Description:

A metal badge with safety clasp depicting VH-ABR Royal Mail Service.

VH-ABR. Douglas DC-3-232A. c/n 2029
Construction completed at Long Beach, California - September 1st 1938.
Built as a Douglas DC-3-232A with Wright Cyclone engines.
Purchased new by Australian National Airways for $A 64,800, then transported to Australia by
 ship - S.S. Clydebank arriving Port Melbourne October 17th 1938.

This was the third DC-3 to be imported into Australia. She was assembled at Essendon Airport and
 first flown (Capt P.T.L. Taylor) on October 29, 1938. Then entered onto the Australian Aircraft
Register as VH-ABR - October 31st 1938. Then registered to Australian National Airways Pty Ltd.

She was named 'Kanana' (quiet) and originally configured to seat 21 passengers (7 windows) then later
converted to 28 passengers (8 windows)She operated its first A.N.A. service - October 31, 1938 and
then was chartered by the Australian Commonwealth Government for use by the R.A.A.F. in September 10th 1939.

She was then canceled from the Australian Aircraft Register in September 11th 1939 and impressed
into service as A30-3 and issued to No 8 Squadron, Canberra on September 15th 1939 where she
operated in full camouflage markings, then returned to A.N.A. in May 1940. Was again entered
onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-ABR - May 17th 1940. Was damaged during forced landing
at Forrest, W.A. when both engines failed on take-off February 1st 1942.

Was then involved in a wheels-up landing at Mascot Airport, Sydney - September 30, 1943
Damaged on take-off from Mildura when engine failed & undercarriage collapsed - December 13th 1947,
 then she was extensively damaged in forced landing 6 km south of Browning following engine
 fire on October 4th 1948. Whilst operating a daily
Melbourne-Deniliquin-Griffith-Narrandera-Wagga Wagga-Sydney service.

The aircraft dismantled on site and trucked to Melbourne for rebuilding - pilot Capt A. Hubbard was sacked.
She was re-registered to Ansett-ANA June 10th 1961 and Repainted into Airlines of South Australia
 livery at Essendon Airport on October 14th1961.

She was then registered to Airlines of South Australia - December 14th 1961 and operated its final
 A.S.A. service - Adelaide-Kingscote-Adelaide - (Capt J. O’Hagan) - March 13th 1971, she had flown 67,224 hours to date.
She was ferried Adelaide-Melbourne for storage on March 15th 1971, and then returned to service following loss of
Friendship VH-FNE in hangar fire on April 1st 1971.

Operated its final A.S.A. service - charter flight - Adelaide-Bathurst-Griffith-Adelaide - October 3rd and 4th 1971,
then ferried to Melbourne for storage on October 5th 1971. She was returned to service
 with Ansett Airlines of Australia in December 1971 to October 13, 1975. She operated her last scheduled Ansett
 service on December 27th 1972 and was canceled from the Australian Aircraft Register on October 13th 1975
 and was placed in storage inside Hangar 151 at Melbourne's Essendon Airport and then Transported by road
 to Melbourne's Tullamarine Airport on August 30th 1981 and Placed on display outside maintenance
 facility in full Ansett 'delta' livery.

She then entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-ABR September 20th 1988 and registered
 to Ansett Transport Industries (Operations) Pty Ltd and utilised for one special flight only on
September 24th 1988, finally repainted in A.N.A. livery & later Ansett Airways livery and used for
occasional special ad-hoc charter flights and visits to air shows she has flown 67,950 hours as of August 3, 1996.

Production Notes: Produced by J & J Cash


Acquisition Date: 2006


Production Date: Nil


Height: 20 mm


Width: 51 mm