-BMC |
History:
|
15JUL43
|
To United States Army Air Force (USAAF) as C-60A-5-LO serial 42-56060. (Source: 2) |
|
26AUG43
|
Delivered under lend lease to Royal Netherlands Military Flying School as LT931. (Source: 3) |
| NOTE: This aircraft was originally shown as LT932 but this is now believed to be incorrect and that it is in fact LT931. The following entries from the RAAF status card (Source: 1) apply to LT931. | |
|
05SEP43
|
Accepted by NEI Militaire Luchtvaart (Army Aviation Corps) at Brisbane. Aircraft was ferried by a USAAF ATC crew. (Source: 3) |
|
01OCT43
|
Attached to 18SQN NEI. (Source: 3) |
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09OCT43
|
Received 119SQN NEI at Canberra. (Source: 3) |
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NOV43
|
119SQN made three supply flights from Canberra to Batchelor, NT with LT931. (Source: 3) |
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10DEC43
|
Received at NEI Pool Sqn. (Source: 3) |
| Named Princess Margareth (when?) | |
|
01FEB44
|
Assigned NEI Transport Section Melbourne (TSM) ex NEI Pool Squadron. (Source: 3) |
|
MAR44
|
Withdrawn from service for overhaul. (Source: 3) |
|
14APR44
|
Transferred to 37SQN RAAF for ferrying to ANA, Parafield for overhaul. (Source: 3) |
|
MAY44
|
Allocated callsign VHRDA. (Source: 3) |
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18JUL44
|
Aircraft taken on loan from NEI by RAAF and allotted 37SQN ex 1AD. (Source: 1/3) |
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19JUL44
|
Received 37SQN. (Source: 1) |
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02AUG44
|
Handover from NEI completed. (Source: 1) |
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07NOV44
|
Received from 2NEI Transport Sqn as VHRDQ. (Source: 3) |
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19APR45
|
Allotted 1CU ex 37SQN for special duty. (Source: 1) |
|
27APR45
|
Issued 1CU ex 37SQN. (Source: 1) |
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02MAY45
|
Received 37SQN ex 1CU. (Source: 1) |
|
05JUN45
|
Allotted and issued ANA Parafield for major overhaul. (Source: 1) |
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08JUN45
|
Received ANA Parafield ex 37SQN. (Source: 1) |
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05SEP45
|
Allotted 37SQN ex 1AD on receipt from ANA. (Source: 1) |
|
18SEP45
|
Issued 1AD ex ANA Parafield. (Source: 1) |
|
28SEP45
|
Allotment to 37SQN cancelled. (Source: 1) |
|
11OCT45
|
Alotted 6CU ex 1AD. (Source: 1) |
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25OCT45
|
Received 6CU ex 1AD. (Source: 1) |
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05FEB46
|
Allotted NEI Pool ex 6CU. (Source: 1) |
|
11FEB46
|
Received NEI Pool ex 6CU. (Source: 1) |
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19FEB46
|
Allotted CMU Tocumwal for repairs to fuel tanks. NEI Pool to arrange delivery. (Source: 1) |
|
12MAR46
|
Received CMU Tocumwal ex NEI Pool. (Source: 1) |
|
MAY46
|
CMU Tocumwal had begun cleaning of fuel tanks of LT931 prior to sealing with Pliobond. CMU had begun the sealing process of another NEI Lodestar not identified and were in the final stages of cleaning the tanks of another NEI Lodestar not identified. (Source: 4) |
|
01OCT46
|
To be stored Category D. (Source: 1) |
| Transferred to the Foreign Liquidation Commission. (Source: 3) | |
|
06JUL48
|
Sold
by Foreign Liquidation Commission to "an American citizen in
Manila. Collection by purchaser being expedited." (Source: 1) This "American citizen" was Warren MacMillan who operated in the Philippines under the name Southern Eastern. (Source: 5) |
|
28JUN49
|
To be released to James Hosie or agent. (Source: 1) |
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18JUL50
|
Aircraft removed from CMU Tocumwal at 0600 hrs. (Source: 1) |
|
21JUL50
|
"Mr Douglas Fawcett, 21 Monterey St, Kogarah, NSW produced original disposal documents contract of sale and also other documents which establish ownership." (Source: 1) |
| NOTE: Source: 3 claims that LT931 was returned to operations in the NEI and written off in the NEI on 27FEB47. Although this throws doubt on the identity of LT931, the preceding entry on 21JUL50 suggests that the sale was under some scrutiny and given that the aircraft was identified by the RAAF only as LT931, it is expected that the "original disposal documents" would have been checked against the identity of the aeroplane as it went through the gate at Tocumwal on 18JUL50. | |
|
02SEP50
|
Registration application from Air Cargo Pty. Ltd., Bankstown signed by Doug Fawcett. Previous identity quoted as C-60A c/n 2553 previously 42-56060. (Source: 6) |
|
SEP50
|
DCA allocate registration VH-AKY. (Source: 6) |
|
03OCT50
|
DCA memo allocated VH-FAC in lieu of VH-AKY on request of Mr Fawcett. (Source: 6) |
|
09DEC50
|
Test flown at Bankstown after CofA overhaul. Aircraft configured as a freighter with two crew. (Source: 6) |
|
50
|
Leased to Gibbes Sepik Airways, PNG as VH-FAC. The aircraft was named Wewak Star. |
|
APR51
|
Converted
at Bankstown to carry forty (40) passengers. (Source: 6) 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. (Source: 6) |
|
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.
(Source: 6) The aircraft incurred only minor damage and was subsequently flown to Lae for repairs. |
|
08AUG51
|
DCA report that aircraft is under repair. (Source: 6) |
|
31AUG51
|
DCA report that permanent repairs have been completed and that the CofA suspension has been lifted. (Source: 6) |
|
21NOV51
|
CofA renewed at Wewak. (Source: 6) |
|
28FEB52
|
CofA renewed at Bankstown. (Source: 6) |
|
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. (Source: 6) |
| 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. (Source: 6) |
|
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. (Source: 6) |
|
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. |
|
20OCT56
|
Made many flights between Bankstown and Camden in the period 20OCT56 - 10NOV56 testing the hopper and radios. (Source: 2) |
|
01NOV56
|
Five flights between Bankstown and Camden to test the hopper. (Source: 2) |
|
02NOV56
|
Four flights between Bankstown and Camden to test the hopper. (Source: 2) |
|
06NOV56
|
Test flight. (Source: 2) |
|
10NOV56
|
Test flight - radio equipment. (Source: 2) |
|
10NOV56
|
Registered ZK-BMC and named Makutonga. |
|
14NOV56
|
Departed
Bankstown crewed by Bob Allen, Chief Twin Engine Pilot for Fieldair.
He was accompanied by Engineer Charles Brodie who navigated. Also
on board was a Capt. Eidy. The aircraft landed at Coffs Harbour two
hours later. (Source: 2) (Previous reports that the aircraft was crewed by Lionel Van Praag and Titus Oates are evidently incorrect) |
|
17NOV56
|
Departed Coffs Harbour for Norfolk Island (5 hours) where they refuelled. (Source: 2) |
|
17NOV56
|
Departed Norfolk Island for Whenuapai, NZ (4 hours 15 minutes). (Source: 2) |
|
19NOV56
|
Departed Whenuapai for Gisborne (1 hour and 15 minutes). (Source: 2) |
|
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. |
|
SOURCES
|
|
|
1
|
RAAF Form E/E.88. |
|
2
|
Graeme Mills who knows Bob Allen personally and has inspected his log book. |
|
3
|
Boer, Dr P.C., Netherlands East Indies Air Transport units of the Militaire Luchtvaart KNIL (Army Aviation Corps of the Royal NEI Army) and their aircraft in Australia and Java, 16 January 1943-1 November 1946, February 2020. |
|
4
|
NAA, Series A9186, RAAF Unit History sheets (Form A50) [Operations Record Book - Forms A50 and A51] Aircraft Depots 4-7 May 42 - Jul 47 |
|
5
|
Geoff Goodall, The Migrant Caper |
|
6
|
NAA, DCA file on VH-FAC |
| Issue | Date | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | 26DEC22 |
Added
information from Source: 5
|
| 8 | 25SEP22 |
This
aircraft is reported as having used the callsigns VHRDA, RDQ &
RDT but VHRDA is considered most likely correct.
|
| 7 | 11JUL22 |
Corrected
Dutch identity from LT932 to LT931.
Added RAAF history from the status card of LT931. Added references from Source: 3. |
| 6 | 03DEC21 |
Added
an image from the State Library of NSW.
|
| 5 | 03APR16 |
Refreshed
page layout with no change to data.
|
| 4 | 27DEC15 |
Added
more information and a correction to the details of the ferry
flight to NZ in NOV56. Thanks to Graeme Mills.
|
| 3 | 04MAY12 |
Added
details of a test flight on 18MAY44 thanks to Nigel Daw.
|
| 2 | 05MAR06 |
Major
update drawn from the aircraft file in the National Archives of
Australia. Thanks to Geoff Goodall.
|
| 1 | 18MAR99 |
Original
issue
|
Return to the Lockheed File
