From Biscuit Bomber to Burger Queen

McDonald’s advertising supervisor Mr John Blyth, a pilot and aviation enthusiast, is co-ordinating the restoration of the DC-3 in the finish and markings carried from 1945-55, when, as VH-AER it was operated by TAA in Australia and New Guinea.

The aircraft’s logbooks, now in Mr Blyth’s possession, give a fascinating glimpse into early post-war civil aviation in Australia.

No. 6007, built by Douglas at Long Beach, was delivered to the USAAF on October 31, 1941, as 41-18646. On January 12, 1943 it arrived in Australia as part of the Fifth Air Force’s transport component.

By July 1944, when purchased by the Commonwealth of Australia, it had flown a total of 1844 hours 35 minutes. On January 30, 1945 it emerged from the hangars at Essendon as a civilian DC-3, bearing the registration VH-AER.

If war is hell, for HER peacetime was to prove a great deal more hectic. By January 27, 1946, when temporarily grounded for C of A inspection, total time had trebled, to 5893 hours 6 minutes.

Operation by Guinea Airways had kept AER busy on a long series of lengthy (10-12 hours)slogs between Parafield and Darwin, interspersed with inter-city hops around South Australia.

October 1946 saw HER acquired by the Australian National Airlines Commission, operating as Trans-Australia Airlines . . . and now began some really hard work!

Logbook entries show regular stints of between 11 and 17 hours on such routes as Melbourne-Sydney-Brisbane-Rockhampton-Mackay-Townsville-Cairns. . . a long way in a DC-3!

By the end of the second year of civil employment, hours were up to 9593 hours 5 minutes. February 1947 saw AER delivered to Bankstown for C of A inspection, and when returned to TAA service in April it was in DC-3C configuration.

April 1948 saw the aircraft totally dismantled for a major overhaul at 12,586 hours 40 minutes. February 1949 records the march of progress with the first logbook entry in ballpoint {14, 707 hours).

ln June 1950 (unfortunately for the historian), the style of logbook entries changed. No more do the pages record in detail such horrendous chronicles of outback travel as the following:

April 15/16, 1950:Brtsbane-Charleville- Longreach-Cloncurry – Camooweal – Daly Waters – Katherine – Darwin – Katherine – Daly Waters-Camooweal-Cloncurry-Longreach-Charleville – Brisbane. . . 22 hours 35 minutes.

Instead: a much more laconic recording style notes merely:

Townsville-Melbourne. . . 22 hours 5 minutes. AER clocked up 20,000 hours somewhere between Melbourne and Adelaide on March 16, 1951, and the 25,000 mark came in January 1953. In May 1955, AER, still in TAA markings, entered service with East-West Airlines, under lease.

A month later, with the logbook showing 30,697 hours and 35 minutes, it was re-registered as VH-EWF. Twenty-nine months and some 3600 hours later, on November 4, 1957, ‘EWF crash-landed on the Lakes Golf Course in Sydney, following engine failure.

Repaired and back in service by March 13, it was purchased by East-West in August and re-registered yet again as ‘EWE.

‘EWE passed the 40,000 hours mark in December 1960 and continued in regular East-West service until December 1965, when the aircraft was lent to the Department of Lands (Survey) in NSW.

After seven years, a brief return to service with East-West was followed by delivery to Alice Springs for sale to Connair. It was with Connair, in December 1974, that ‘EWE became the first aircraft to fly out of Darwin after Cyclone Tracy, carrying evacuees to Alice Springs.

On subsequent evacuation flights, ‘EWE was to carry as many as 59 passengers!

On October 14, 1976, with a total time of 56,491 hours 52 minutes, and 66,254landings recorded, ‘EWE arrived at Essendon, following purchase by Fleetair Services Tasmania Pty Ltd.

Withdrawn from service in June 1978, it was put up for sale at $US57,000, and two months later purchased by Masling who, however, immediately resold it to IPEC.

But its time with IPEC was also short. Entering service on April 29, 1979, it was again put up for sale on October 9, 1979, with 57,363 hours logged.

In December it was purchased by Panair, and appeared for film purposes in the livery of ‘Banana Airlines’. Two months later ‘EWE was sold yet again, this time to Mr J. P. Racovolis. Painted in Setair colours, it was operated by Setair for Racovolis Providores, transporting fish. Setair leased the aeroplane in December 1980, but in February 1981 it was bought by General Cargo Australia Airlines. It was withdrawn from service in May 1982, and purchased by Setair in November. Finally, in March 1983, McDonald’s Family Restaurants became the latest, and ultimate, owner of C-47 c/n 6007, which by this time had amassed 57,583¾ hours’ flying, with 66,250 landings.

Restoration to the original TAA configurations as AER includes the re-equipping and refurbishing of the flight deck to contemporary TAA specifications. After restoration by North-West Airlines at Essendon, ‘AER is being transported to Adelaide by road, using three low-loaders. It is being furnished internally (apart from the flight deck) as a dining cum-meeting room, to cater for committee meetings, children’s parties and similar gatherings