VH-BFZ
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| Type: | L-18-56 Lodestar C-60A-5-LO |
| MSN: | 18-2611 |
| Previous Identities: | 43-16451 A67-7 VHRAG (callsign) |
| Subsequent Identities: | 2501 (Israeli Air Force) |
History:
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43
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Delivered to the United States Army Air Force as C-60A-5-LO serial 43-16451 |
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08NOV43
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Delivered ex Lockheed. (Source: 2) |
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08NOV43
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Arrived Long Beach. (Source: 2) |
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14NOV43
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Departed Long Beach. (Source: 2) |
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28NOV43
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Received 3AD, Amberley ex USA. (Source: 1) |
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29NOV43
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On receipt at 37SQN aircraft to be renumbered. (Source: 1) |
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02DEC43
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Received 37SQN ex 3AD. (Source: 1) |
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Allocated callsign VHRAG. (Source: 1) |
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23MAR45
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Allotted 1 Communication Unit ex 37SQN. To be fitted with 4 seats ex Hudson A16-114. (Source: 1) |
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04APR45
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Issued 1CU, Laverton ex 37SQN. (Source: 1) |
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06APR45
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Received 1CU ex 37SQN. (Source: 1) |
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11JUN45
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Grounded at 1CU. (Source: 1) |
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07JUL45
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Allotted 7AD, Tocumwal for inspection and possible repair (probably to fuel tanks). (Source: 1) |
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22JUL45
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Received 7AD ex 1CU. (Source: 1) |
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16JAN46
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Work to cease. Aircraft to be stored. (Source: 1) |
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08FEB46
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Received 7AD Storage ex 7AD. (Source: 1) |
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01OCT46
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To be stored Cat D. (Source: 1) |
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03FEB47
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Sold through Commonwealth Disposals Commission to Mr. H. Ellis of Sherman's Motors, Dubbo, NSW for £1,000. (Source: 1) |
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10SEP47
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Resold by CDC to Mr. S Godden, Potts Point, Sydney for £1,000. (Source: 1) |
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26SEP47
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Issued to purchaser ex 7AD Tocumwal. (Source: 5. Does not appear Source: 1) |
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OCT47
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Civil conversion underway at Intercontinental Air Maintenance, Bankstown. (Source: 5) |
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Doug Fawcett later claimed in his book that he overhauled the aircraft at Bankstown for his friend Stanley Godden and that Godden had paid cash for the overhaul. (Source: 4) |
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30DEC47
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CofA issued and aircraft registered VH-BFZ to Stanley V. Godden. (Source: 5) |
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31DEC47
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Departed Sydney at 1420 hours for Rome under the command of Capt. B. Starkey. (Source: 5) |
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21JAN48
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Arrived Sydney from Rome with Capt Bert Starkey, Co-pilot Hugh Hamilton, Radio Operator Geoff Taylor, Engineer Bill Brown and 14 catholic nuns as passengers. Operated by Intercontinental Air Tours as Godden Air Transport did not have a charter licence. (Source: 5) |
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20FEB48
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Departed Darwin for India and Europe operated by Godden Air Transport. (Source: 5) |
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MAR48
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Bankstown-Charleville-Cloncurry-Darwin. Crew: Warren Penny, S.V. Godden & P. Thurlow. (Source: 3) |
| This return flight to Darwin was to collect passengers from Hudson VH-ASV which suffered a partial undercarriage collapse arriving in Darwin from Europe on 04MAR48. (Source: 5) | |
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MAR48
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Darwin-Cloncurry-Charleville-Mascot. Crew: Warren Penny, J. Hurst & P. Thurlow. (Source: 3) |
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NOTE: These flights in March 1948 do not show specific dates although flight times are recorded for each sector. The lack of detail suggests that these flights might have been added retrospectively. The flights were soon after 04MAR48 when VH-ASV went u/s. |
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24JUN48
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Arrived Sydney from Darwin with Capt Horlock, 4 crew and nil passengers. Operated by New Holland Airways. (Source: 5) |
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14AUG48
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Arrived Sydney from Athens with Capt Horlock, 4 crew and 15 passengers. Operated by New Holland Airways. Agent shown as European Air Travel Headquarters. (Source: 5) |
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AUG48
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Chartered to Service Airways Inc, Rome (agents for the Israeli Government) for £8,000. (Source: 5) |
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05SEP48
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Passed through Bahrein operated by Godden Air Transport under the command of Capt Horlock with Stanley Godden as a passenger. (Source: 5) |
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The aeroplane was subsequently handed over to the Israeli Air Force who gave it the serial number 2501. |
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31OCT48
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Severely damaged in a crash landing at Herzliya. Apparently the aircraft was written off as the serial 2501 was subsequently reallocated briefly to Hudson ex VH-BIH which later became 2601. (This change possibly reflects a late realisation that the Lodestar and the Hudson are two different types). |
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11OCT49
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Struck off the Australian Register as "improper sale overseas". (Source: 5) |
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SEP50
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Struck off IAF charge and presented to the IDFAF Ground School. |
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SOURCES
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1
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RAAF Form E/E.88. |
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2
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MAC Air Case 200. NAA via Gordon Birkett |
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3
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Log Book of Warren Penny photographed by Greg Weir in 2021. |
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4
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Fawcett, Doug, Pilots & Propellers - a lifetime in aviation, Crawford House, 1998. |
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5
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Geoff Goodall, The Migrant Caper. |
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Several Australian Lodestars were used on migrant flights from Europe in the immediate post-war years. Several entrepreneurs began operating charter flights, mainly from Rome and Athens, in what became known amongst the main players as The Migrant Caper. These operations are covered in exquisite detail in Geoff Goodall's seminal work. The following link will take you to Geoff Goodall's Aviation History Site: |
| Issue | Date | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | 25DEC22 |
Added
information from Source: 5.
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| 7 | 29JUN22 |
Added
complete references from Source: 1.
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| 6 | 11APR21 |
Added
references from Source: 1.
|
| 5 | 03APR16 |
Refreshed
page layout with no change to data.
|
| 4 | 24JUN06 |
Added
delivery details thanks to Gordon Birkett.
|
| 3 | 16FEB00 | - |
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