VH-TAY
Lindsay
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| Type: | L-18-56-23 Lodestar C-60A-5-LO |
| MSN: | 18-2613 |
| Previous Identities: | 43-16453 A67-10 VHRAJ (callsign) VH-CAB |
| Subsequent Identities: | N5080V NX5080V N24W N179T N1791 N298AR N14WS |
History:
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43-16453
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| 15NOV43 | To United States Army Air Force as C-60A 43-16453. (Source: 2) |
| 15NOV43 | Delivered ex Lockheed. (Source: 3) |
| 15NOV43 | Arrived Long Beach. (Source: 3) Fitted with long range tanks at Long Beach. (Source: 2) |
| 04JAN44 | Departed Long Beach. (Source: 3) |
|
A67-10
VHRAJ |
|
| 11JAN44 | Allotted
to 37SQN Laverton ex 3AD Amberley as A67-10. Received 37SQN same day. (Source: 1) |
| Allocated callsign VHRAJ. (Source: 1) | |
| 06SEP44 | Port undercarriage folded while taxying at Merauke Strip. Field repairs carried out by 1 Repair and Salvage Unit (1RSU) which had a detachment at Merauke. Estimated serviceable in 7-14 days. (Source: 1) |
| 06DEC44 | Blew a tyre on landing. Location not recorded. (Source: 1) |
| 07DEC44 | Ground looped on landing. Location not recorded. (Source: 1) This may be the same incident as 06DEC44, |
| 12DEC44 | Aircraft assessed as repairable but beyond the capacity of the unit. (Source: 1) |
| 16DEC44 | Allotted Australian National Airways, Parafield ex 37SQN for repair. (Source: 1) |
| 04JAN45 | Received at ANA Parafield. (Source: 1) |
| 23MAR45 | Allotted No 4 Communication Unit (4CU) Archerfield ex ANA Parafield to replace Hudson A16-113 (sic). Aircraft to be fitted with four seats ex A16-116 (sic) on receipt at 4CU. (Source: 1) |
| 27MAR45 | Received at 37SQN ex ANA Parafield. (Source: 1) |
| 30MAR45 | Issued 4CU ex 37SQN. (Source: 1) |
| 11APR45 | Allotted 1CU Essendon ex 4CU for use by senior Army officers. (Source: 1) |
| 11APR45 | Allotted ANA ex 1CU for fitment of seats. (Source: 1) |
| 12APR45 | Received ANA ex 1CU. (Source: 1) |
| 10MAY45 | Received 1CU ex ANA on completion. (Source: 1) |
| 30MAY45 | A67-10 VH-RAJ departed Canberra for Sydney carrying the Governor-General, The Duke of Gloucester. (Source: 5) |
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11JUN45
|
A67-10 grounded at 1CU due leaking fuel tanks. (Source: 1) |
| During June 1945 it was discovered at No. 1 Communication Unit at Essendon that the fuel tanks of their Lodestars A67-5 and A67-10 were leaking. On 11 June 1945 the RAAF ordered that all Lodestars be grounded. Aircraft were progressively allotted to No. 7 Aircraft Depot at Tocumwal for investigation and possible repair. A67-5 and A67-10 were ferried to Tocumwal on 14JUN45 and other Lodestars followed. | |
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12JUN45
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A67-10 allotted 7AD Tocumwal for trial repairs to fuel leaks. (Source: 1) |
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14JUN45
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A67-10 received at 7AD ex 1CU. (Source: 1) |
| Fuel figures quoted below are believed to represent fuel uplift, not total fuel on board. | |
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13DEC45
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A67-10 test flown 50 min (537 gallons) at 7AD Tocumwal FLTLT Parsons. (Source: 9) |
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13DEC45
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A67-10 test flown 15 min (300 gallons) at 7AD Tocumwal FLTLT Parsons. (Source: 9) |
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14DEC45
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A67-10 test flown 4 hr 15 min (300 gallons) at 7AD Tocumwal FLTLT Parsons. (Source: 9) |
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14DEC45
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A67-10 test flown 4 hr 5 min (300 gallons) at 7AD Tocumwal FLTLT Parsons. (Source: 9) |
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15DEC45
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A67-10 test flown 4 hr (330 gallons) at 7AD Tocumwal FLTLT Parsons. (Source: 9) |
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15DEC45
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A67-10 test flown 4 hr 20 min (300 gallons) at 7AD Tocumwal FLTLT Parsons. (Source: 9) |
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19DEC45
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A67-10 test flown 45 min (340 gallons) at 7AD Tocumwal FLTLT Parsons. (Source: 9) |
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19DEC45
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A67-10 test flown 1 hr (80 gallons) at 7AD Tocumwal FLTLT Parsons. (Source: 9) |
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20DEC45
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A67-10 test flown 4 hr 15 min (300 gallons) at 7AD Tocumwal FLTLT Parsons. (Source: 9) |
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DEC45
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"During the month, Lodestar A67-10 on which experiments were carried out on the sealing of leaking fuel tanks was completed and placed under test during which minor weeping was experienced and at the end of the month was undergoing rectification. Inquiries conducted regarding selection of this aircraft for experimentation have revealed that this aircraft was not a good sample of the nature of the defects experienced, as apparently it bore little evidence of leaking prior to the process being applied. Therefore the effectiveness of the process under test cannot be determined by the results obtained on this particular aircraft." (Source: 9) |
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16JAN46
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A67-10 allotted 1AD ex 7AD for storage. (Source: 1) |
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29JAN46
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A67-10 test flown 15 hr (1300 gallons) at 7AD Tocumwal SQNLDR Barson. (Source: 9) |
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JAN46
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"Flight tests are still proceeding on Lodestar Aircraft A67-10, following application of Pliobond Fuel Tank Sealing process, as at the date of report. Results appear satisfactory, but whether the process would be satisfactory on all Aircraft of this type, cannot be determined, as mentioned in last month's report." (Source: 9) |
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01FEB46
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A67-10 test flown 1 hr 10 min (60 gallons) at 7AD Tocumwal SQNLDR Barson. (Source: 9) |
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05FEB46
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A67-10 test flown 1 hr 5 min (60 gallons) at 7AD Tocumwal SQNLDR Barson. (Source: 9) |
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06FEB46
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A67-10 test flown 55 min (50 gallons) at 7AD Tocumwal SQNLDR Barson. (Source: 9) |
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06FEB46
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A67-10 test flown 15 min (20 gallons) at 7AD Tocumwal WGCDR Brunckhurst. (Source: 9) |
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07FEB46
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A67-10 test flown 4 hr 15 min (250 gallons) at 7AD Tocumwal SQNLDR Barson. (Source: 9) |
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07FEB46
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A67-10 test flown 4 hr 30 min (260 gallons) at 7AD Tocumwal SQNLDR Barson. (Source: 9) |
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08FEB46
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A67-10Test flown 2 hr 20 min (130 gallons) at 7AD Tocumwal SQNLDR Barson. (Source: 9) |
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13FEB46
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A67-10 test flown 2 hr 5 min (110 gallons) at 7AD Tocumwal SQNLDR Barson. (Source: 9) |
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14FEB46
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No 7 Aircraft Depot (7AD) was disbanded and its work taken over by the Care and Maintenance Unit (CMU), Tocumwal. Work transferred to the CMU included Lodestar Fuel Tank Sealing with one aircraft (A67-10) undergoing final flight tests after application of the Pliobond process and three NEI aircraft, one to be completed with the Pliobond process and two to be completed with the Stoner-Mudge process. (Source: 9) |
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28FEB46
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In the period 15FEB46 to 28FEB46 the CMU reported that; "Further tests were completed on Lodestar A67-10 following application of tank sealing process. A67-10 has now completed 83-05 hours and made 79 landings since tanks were sealed with Pliobond." The Aircraft Storage Section of the CMU reported that seven (7) Lodestars were received during the month of February and that all were stored under cover in No. 5 Hangar. (Source: 9) |
| See: Lodestars at Tocumwal | |
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01OCT46
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A67-10 to be stored Cat D. (Source: 1) |
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19MAR47
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Sold through the Commonwealth Disposals Commission to the Department of Civil Aviation for £2,500. (Source: 1) |
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26SEP47
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Issued to purchaser. (Source: 1) |
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OCT47
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Trucked from Tocumwal to Parafield in convoy with A67-2 and A67-8 for overhaul by the Dept of Aircraft Production. |
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29SEP49
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Test flown (presumably at Parafield). (Source: 6) |
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VH-CAB
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| 11OCT49 | Registered to Dept of Civil Aviation as VH-CAB. (Source: 7) |
| 13OCT49 | Flown for 2 hours 15 minutes. (Source: 6). This could represent entry into DCA service. |
| 21FEB50 | Flown for 4 hours 15 minutes. (Source: 6). This could represent the last service with DCA. |
| 24FEB50 | No.1 service carried out by TAA at Essendon. (Source: 6) |
| 10OCT50 | Withdrawn from use by DCA at Essendon. (Source: 2) |
| 22FEB52 | Sold to TAA. (Source: 6) |
| Doug
Fawcett claims in his autobiography that he overhauled three Lodestars
for TAA. (Source: 10) See: Doug Fawcett's Lodestars | |
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VH-TAY
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| 22FEB52 | Registered to TAA as VH-TAY (Source: 7). (Source 6 shows the date for change of registration as 28MAR52) |
| Named Lindsay. | |
| 26/27MAR52 | Flown for 6 hours 10 minutes. (Source: 6) |
| 24JUN52 | Test flown at Essendon and later the same day ferried to Brisbane. (Source: 6) |
| 25JUN52 | Training at Brisbane. (Source: 4) |
| 03JUL52 | Ferried from Brisbane to Cairns. (Source: 6) |
| 04JUL52 | Entered service with TAA based at Cairns. (Earlier stated to be 02JUL52 but the starboard engine log suggests 04JUL52.) Used mainly on services between Cairns and Townsville. The aircraft flew every day from 04JUL52 to 17AUG53 inclusive. Thereafter, the schedule was every day except Monday and Thursday although there were numerous variations. (Source: 6) The normal pattern was for the same crew to fly the Lodestar from Cairns to Townsville then the DC-3 through to Brisbane via ports. Next day, the same crew would operate the DC-3 from Brisbane to Townsville and then the Lodestar to Cairns. (Source: 4) |
| 31MAY53 | Flown for 2 hours 10 minutes. (Source: 6). This may represent the last service for VH-TAY before being ferried to Brisbane for sale. |
| 01JUN53 | Flown for 4 hours 40 minutes. The starboard engine was removed at Brisbane. (Source: 6). This may represent the ferry flight from Cairns to Brisbane after withdrawal from TAA service. |
| 53 | Sold to B.W. Cowan of Aeroquipment of Australia. |
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N5080V
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| 14JUL53 | Registered to Earl Bacon of Santa Monica as N5080V. (Source: 2) |
| AUG53 | Departed Brisbane en route to Los Angeles. (Source: 2) |
| 10AUG53 | To William P Lear. (Source: 2) |
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NX5080V
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| 05APR54 | Re-registered NX5080V. Used in the certification of the Learstar executive conversion. (Source: 2) |
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N24W
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| 26MAY54 | Re-registered N24W. (Source: 2) |
| 25APR55 | To Learcraft Conversions Inc of Santa Monica. (Source: 2) |
| 24MAY55 | To C.B. Wrightsman of Palm Beach, Florida . (Source: 2) |
| AUG55 | Used on a European demonstration tour. Flew Gander-Paris non-stop in 8hr 50min. (Source: 2) |
| FEB56 | Fitted with weather radar. (Source: 2) |
| 15SEP58 | To the Texas Eastern Transmission Corp of Shreveport, Louisiana. (Source: 2) |
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N179T
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| 20NOV58 | Re-registered N179T. (Source: 2) |
| 13SEP66 | To Omni Investment Corp of Washington, DC. (Source: 2) |
| 19SEP66 | To Founders Investment Ltd of Albuquerque, New Mexico. (Source: 2) |
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N1791
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| 20SEP66 | Re-registered N1791. (Source: 2) |
| 22SEP66 | To Westernair of Albuquerque. (Source: 2) |
| 27SEP66 | Returned to Founders Investment Ltd. (Source: 2) |
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N298AR
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| 27DEC66 | Re-registered N298AR. (Source: 2) |
| 09JAN67 | To Aerodyne Engineering Corp of Dallas, Texas. (Source: 2) |
| 03MAR67 | To Atlantic Richfield Co of Philadelphia. (Source: 2) |
| 14APR69 | To Aero-Cruse Inc of Dallas and sold same day to the White Shield Oil and Gas Corp of Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Source: 2) |
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N14WS
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| 06FEB70 | Re-registered N14WS. (Source: 2) |
| 08OCT70 | To the Jean Everest Rental Company of Oklahoma City. (Source: 2) |
| 01FEB73 | To Robert B Phillips. (Source: 2) |
| 05OCT73 | To C.H. McKeller trading as McKeller Aviation. (Source: 2) |
| 09OCT73 | To the Business Travel Corp of Lakeland, Florida. (Source: 2) |
| 25MAR76 | To Marcus Kane trading as Kane Engineering of Bridgeton, Missouri. (Source: 2) |
| FEB77 | To Marvin Zylstra of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. (Source: 2) |
| 01APR77 | To Auto Marine Sales Corp of Fort Lauderdale. (Source: 2) |
| 11FEB80 | CofA suspended after a minor accident. (Source: 2) |
| 05MAR80 | To Summit Quarries Inc of Summit Station, Pennsylvania. (Source: 2) |
| OCT80 | Last reported sighting Fort Lauderdale, Florida. (Source: 2) |
| 09NOV81 | To Robert Stacker. (Source: 2) |
| 14JUN12 | Cancelled from the US Register. (Source: 8) |
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Summary of flights from September 1949 to June 1953. |
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Calendar showing flights ex Cairns from July 1952 to May 1953. |
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SOURCES
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1
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RAAF Form E/E.88 Airframe Record Card |
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2
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Peter J. Marson, The Lockheed Twins, Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 2001. |
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3
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MAC Air Case 200. NAA via Gordon Birkett |
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4
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Log book of Capt R.R. Hickey via Gordon Reid |
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5
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NAA: RAAF Unit History sheets (Form A50) [Operations Record Book - Forms A50 and A51] Governor General's Communication Flight Apr 45 - Jul 47. Number 34 Squadron Jul 55 - Mar 83, Series number A9186, Control symbol 66 |
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6
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Log Book of the starboard engine fitted to VH-CAB/VH-TAY. |
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7
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Tony Arbon, AustAirData. |
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8
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Federal Aviation Administration. |
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9
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NAA, Series A9186, RAAF Unit History sheets (Form A50) [Operations Record Book - Forms A50 and A51] Aircraft Depots 4-7 May 42 - Jul 47 |
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10
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Fawcett, Doug, Pilots & Propellers - a lifetime in aviation, Crawford House, 1998. |
| Issue | Date | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | 20MAY23 |
Added
an image of N5080V awaiting conversion
at the Lear facility thanks to Geoff Goodall.
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| 12 | 08JUL22 |
Added
details of fuel tank sealing trials from Source: 9.
Added a reference to the aircraft being overhauled by Doug Fawcett. |
| 11 | 30SEP17 |
Added
an image of the aircraft as VH-CAB with
DCA. Thanks to Phil Vabre.
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| 10 | 19AUG16 |
Major
update from sources shown.
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| 9 | 18AUG16 | |
| 8 | 03APR16 |
Refreshed
page layout with no change to data.
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| 7 | 21SEP12 |
Added
an image of N14WS at Fort Lauderdale
in 1979 thanks to Geoff Goodall.
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| 6 | 24JUN06 |
Added
delivery details thanks to Gordon Birkett.
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| 5 | 05FEB06 |
Added
considerable detail drawn from the log book of Wright Cyclone
s/n 94157 which was fitted in the starboard position of this aircraft
from 11NOV48 to 01JUN53. Also added detail from the log book of
TAA Captain R.R. Hickey received via Gordon Reid.
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| 4 | 07NOV04 |
Added
an image of N5080V. The source of this photo is unknown so if
anyone recognises it please advise the Webmaster.
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| 3 | 13FEB04 |
Added
an image of A67-10 thanks to Phil Vabre of the CAHS.
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| 2 | 16APR99 | - |
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