Sunday History Photo / Au

DC-3 C/n 9583 VH-MMA Landing at WW2 Coomalie Airstrip

Up close , and smell the fumes

The DC3 was the world’s most successful commercial aircraft with 10,928 examples being built. Australia's first DC-3 arrived in September 1937 for service with Australian National Airways, and was joined by a further 3 by the end of 1938.By December 1941 when the USA entered the war, 500 DC-3's had been built and a further 369 were on order.The C47 Military version had large cargo doors, strengthened metal floor and tie down points, Pratt and Whitney twin row 1830 engines, stronger landing gear and a glider towing cleat, and first flew in January 1942, with an eventual 9,500 being built. C47/Dakota's served in every allied air force, including the RAAF, which operated 124 lend-lease Dakota's (C47's) under its "A65-" number series and recently retired its last examples after 60 years of service.Many C47's were converted back to "DC-3" passenger airliners following world war two, with former USAAC and RAAF aircraft entering Australian domestic airline service with ANA and TAA, following re-fittment with seats and passenger doors.Over 200 different civil registrations were carried by DC-3 aircraft serving with more than 40 operators in Australia post war, with 41 being operated by Ansett-ANA, over 30 flying with TAA, and 5 serving with Qantas. In July 1946, one was purchased by Australian National Airways, registered as VH-ANH and given the name “Tullana", and as part of their C47 conversion program, was changed from right to left hand passenger door . When ANA was taken over by Ansett in 1957 the aircraft remained with the company, flying with Ansett subsidiary, Airlines of New South Wales. In 1970 the aircraft was retired, having flown a total of 45,030 hours. On the 27th of August 1972 VH-ANH made it’s last flight to Moorabbin Airport to join the Museum collection, initially being leased to the Museum for $1.00. The DC3 has since been donated to the Museum.

VH-ANH

Engines: (DC3) 2x 1100HP Wright GR-1820-85 Cyclones (C-47) 2x 1200HP Pratt & Whitney R1830-92 Twin Wasps as is the one at Coomalie Airstrip today. The DC-3 in my photo’s is owned by John Hardy Aviation in Darwin. If any members are in the region get yourselves to Coomalie today and check it out, I can remember many years ago we all seen these planes but only at a distance, At Coomalie Airstrip you watch it land and take-off right up close on the edge of the airstrip, feel the wind and smell the fumes.

Interior of VH-MMA toward the Cockpit

The Cockpit of VH-MMA

A Piper landing,

The photo of the Piper landing was a surprise for me when I got home and loaded the photo's to the PC , I didn't realise I had it right above the DC-3 , the photo is one of a series of constant photo's taken by my Nikon D-60.

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