Last updated 12 March 2021

 AVIATION TRADERS ATL-98 CARVAIRS IN AUSTRALIA

Compiled by Geoff Goodall

Ansett-ANA sent three of their Douglas DC-4s to England to be rebuilt by Aviation Traders Ltd as ATL-98 Carvairs.

This summary details their airline lives in Australia and, after their disposal, their subsequent adventures overseas.


Ansett-ANA's  first Carvair was VH-INJ, seen here at Cairns, Queensland in August 1966.
Photo by Max Harrison via Maurice Austin collection


    The 1960s saw significant growth in air freight in Australia, causing the two mainline domestic airlines Ansett-ANA and Trans Australia Airlines to placing additional aircraft on pure cargo services.  Both airlines had used Douglas DC-3s and DC-4s modified as dedicated freighters, and Bristol Freighters mostly in Papua New Guinea.  But Ansett-ANA was keen to take the initiative with specialised freight aircraft and were interested in the ATL-98 Carvair modification of the DC-4 manufactured in England by Sir Freddie Laker's company Aviation Traders Engineering Ltd (ATEL). Marketing was carried out by the parent Aviation Traders Ltd (ATL), both companies having been founded by Laker in 1947 to deal in war disposals aircraft. The first Carvair conversion had been test flown in June 1961 and by the time of the Australian order, 18 had been delivered to airlines or were under conversion. The conversion line was established at ATEL's Stansted works, although the new nose sections were manufactured at the company's Southend works and moved by road to Stansted.   

   
After initially considering in-house rebuilds of two of their DC-4s in Australia using ATEL kits, Ansett-ANA decided to have two DC-4s converted by ATEL.  Australian agents for Aviation Traders Ltd were Forrester Stephen Aviation Pty Ltd, Melbourne, who were also agents for Piaggio P166 sales to Ansett-ANA.  In early 1965 they negotiated a deal with Ansett-ANA to have two of their Douglas DC-4s rebuilt as ATL-98 Carvairs.  In February the Department of Civil Aviation cautioned that the Carvair conversion would require new type airworthiness re-certification, and there was a delay until the matter was resolved by DCA acceptance of the British certification. In addition, DCA specified that only DC-4-1009 models from the postwar Douglas production could be used, not the large numbers of military disposals C-54s upgraded as civil DC-4s. DCA must have considerered the civil models were more structurally sound than the C-54s, which, although only a year or less older, could have suffered heavy use in military service.  The irony was that Ansett-ANA and TAA still had C-54s in daily service. ATEL protested that the entire ATL-98 engineering program had been based on the C-54 airframe and that the 18 Carvair conversions completed so far were all C-54 airframes. Among the complications were additional cost due to DC-4 fuselage stringers not lining up with C-54 and the higher empty weight of the DC-4 would rob Ansett-ANA of 2,600 pounds payload. To top things off, DCA stipulated the Maximum All up Weight of Australian Carvairs must be an additional 1,000 pounds below the standard MAUW.


Ansett-ANA DC-4 Cargomaster VH-ANF at Adelaide June 1962 on a freighter service.         Photo by Geoff Goodall

  
On March 29 1965, TAA announced that it would not order Carvairs but instead would convert its DC-4 freighters to a roller-pallet system with an enlarged rear cabin door designed by ATEL. Special ground handling equipment would reduce turn-around time from 120 minutes to 45 minutes.

    The Ansett-ANA contract with ATEL was signed on 26 April 1965 for two aircraft plus an option on a third. The Carvair offered various seating configurations up to 25 passenger seats, however Ansett-ANA elected for just 4 seats in a forward compartment, for animal handlers and crew rest.  The optional windows behind the fuselage cargo doors was declined. Their specification was for mechanised Rolamat system to handle seven international 88 x 108 inch International standard cargo pallets, which required the front door entry being widened.
  Both Ansett-ANA DC-4s were flown from Australia to the ATEL works at Stansted in May & June 1965, where their forward fuselages were literally cut through with a large circular saw and the bulbous Carvair nose with elevated cockpit and hydraulically operated sideways-opening nose door was installed.  The wings and powerplants were retained but an enlarged vertical tailplane almost identical to the DC-7C was fitted to compensate for the extra keel surface forward.

   The Carvairs were an immediate success in ANsett-Ana service, flying cargo schedules between Australian capital cities, mostly at night alongside the DC-4 freighters. In this pure freight configuration the Australian Carvairs offered a 30% increase in hold volume over the DC-4 for the same operating costs.
Three years later, Ansett-ANA exercised its option for a third Carvair. For reasons unknown, DCA dropped its requirement for a DC-4 rather than a C-54, so the airline chose VH-INM, built as a C-54, to be ferried to ATEL for conversion to Carvair. By this time the Stansted conversion line had been closed, so this conversion was carried out at the ATEL maintenance hangars at Southend Airport.  The three Ansett-ANA aircraft were the final three of the Carvair conversions, being Nos. 19, 20 & 21 respectively.

  On 1 November 1968 Ansett-ANA was renamed Ansett Airlines of Australia, and a striking new red, white and black colour scheme was introduced

Air Express Ltd, Melbourne       
       Four years later in 1978 an attempt was made to import three British Carvairs to Australia. Air Express Ltd was operating two DC-4s, a DC-3 and Bristol Freighter on cargo services from Melbourne and was anxious to improve its fleet at modest expenditure. Managing Director Bill Astling set his sights on three Carvairs then being offered for sale in England by British Air Ferries Ltd at Southend.
        Air Express company correspondence shows that the British maintenance records were evaluated and projected costings to get them delivered to Melbourne and into Australian service. Contractors quotes were sought for variosu modifications that would be required, such as new radio and navaid suites. The aircraft, with total airframe time as at February 1978, were:
G-ASDC  Carvair No.7    Airframe time 69,778 hrs,
G-ASHZ  Carvair No.9    Airframe time 58,133 hrs
G-AOFW Carvair No.12  Airframe time 54,963 hrs
        Air Express anticipated Australian Government political resistance to the import and initially intended to make a purchase offer on the
first two only. But In an April 1978 memo, the company Maintenance Manager wrote "If the third Carvair (FW) is purchased, and it is important that it is, we will have continuity of service. If only two aircraft are allowed into Australia, then because of the Calendar Maintenance Check times and our time lapse in putting the aircraft into service, it is essential we be allowed to operate three Carvairs. If this is not permitted by the Government then we should not purchase any of the Britsh Air Ferries aircraft."
       The estimated cost to purchase the three aircraft and deliver to Australia was A$2,103,000.
       In the event, the predicted blocking of the Carvair import came in the form of Ansett Airlines of Australia lobbying the Government that the Carvairs would seriously affect its air freight business. Import approval was delayed and in August 1979 Air Express ceased operations.

Australian Carvair histories:  
The three Ansett-ANA DC-4s sent to England to be rebuilt as Carvairs had been purchased from Japan Airlines a year or so earlier.  I have chosen to commence from the time each joined Ansett-ANA.


VH-INJ  Douglas DC-4-1009 c/n 42927, ex JA6008, SE-BBD Converted to ATL-98 VH-INJ c/n 42927/19

22.7.63    Australian Registration application to DCA(ex JA6008): Airlines of NSW, Sydney NSW
                (Ansett-ANA associate airline flying NSW regional services from Sydney)

6.8.63      Official purchase date by Ansett-ANA from Japan Airlines, who had it configured for 98 passengers.

7.8.63      Registered VH-INJ Ansett-ANA, Melbourne-Essendon Victoria

9.8.63      Departed Tokyo on delivery to Melbourne, flown by Ansett-ANA crew Captains John Adams, D. Baker and Ian Stother and
                Navigator W.C. (Bill) Kennedy. Refuelling stops were at Manila and Darwin. 

12.8.63    Arrived Essendon on delivery to Ansett-ANA from Japan, in JAL scheme but painted as VH-INJ. Fitted for 60 passengers by
                Ansett-ANA maintenance at Essendon, repainted in Airlines of NSW scheme

12.12.63   Delivered Essendon-Sydney for Ansett subsidiary Airlines of NSW, Sydney

13.12.64   Entered service:  Airlines of NSW passenger service Sydney-Coffs Harbour NSW (Captain Ian Stother, F/O L. Davis)

24.2.64     Delivered to Adelaide on wet-lease to Ansett subsidiary Airlines of South Australia, Adelaide.  It arrived at 6.30am local time
                 and flew its first ASA service later that morning.  Operasted ASA passenger services from Adelaide for a month while ASA
                 Convair 440s VH-BZF & -BZN were on overhaul at Essendon. The DC-4 retained Airlines of NSW paint scheme.

23.3.64     Lease to ASA completed, departed Adelaide to Sydney on return to Airlines of NSW   

10.1.65     Trans ferred to Ansett-ANA, Essendon

1.65          Repainted in Ansett-ANA markings, retained passenger cabin

18.3.65     Delivered to Adelaide on another wet-lease to Ansett subsidiary Airlines of South Australia, Adelaide. 

14.4.65     Lease to ASA completed, returned to Ansett-ANA, Essendon

11.5.65     Departed Essendon on ferry to England for conversion to Carvair by Aviation Traders (Engineering) Ltd at Stansted.
                 Ansett crew were Captains Rod Lapthorne, Kevin Hants, John Coakley, Flight Engineer N. Johnstone, Navigator Pat Adams.
                 Refuelling stops were Perth, Cocos Islands, Colombo, Karachi, Cairo, Athens and Marseilles.

16.5.65     VH-INJ arrived Southend to clear Customs. Ferried next day to Stansted.

22.6.65     struck-off Australian Register as withdrawn from service

14.9.65     First flight at Stansted as Carvair No.19

17.9.65     VH-INJ restored to Australian Register as ATL-98 with c/n 42927-ATL98/19: Australian National Airways Pty Ltd, Melbourne
                 (an Ansett-ANA holding company)

17.9.65     Australian CofA issued as an ATL-98

24.9.65     Accepted by Ansett-ANA after test flying and endorsements by British United Airways check crews at Stansted & Southend

24.9.65     Departed Stansted on delivery flight to Australia. Carried as cargo a replica Santos-Dumont Demoiselle aircraft from the movie
                 Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines, to be used to promote the movie in Australia. Ansett crew for the Carvair's
                 delivery flight was Captains John Adams, John Withecombe, John Coakley, navigator Bill Kennedy, engineer R. Johnstone
                 and radio officer Rob Gale.

30.9.65     Arrived at Essendon. Pre-service inspection in Ansett-ANA maintenance hangars

25.10.65    VH-INJ commenced freight service with Ansett-ANA on scheduled Sydney-Melbourne-Adelaide route.

28.1.66      Arrived Alice Springs NT from Adelaide carrying 8 tons of food and supplies when Alice Springs was cut off from road and
                  rail transport due inland floods

1.12.68      Ansett-ANA was reorganised as Ansett Airlines of Australia

1.7.69        Departed Essendon on ferry to Hong Kong for major overhaul and resealing of wing fuel tanks by Hong Kong Aircraft
                  Engineering Co (HAECO), which was licenced by ATEL to carry out Carvair heavy maintenance.
                  Ansett-ANA crew consisted of Captains Neville Currey and V. Leinstead, F/O Robinson, navigator Bill Kennedy and
                  engineer P. Kettner.  The only two refuelling stops were Darwin and Jesselton (Kota Kinabalu).         

25.11.69    Ownership change to Ansett Transport Industries (Operations) Pty Ltd, Melbourne

2.10.70      Minor damage when struck by lightning in flight near Adelaide SA

15.10.70    Port aileron found to be damaged on landing at Melbourne Airport, probably by lightning

4.71           Repainted in the new Ansett Airlines of Australia scheme with “AIR CARGO” titles

1.6.71       Minor damage in lightning strike near Devonport, Tasmania

9.6.72       Last service with Ansett, retired at Melbourne

3.73          All three retired Ansett Carvairs were parked on taxiway at Melbourne-Tullamarine Airport

22.6.73     Ansett titles painted over at Tullamarine, then flown extensively on pilot training

23.6.73     Change of ownership: Australian Aircraft Sales Pty Ltd, Sydney

25.6.73     Change of ownership: Jack M. Garfinkle, Tarzana, California & Singapore also DC-4 VH-INL
                 (Garfinkle was an American citizen who operated propeller transports on contract during the SE Asian war period in association
                 with South East Asia Air Transport, Singapore-Seletar and Air Cambodge, Camodia.)

3.7.73       Struck-off Australian Civil Register. Total airframe time 51,159 hours.

4.7.73       FAA registered VH-INJ as N33AC (and DC-4 VH-INL as N32AC): Jack M. Garfinkle, Tarzana, California

5.7.73       N33AC carried out circuit training at Mangalore, Victoria

6.7.73       Export stopped by Australian Customs

7.7.73       Scheduled departure from Tullamarine on delivery flight to Singapore with DC-4 VH-INL/N32AC was delayed due to
                 Australian Customs, which required an assurance that both aircraft would not be used in war activity in Cambodia. Both had 
                 been sub-leased by South East Asia Air Transport to Air Cambodge

2.8.73       Carvair N33AC & DC-4 N32AC departed Tullamarine for Alice Springs and Darwin on delivery. N33AC was flown by
                 Captain John Presgrave, formerly with Ansett but now senior pilot for Australian Aircraft Sales

2.8.73       Leased to South East Asia Air Transport, Singapore-Seletar Airport
                 (SEAAT was co-owned by Garfinkle and fellow Americans Robert Ferguson and Cecil Wroten, to provide DC-3s, DC-4s,
                 Convair 340/440s with air crew to Air Cambodge and other Cambodian operators)

7.8.73       Sub-leased to Air Cambodge, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, named Barb.  Flown by SEAAT contract pilots.
              
8.73          Rolamat roller flooring removed by SINGAS (Singapore General Aviation Services) at Singapore-Seletar.  Replaced by standard
                 freight floor with tie down points. The Carvair was repainted with white roof and tail, red cheat line, "AIR CAMBODGE" on
                 left side and Camodian characters on right side.

74             The name Barb was painted under the cockpit.

75             N33AC struck by ground fire on several occasions. By April Pontechong Airport at Phnom Penh was under daily rocket attack.

c10.4.75   Emergency landing at Phnom Penh-Pontechong on two engines, inbound from a supply run to Kampong Saom. The crew had
                 taken off from Kampong Saom on three engines, and lost another enroute.

13.4.75     Abandoned at Pochetong Airport, Phnom Penh, Cambodia when the airfield was overrun by Khmer Rouge forces.
                 Almost certainly badly damaged by rockets or hand grenades thrown on the ground.  Another report says the u/s Carvair was
                 moved to a military ramp as a decoy target for mortar

28.4.80     Jack M. Garfinkle letter to FAA requesting the following aircraft be deregistered. He stated all were abandoned at Phnom Penh:
                 Carvair N33AC, DC-4 N32AC, DC-3s N82AC & N83AC, Convair 440 N102KA & N103KA.              
               
13.3.81     N33AC cancelled from USCR

82             Carvair derelict hulk seen on dump at Pontechong Airport. Reportedly later moved into bush near the airport where locals were
                 living in the airframe.
       
                A pilot employed by Bob Ferguson of SE Asia Air Transport has recalled his experiences while flying this Carvair for Air Cambodge,
                carrying supplies into Phnom Penh during the humanitarian airlift of 1974-75. Khmer Rouge forces had closed in on the city, blocking road
                access and shelling the airport.
                He regularly brought in loads of live pigs from Vientane, Laos, keeping the mid-cabin emergency exit hatch open to reduce the
                stench. After he became airborne in the Carvair at Vientiane on one occasion, the aircraft was fired on from the ground and
                No.3 engine lost power. He immediately returned to land at Vietiane, where inspection found No.3 had been hit by a number of rounds.
                Spare parts were ordered but after three days grounded and trying to keep the pigs alive, he learnt that Ferguson was not going to send parts
                and he was expected to solve the problem himself. Leaving the pigs behind, he made a three-engine ferry to Phnom Penh where the various
                airlift operators had built up stocks of engines and spares. He also carried vehicles out of the provincial capital Battambang, using an
                improvised loading method of driving the cars up planks leaning on top of a small truck and then more planks up to the Carvair's open nose.

                He recalled an unsuccessful attempt to load a luxury Lincoln automobile on to the Carvair at Battambang. The car was owned by
                one of the best known (and least admired) transport operators on the airlift, American Stanley Booker, formerly Stan's Airplane
                Sales at Fresno, California. He had been involved in ventures in Indonesia and Indo China since purchasing RAAF Dakotas in
                Adelaide in 1967, when he also purchased the Emu atomic test RAAF Mustangs from the South Australian desert. By 1973 Stan
                operated a diverse collection of DC-3s and Convairs in Laos and Cambodia.
                A forklift was unable to lift Stan's car, so a more powerful 8,000 lb forklift was brought in, but both working together were unable
                to lift it!  It was left behind, for Stan to arrange to have it driven out of the country. Later the reason for its weight was explained:
                Stan had filled gaps behind most panels with gold bars, to export the profits from the nefarious cargoes he carried.


DC-4 VH-INJ with Ansett-ANA at Essendon in August 1963 after delivery from Japan Airlines. Photo by Dick Hourigan


VH-INJ in Airlines of NSW scheme, at Adelaide in March 1964. Photo by Geoff Goodall


Now in Ansett-ANA Skymaster scheme, passenger cabin with curtains in the windows, Essendon February 1965.
Photo by Geoff Goodall



This remarkable picture shows the newly constructed nose section being joined to VH-INJ's fuselage at Stansted.
Photo by the late Lindsay Wise, a DCA aircraft surveyor assigned to the Carvairs

                               
Discarded noses of DC-4s VH-INJ and VH-INK on the Aviation Traders rubbish tip at Southend 1965.
Photo by Ian Callier


Carvair VH-INJ departs Ansett-ANA's freight ramp at Adelaide in July 1966. Photo by Geoff Goodall


A nice colour view at Cairns, Far North Queensland in August 1966.
Photo by Max Harrison via the Maurice Austin collection


VH-INJ repainted in the new Ansett Airlines of Australia scheme. Photo by Mike Madden


Melbourne Airport July 1973, Ansett markings removed, painted as N33AC, with "AAS" logo behind cockpit.
Photo by Robert Zweck


Carvair N33AC and DC-4 N32AC overnight at Darwin on 2 August 1973 on delivery to Singapore.
Photo via Robert Zweck


N33AC in Air Cambodge markings, taxying with over-wing emergency exits open to aid ventilation for the
usual
cargo of live pigs, fuel and rice.                    Photo by pilot Bill Ernst, via Paul Howard


Loading a car on board N33AC at Battembang, Cambodia.                               Photo by Captain Paul Rakisits


VH-INK  Douglas DC-4-1009 c/n 42994, ex JA6012, LN-IAE.    Converted to ATL-98 VH-INK c/n 42994/20

2.64          Purchased by Ansett-ANA from Japan Airlines, Tokyo

21.2.64     Registered VH-INK: Ansett-ANA, Melbourne-Essendon. Victoria

2.64          Ferried from Tokyo to Hong Kong for overhaul for Ansett-ANA by HAECO and conversion to all-freight configuration

21.4.64     Accepted at Hong Kong by Ansett-ANA crew. Departed on delivery to Melbourne with an Ansett-ANA crew comprising
                 Captains John Adams and S. Telford, First Officers Johnston and C. Musche, navigator Bill Kennedy and engineer R. Searle.
                 Refuelled at Manila, Jesselton (Kota Kinabalu) and Darwin.

22.4.64     Arrived Essendon delivery ex Hong Kong, already painted in Ansett-ANA Cargomaster colour scheme.

27.4.64     Australian CofA issued at Essendon

4.64          Entered Ansett-ANA service as a dedicated freighter

20.6.65     Departed Essendon on ferry to England for conversion to Carvair.  Ansett-ANA Captains Syd Hayward, Bob Brett and Jack
                 Blair, navigator E.W. (Pat) Adams , engineer B. Butterfield. Routed via Perth, Cocos Island, Colombo, Karachi, Cairo, Rome.

25.6.65     Arrived Stansted ex Rome on delivery from Melbourne. Six weeks after the first DC-4 VH-INJ sent for Carvair conversion.

19.7.65     struck-off Australian Register as withdrawn from service

27.10.65   first flight Stansted as Carvair No.20

28.10.65   Australian CofA issued as an ATL-98

28.10.65   Restored to Register: VH-INK: Australian National Airways Pty Ltd, Melbourne
                 (holding company for Ansett-ANA)

4.11.65     Departed Southend on delivery to Australia. Routed Athens, Damascus, Bahrein, Karachi, Colombo, Cocos Islands, Perth.
                 Ansett-ANA crew under the command of Captain Syd Hayward

10.11.65   Arrived Essendon. manufacturers plate inspected: “42994/20”.

1.12.68     Ansett-ANA was reorganised as Ansett Airlines of Australia

12.9.69     Rolled out at Essendon after repaint in new Ansett Airlines of Australia "delta" paint scheme

25.11.69   Change of ownership: Ansett Transport Industries (Operations) Pty Ltd

10.4.70     Minor damage when struck a bird landing Sydney

9.3.73       withdrawn from service by Ansett, parked at Melbourne-Tullamarine

3.73          all three Ansett Carvairs retired, all parked on taxiway, Melbourne-Tullamarine

7.73          VH-INK was unmoved, some parts removed, still full Ansett Airlines of Australia scheme

1.1.74       Change of ownership: Australian Aircraft Sales Pty Ltd, Sydney trading as Air Australia (Singapore) Pte Ltd

2.74          Ansett titles painted over at Tullamarine, “AAS” painted behind cockpit, named Kasby I

2.74          Sold by AAS to Seulawah-Mandala Air Services, Jakarta, Indonesia.  Sale collapsed when financing failed to materialise.

74             Remained idle at Tullamarine

1.1.75       Lease-purchase agreement with Seulawah-Mandala Air Services, Jakarta. Once again financing delayed its delivery.

22.3.75     VH-INK noted at Sydney Airport

4.75          “Seulawah Air” titles added at Tullamarine, “AAS” remained behind the cockpit

3.7.75       VH-INK made test flight Melbourne to Broken Hill NSW

16.7.75     New lease agreement with PT Seulawah Air Services, Jakarta

17.7.75     Departed Tullamarine on ferry to Singapore, under command of AAS Captain John Presgrave

7.75          Reportedly never entered service with Seulawah. Parked at Jakarta, still painted as VH-INK.

25.8.75     VH-INK cancelled from Australian Register as exported

12.75        Seulawah lease collapsed. Ownership reverted to Australian Aircraft Sales Pty Ltd, Sydney.
                 (Bayu Air withdrew its financial backing because it was unable to gain route authorities outside Indonesia and Singapore. A
                 condition of Bayu Air's financing for Seulawah was that Bayu could operate freight services throughout SE Asia. 
                 Bayu later gained those expanded route rights and purchased DC-6s, then CL-44s)

1.76          VH-INK & VH-INM were clandestinely ferried from Jakarta to Singapore by AAS crews.
                 Both flights were unauthorised because the aircraft were unregistered and there was little chance of renewing the Australian
                 certification while they were located outside Australia. AAS took this action because they were worried that Indonesian
                 authorities would confiscate both Carvairs at Jakarta.

16.1.76     VH-INK & INM were parked at Singapore-Seletar.

10.76        Dwen Airmotive, an aircraft broker at Auckland NZ advertised VH-INK & INM plus large spare parts holding for sale

12.76        Both ex-Ansett Carvairs noted parked at Seletar, stored. AAS had contracted Singapore General Aviation Services Pte Ltd
                 (SINGAS) to provide custody and maintenance.

77             AAS discussed their sale to Air Express, Brisbane, Queensland, which operated Bristol Freighters. No firm negotiations.
                 (Air Express purchased the last two Qantas DC-4s VH-EDA & VH-EDB in August 1977)

8.77          Australian Aircraft Sales widely advertised the former VH-INK & VH-INM for sale, with six QEC engines and many spares.

1.78          NZ company Car Haulaways Ltd made enquiries to purchase the two Carvairs through NZ broker Dennis Thompson Ltd.
                 A direct sale by AAS could not be effected because neither aircraft was registered with any country, and the ATL-98 would be
                 first-of-type on the NZ Civil Aircraft Register, thus require new Type Certification.
                
                 AAS instructed SINGAS to overhaul and register both Carvairs at Seletar. SINGAS employed experienced Thai mechanics
                 trained by Air America earlier that decade.  It was determined that the only way to get the Carvairs registered in NZ was to first
                 register them on US Civil Aircraft Register and use the FAA ATL-98 type approval. SINGAS dealt with the FAA office at  
                 Honolulu, and British Air Ferries' owner Mike Keegan supplied some of the required technical certification data.
                 The Ansett Carvairs differences to the early model data held on file by FAA delayed the process.              

17.3.78     Bill of sale from Air Australia (Singapore) Pte Ltd (per John P. Conley) to James A. Cunningham c/- American Aircraft Sales,
                 Bethesda, Maryland.       
                 (Air Australia (Singapore) Pte Ltd letterhead states Sydney Office c/o Australian Aircraft Sales (NSW) Pty Ltd, Hangar 2,
                 Sydney Airport)   

30.3.78      Registered N54598: James A. Cunningham, Bethesda, Maryland
                  (Cunningham was AAS Vice President, in charge of the AAS office in Washington DC. This ownership change was made
                  to facilitate it being added to the US Civil Aircraft Register, which required ownership by US nationals or companies)

25.5.78      James Cunningham filed with FAA an Application for Export CofA for N54598.  FAA issued an Export CofA and ferry
                  permit from Singapore to New Zealand.    

8.78           Leased to Nationwide Air, NZ. A crew commanded by Nationwide Air chief pilot Bob Gilbert was sent to Singapore to carry
                  out test flights and then ferry the aircraft to NZ.
                  (Nationwide Air formed that year from a merger of third-level operators Akarana Air and Air North, which were both
                  subsidiaries of Car Haulaways. Nationwide would operate a car ferry across Cook Strait from Wellington to Christchurch and
                  Nelson)

13.9.78      Change of ownership application by L. Leonard Lundy, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Registered to him 29.9.78.
                  (The transfer to Lundy, an attorney, was made to placate FAA concerns that the US owner was a dealer)               

17.9.78      N54598 refuelled at Brisbane, en route from Singapore to Auckland on delivery.

9.78           ZK-EKY allocated but Nationwide Air requested ZK-NW series registration instead

9.78           ZK-NWA registered: Nationwide Air, Wellington NZ

6.11.78      ZK-NWA noted Wellington NZ in service, Nationwide Air colour scheme. Both Carvairs operated freight services.

16.7.79      Nationwide Air ceased operations and went into receivership

9.79           Both Carvairs were parked at Nelson NZ for the next three years

10.79         ZK-NWA & -NWB purchased from the receiver by James Air Ltd, Hamilton NZ
                  (associate company of James Aviation operated by Ozzie James, an NZ aerial agricultural pioneer. James Aviation was a major
                  shareholder in Pacific Aerospace which manufactured the range of Fletcher Fu24 and AESL Airtrainer models)
                  Ozzie James acquired the two Carvairs at a low price as a speculative transaction, for resale only.

21.12.82    Change of ownership: Turner Aviation Ltd, Honolulu HI
                  (James W. Turner was president of Love's Bakery at Honolulu which for years had chartered freigher aircraft to deliver freshly
                  baked bread at dawn each morning to towns on most Hawaiian islands. Turner purchased the two former Ansett Carvairs in
                  NZ and became involved in the founding of Pacific Aerolift Cargo.  The principals of Pacific Aerolift Cargo were also involved
                  with another newly started Honolulu DC-4 operator Pacific Air Express, which was also looking for additional Carvairs)

12.82         US Registration reserved N406JT: Turner Aviation Ltd

.83             Pacific Aerospace at Hamilton NZ was contracted to overhaul both Carvairs and repaint them in Pacific Aerolift colours.
                  They were ferried with undercarriage extended from Nelson to Hamilton. Inspection found severe corrosion in the airframes
                  and the engines, outer wings and tail were removed to allow extensive corrosion repair. ZK-NWA has total airframe time of
                  53,613 hrs.          

.83             Change of ownership: Pacific Aerolift Cargo, Honolulu

8.83           ZK-NWA testflown at Hamilton, repainted “Pacific Aerolift Cargo” titles, name Ruth 1. Due to be delivered to Honolulu 10.83.

11.83         Pacific Aerolift Cargo in serious financial arrears on Carvair maintenance. The company in Honolulu collapsed without having
                  commenced operation

83-89         Both Carvairs parked in weather at Hamilton, ZK-NWA complete in “Pacific Aerolift Cargo” scheme, the other had not
                  completed overhaul.  In 1984 ZK-NWA was repainted with no titles and a two-tone orange fuselage stripe. Over time it
                  accumulated a heavy layer of dirt and mould on the paintwork, giving it a very abandoned look.

86               Proposal for both NZ Carvairs to be operated by an Australian company Gold Crown Aviation, established by Captain
                   Jack Ellis, to be based Geelong, Victoria for freight services to Tasmania. Civil Aviation Authority required more information
                   before it would consider approving the operation. Plan lapsed.

8.2.90         Change of ownership to Hawaii Pacific Air Inc, Honolulu
                   (HPA was registered as a new company in July 1989, listing George Crabbe as president, with some other principals previously
                   connected with Pacific Aerolift Cargo and Pacific Air Express. Director of Operations of all three companies was Captain
                   A. P. Fairchild, who had flown Carvairs from as early as 1961, with Interocean on United Nations contracts in the Congo)

25.6.90       Registered N5459X Air Cargo Hawaii Ltd, trading as Hawaii Pacific Air Inc, Honolulu

5.90            N5459X departed NZ on ferry flight to Honolulu in Hawaii Pacific Air titles.

19.5.90       No.3 engine failed on climb out of Pago Pago, American Samoa bound for Christmas Island. Returned to Pago Pago.
                   Bill Howell who crewed both Carvairs to Hawaii writes:  "A replacement powerplant was rapidly dispatched from NZ via a   
                   World Airways B747F which was routing via Sydney, Australia. Qantas staff decided that it was incorrectly loaded with the
                   engine mounted in the horizontal attitude, and removed it to be remounted in a vertical attitude.  By that time the World
                   B747F had
departed, and now because of the engine being positioned vertically it was too high to fit into normal belly freight
                   holds.
  As a result it was over a month later before we finally reached Honolulu. 
                   In Pago Pago whilst replacing the blown #3 engine using a fork lift and some tie-down strops to lift the replacement
                   powerplant, a USAF super-secret C-135 arrived commanded by an Afro-American Major. They were on a high tech
                   NASA upper atmosphere experiment for US Defence purposes.  His aircraft was guarded by an armed guard, but he expressed
                   much curiosity about our machine and asked for a look inside.  It took us, the ferry crew of 4, three days from the arrival of the
                   replacement motor to install it, test fly the result, and then depart for Christmas island and Honolulu.
                   By contrast NWB’s delivery only took a total of 4 days including a day sightseeing around Christmas Island.


11.90          N5459X & ZK-NWB parked together at Honolulu, not yet in service, Hawaii Pacific Air titles.

9.91            N5459X & ZK-NWB parked together at Honolulu, not yet in service, Hawaii Pacific Air titles.

12.91          N5459X had been repainted as ZK-NWA and Hawaii Pacific Air titles painted over, parked with ZK-NWB.

23.1.92       Change of ownership: Air Cargo Hawaii, Honolulu

1.93            Hawaii Pacific Air Inc ceased operations, both Carvairs retired at Honolulu.
                   (Both aircraft had changed ownership several tirmes between associate companies.  Inter-island cargo business had declined
                   since the introduction by competitors of Boeing 727 and 737 pure-cargo services.)

93-96          N5459X & N5459M were parked on a remote Lagoon Drive parking ramp at Honolulu Airport.

13.9.93       Change of ownership: Roberts Hawaii Inc, Honolulu
                   (Owned by Hawaiian tourist operator Robert Iwamoto, who was a financial partner in Air Cargo Hawaii. It was an umbrella
                   company for numerous subsidiary associated companies, and ownership of the retired Carvairs was transferred between these
                   company names. Not listed here)

6.95            noted parked Honolulu, retired

29.7.96       Change of ownership: Airline Marketing Consultants Inc, Miami FL
                   (Purchased on behalf of Joseph Mallel and Andre Pierre Vigano, trading as Aircraft Traders Belgium. Planned to be used for
                   relief supply contracts in Democratic Republic of Congo, formerly Zaire)

c8.96          A lease-purchase agreement negotiated for N5459X with Avia Air Charter, Johannesburg, South Africa
                  
8.96            Both Carvairs at Honolulu being worked on by team of mechanics from South Africa and Mahalo Airways (a Roberts Hawaii
                   company).
 
11.96          N5459X departed Honolulu on ferry flight to Africa, after several failed attempts. The delivery of both aircraft was contracted
                   to Bruce and Bob McSwiggan whose company Custom Air Service operated Carvairs at Griffin, Georgia. The flight engineer
                   for the ferry had installed two 150 gallon fuel tanks in the freight cabin.  Landed at Griffin, Georgia to join N5459M which had
                   already been ferried from Honolulu.

11.96          N5459X continued the ferry, flown by Bob and Bruce McSwiggan.  An engine failure after takeoff from Melbourne, Florida
                   bound for Puerto Rico, forced a diversion to land at Lakeland Florida. A spare engine was being carried but was not installed
                   pending instuctions from Avia Air Charter.

11.96          The lease-purchase with Avia Air Charter in Johannesburg was renegotiated to exchange N5459M instead of the grounded
                   N5459X. The McSwiggans ferried it from Griffin to Lakeland where the load of spares and ferry equipment were transferred
                   from the grounded Carvair.  N5459M departed Lakeland for Africa, and N5459X was left at Lakeland with u/s engine.

4.97            Change of ownership: HawkAir Aviation Services Ltd, Terrace British Columbia, Canada
                   (Paul Hawkins and partners formed the company in 1993 operating Bristol Freighters mainly on mining support work. In 1997
                   the company urgently needed more freighter aircraft to service a contract to operate 12 round-trips daily between Bronson Creek
                   mine in Canada and Wrangell, Alaska.  Carrying fuel and supplies inbound to the mine and uplifting bags of gold ore)
                   N5459X was purchased by Hawkair from the Belgian aircraft broker Joseph Mallel)

5.97            N5459X was ferried Lakeland, Florida to Griffin, Georgia for maintenance for Canadian certification. Paul Hawkins mortgaged
                   his house to pay for the work. A team from HawkAir worked 16 hours a day for 6 weeks at Griffin, while veteran propliner
                   pilot Frank Moss was brought in to train and endorse HawkAir's pilots using Custom Air's Carvairs.
                   Work carried out under close surveillance of FAA and Transport Canada inspectors, because of a fatal Carvair takeoff crash at
                   this same airfield the previous month by Falcon Airways' N83FA.
              
5.97            Registered C-GAAH Hawkair Aviation Services Ltd, Terrace BC
                
25.5.97       Aircraft signed off by FAA inspector at Griffin and Captain Frank Moss and HawkAir's Chief Pilot Dave Menzies made a high
                   speed run along the runway. Test flown several days later.

2.6.97         C-GAAH ferried from Griffin, Georgia to Vancouver BC in 15 hours flight time. After training at nearby Abbotsford BC
                   where Frank Moss completed Dave Menzies' check-out, the aircraft was delivered to Terrace BC.

5.6.97         Canadian CofA issued. The aircraft commenced the Bronson Creek Mine shuttle service.

30.6.97       Nose gear collapsed on landing at Wrangell, Alaska after flight from Bronson Creek BC. No.2 prop contacted the runway
                   surface.

7.97            Replacement nose doors were fitted. They were supplied by Bob McSwiggan in Georgia from his Carvair spares stock, and
                   came from N55243 which had been retired at Naples, Florida and broken up for parts.

97               HawkAir replaced the original Ansett Rolamat roller floor system, which had quickly proven unable to handle the heavy 
                   3,600 pounds weight pallets of gold ore, causing pallets to jam while being rolled on or off. The quickest fix was to strip out the
                   roller floor and replace it with a standard C-54 reinforced plate floor.
                   A salvaged C-54 fuselage N44909 was purchased from Brooks Fuel at Fairbanks AK to use its fittings, flooring and hardware.
                   At this stage, the fact that this Carvair was converted from a DC-4-1009 instead of the usual C-54 resulted in floor attachment
                   points not lining up and other engineering problems. 

6.99            C-GAAH parked at Terrace BC when the Bronson Creek mine was closed. Total airframe time 52,204 hours.

21.9.99       HawkAir brought the Carvair out of retirement for a single charter flight to collect 300 reindeer from Umnak in the Aleutian
                   islands and deliver them to farmers at Red Deer, Alberta.  C-GAAH departed Terrace with seven wooden pens in the cargo
                   hold, 13,000 pounds of horse feed and 32 five US gallon drums of engine oil. The animals were delivered with no losses, but
                   the aircraft took two weeks to clean.

99-02         Parked at Terrace BC while widely advertised for sale with extensive spares including zero time engines.

3.12.02       Change of ownership: Roger W. Brooks/ Brooks Fuel inc, Fairbanks, Alaska
                   (founded in 1986 by Brooks, who was an experienced Alaskan bush pilot. Specialised in delivering fuel and heating oil to
                   remote Alaskan settlements with DC-3s, C-46s and a variety of 4-engined propliners.
       
12.02          C-GAAH was delivered from Terrace BC to Fairbanks.

27.12.02     cancelled from Canadian Civil Aircraft Register

4.3.03         Registered N898AT: Brooks Fuel Inc, Fairbanks AK
                   (Registered as type Douglas DC-4 id. 42994)

03-04          Parked at Fairbanks as a spare aircraft.

12.8.04        US CofA renewed. During the overhaul, the aircraft was repainted white with a blue fuselage line,  Carvair on top of tail.

7.05             Entered service with Brooks Fuel as a bulk fuel hauler to Alaskan communities

8.6.06          N898AT noted at Fairbanks, in service, flying

29.5.07        Testflown at Fairbanks by Roger Brooks, first flight since 11.06 when went into winter storage.

30.5.07        Crashed landing at Nixon Fork Mine, near McGrath Alaska.  Carrying 3000 gallons of heating oil from Fairbanks,
                    landing in difficult wind conditions, struck rocks and clipped the end of the runway, tearing off starboard wing. The aircraft
                    swung through 180 degrees and the fuselage ended up on its side. Aircraft was destroyed, but the bladders holding the oil were
                    not punctured and no oil was lost. Captain Roger Brooks and First Officer Jonathon Hathaway were unhurt.

    
DC-4 Cargomaster VH-INK at Adelaide in May 1964. Photo by Bob Neate


ATL-98 VH-INK at Hobart in Ansett-ANA service.


Repainted in the Ansett Airlines of Australia scheme. Photo by Mike Madden


VH-INK at Melbourne-Tullamarine in May 1975 with Australian Aircraft Sales logo and Seulawah Air titles.
Photo by Mike Madden


ZK-NWA at Christchurch in service with Nationwide Air.                                    Ben Dannecker collection


ZK-NWA at Hamilton NZ in 1983 on completion of overhaul for Pacific Aerolift Cargo at Hamilton NZ in 1983.
It was not delivered to Hawaii. Peter Gates collection


Now N5459X with Hawaii Pacific Air, at Honolulu on 8 September 1991. Photo by Geoff Goodall


By 6 December 1991 N5459X had been repainted as ZK-NWA, company name painted over and parked on a remote tarmac.
Paul Howard took a tourist chopper ride to get this photograph.


VH-INM  Douglas C-54E c/n 27314, ex JA6015, N88881, 44-9088. Converted to ATL-98 VH-INM c/n 27314/21

10.3.65    Letter from Ansett-ANA to DCA advising that they have purchased DC-4 JA6015 from Japan Airlines and intend have an
                Ansett-ANA crew ferry it to Australia

10.3.65    Australian Registration application to DCA: Australian National Airways Pty Ltd, Melbourne Vic
                (a holding company subsidiary of Ansett-ANA)

18.3.65    Official purchase date by Ansett-ANA from Japan Airlines. Test flown and accepted by Ansett-ANA Captain A. Lovell at Tokyo
                (Captain Lovell and a ferry crew had flown by Cathay Pacific from Australia to Hong Kong to collect Ansett-ANA DC-4
                VH-ANF which had a major overhaul by HAECO. VH-ANF was not ready, so Ansett-ANA sent Captain Lovell to Tokyo to
                test fly and accept JA6015.

19.3.65    Added to Register VH-INM: Ansett-ANA, Melbourne-Essendon

19.3.65    Australian CofA issued in Tokyo

23.3.65    Departed Tokyo on delivery to Australia, via Manila and Darwin. Ansett-ANA ferry crew was Captains Stanley Telford, Adrian
                Groser and Bart Chapman, engineer C. Burns and navigator Bill Kennedy.

25.3.65    Arrived Melbourne-Essendon on delivery, painted as VH-INM but still in JAL scheme with no titles.

4.65         Entered freight service with Ansett-ANA, painted as a Cargomaster

65            Wet-leased for periods until the end of the year to MacRobertson Miller Airlines, Perth to handle increased cargo to iron ore
                mining development in the Pilbara region in northern Western Australia

1.68         Moved into Ansett-ANA maintenance hangars at Essendon after several months retired in the nearby "graveyard" parking area.
                Work commenced to prepare VH-INM for a ferry flight to England for Carvair conversion.

22.2.68    Departed Essendon on ferry to England.  Ansett-ANA crew was Captains John Coakley, Neville Currey and Walter Oldcastle
                with engineer P. Kettner. Refuelling stops were Alice Springs, Darwin, Denpasar, Singapore, Bangkok. Calcutta, Karachi,
                Bahrain, Damascus, Athens, Marseilles.

29.2.68    Arrived Southend, ferry flight from Australia took 57 hours flying time.

3.68         Commenced conversion to ATL-98 in ATEL hangars at Southend Airport. The remanufactured nose and cockpit section was
                one of three unused units stored at ATEL's Stansted works after manufacture by ATEL at Southend. It was returned by road
                back to Southend for VH-INM

13.3.68    VH-INM's DC-4 nose section was severed at Southend

16.4.68     struck-off Australian Civil Register as withdrawn from service

12.7.68     First flight Southend as Carvair No.21, the final Carvair

16.7.68     Restored to Register VH-INM:  Ansett Transport Industries (Operations) Pty Ltd

19.7.68     departed Southend for Athens on delivery to Australia, staging via Athens and Damascus. Ansett-ANA crew Captains
                 Don Elford, Gerry Backhouse and Ron Stacey, engineer M. Draper and navigator W. C. (Bill) Kennedy.
                 A cockpit window cracked and blew out at Damascus where there was a delay for its repair. Routed Bahrain, Karachi,
                 Calcutta, Bangkok, Singapore, Denpasar to Essendon

26.7.68     Arrived Essendon

1.8.68       Entered Ansett-ANA service as a Carvair on Essendon-Devonport freight service

1.12.68    Ansett-ANA was reorganised as Ansett Airlines of Australia

8.10.69    Struck by lightning in flight near Singleton NSW, damage to elevator fabric and static wicks

1.71         Repainted in Ansett Airlines of Australia "AIR CARGO" scheme

9.5.72      struck by lightning in flight west of Melbourne, HF aerial damaged

10.72       retired at Ansett Airlines maintenance base at Melbourne-Tullamarine Airport

1.2.73      all three Ansett Carvairs parked in a row on a taxiway, Melbourne-Tullamarine for the rest of the year

1.1.74      Change of ownership: Australian Aircraft Sales Pty Ltd, Sydney

15.1.74    Testflown at Tullamarine, in preparation for a lease-sale to Seulawah-Mandala Air Services, Jakarta. Lease not finalised.
                (Indonesian independent operators Seulawah Air Services and Mandala Air Services merged passenger and freight operations
                in 1972)

1.74         “AAS” logo painted behind the cockpit, with name Kasby II.  The three Carvairs remained parked at Melbourne

5.75          AAS negotiated a new Lease-purchase agreement for VH-INK & VH-INM with Seulawah-Mandala Air Services, Jakarta.   
                 Financed by another independent Indonesian freight operator Bayu Indonesian Airlines, Jakarta, which planned to sub-lease the
                 two Carvairs between the two companies. Extended negotiations with AAS to reduce the lease rate were finalised on 17.7.75
                
22.6.75     VH-INM testflown at Tullamarine in preparation for the new lease.

4.7.75      “Seulawah Air” titles painted on at Tullamarine, "AAS" retained

17.7.75     VH-INM departed Tullamarine on ferry to Jakarta, under the command of AAS Captain John Presgrave. Routed via
                 Alice Springs, Darwin and Denpasar.

25.8.75     Struck-off Australian Civil Register as exported

7.75          Reportedly never entered service with Seulawah. Parked at Jakarta. Painted as VH-INM but not registered in any country.

12.75        Seulawah lease collapsed. Ownership reverted to Australian Aircraft Sales Pty Ltd, Sydney.
                 (Bayu Air withdrew its financial backing because it was unable to gain route authorities outside Indonesia and Singapore. A
                 condition of Bayu Air's financing for Seulawah was that Bayu could operate freight services throughout SE Asia. 
                 Bayu later gained those expanded route rights and purchased DC-6s, then CL-44s)

1.76          VH-INK & VH-INM were clandestinely ferried from Jakarta to Singapore by AAS crews.
                 Both flights were unauthorised because the aircraft were unregistered and there was little chance of renewing the Australian
                 certification while they were located outside Australia. AAS took this action because they were worried that Indonesian
                 authorities would confiscate both Carvairs at Jakarta.

16.1.76     VH-INK & INM were parked at Singapore-Seletar.

10.76        Dwen Airmotive, an aircraft broker at Auckland NZ advertised VH-INK & INM plus large spare parts holding for sale

12.76        Both ex-Ansett Carvairs noted parked at Seletar, stored. AAS had contracted Singapore General Aviation Services Pte Ltd
                 (SINGAS) to provide custody and maintenance

77             AAS discussed their sale to Air Express, Brisbane, Queensland, which operated Bristol Freighters. No firm negotiations.
                 (Air Express purchased the last two Qantas DC-4s VH-EDA & VH-EDB in August 1977)

8.77          Australian Aircraft Sales widely advertised the former VH-INK & VH-INM for sale, with six QEC engines and many spares.
                 VH-INM had total airframe time of53,931 hours

1.78          NZ company Car Haulaways Ltd made enquiries to purchase the two Carvairs through NZ broker Dennis Thompson Ltd.
                 A direct sale by AAS could not be effected because neither aircraft was registered with any country, and the ATL-98 would be
                 first-of-type on the NZ Civil Aircraft Register, thus requiring new Type Certification.
                
                 AAS instructed SINGAS to overhaul and register both Carvairs at Seletar. SINGAS employed experienced Thai mechanics
                 trained by Air America earlier that decade.  It was determined that the only way to get the Carvairs registered in NZ was to first
                 register them on US Civil Aircraft Register and use the FAA ATL-98 type approval. SINGAS dealt with the FAA office at  
                 Honolulu, and British Air Ferries' owner Mike Keegan supplied some of the required technical certification data.
                 The Ansett Carvairs differences to the early model data held on file by FAA delayed the process.              

17.3.78     Bill of sale from Air Australia (Singapore) Pte Ltd (per John P. Conley) to James A. Cunningham c/- American Aircraft Sales,
                 Bethesda, Maryland.       
                 (Air Australia (Singapore) Pte Ltd letterhead states Sydney Office c/o Australian Aircraft Sales (NSW) Pty Ltd, Hangar 2,
                 Sydney Airport)   

30.3.78      Registered N54596: James A. Cunningham, Bethesda, Maryland
                  (Cunningham was AAS Vice President, in charge of the AAS office in Washington DC. This ownership change was made
                  to facilitate it being added to the US Civil Aircraft Register, which required ownership by US nationals or companies)

4.78          SINGAS at Seletar were contracted to overhaul N54596 and repaint it in Nationwide Air colour scheme.

8.78           Leased to Nationwide Air, NZ. A crew commanded by Nationwide Air chief pilot Bob Gilbert was sent to Singapore to carry
                  out test flights and then ferry the aircraft to NZ.
                  (Nationwide Air formed that year from a merger of third-level operators Akarana Air and Air North, which were both
                  subsidiaries of Car Haulaways. Nationwide would operate a car ferry across Cook Strait from Wellington to Christchurch
                  and Nelson)

13.9.78      Change of ownership application by L. Leonard Lundy, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Registered to him 29.9.78.
                  (The transfer to Lundy, an attorney, was made to placate FAA concerns that the US owner was a dealer)               

9.78           ZK-EKZ allocated, but Nationwide Air requested ZK-NW series registration instead

9.78           ZK-NWB registered: Nationwide Air, Wellington NZ

27.11.78    N54596 overnighted at Darwin on delivery flight to NZ from Seletar. The following day flew to Brisbane and Auckland

12.78         Carvairs ZK-NWA & NWB in freight service with Nationwide Air, based at Wellington

6.79           three engine ferry Christchurch-Nelson after port outer engine suffered structural failure which wrecked the cowling. Attempts
                  to acquire a replacement engine failed. Parked at Nelson

16.7.79      Nationwide Air ceased operations and went into receivership. The company blamed the Government owned ferries and railways
                  for creating an artificial avgas shortage, which forced their crews to pay cash for fuel.

7.79           Both Carvairs were parked at Nelson NZ for the next three years

10.79         ZK-NWA & -NWB purchased from the receiver by James Air Ltd, Hamilton NZ
                  (associate company of James Aviation operated by Ozzie James, an NZ aerial agricultural pioneer. James Aviation was a major
                  shareholder in Pacific Aerospace which manufactured the range of Fletcher Fu24 and AESL Airtrainer models)
                  Ozzie James acquired the two Carvairs at a low price as a speculative transaction, for resale only.

21.12.82    Change of ownership: Turner Aviation Ltd, Honolulu HI
                  (James W. Turner was president of Love's Bakery at Honolulu which for years had chartered freigher aircraft to deliver freshly
                  baked bread at dawn each morning to towns on most Hawaiian islands. Turner purchased the two former Ansett Carvairs in
                  NZ and became involved in the founding of Pacific Aerolift Cargo.  The principals of Pacific Aerolift Cargo were also involved
                  with another newly started Honolulu DC-4 operator Pacific Air Express, which was also looking for additional Carvairs)

12.82         US Registration reserved N407JT: Turner Aviation Ltd, Honolulu

.83             Pacific Aerospace at Hamilton NZ was contracted to overhaul both Carvairs and repaint them in Pacific Aerolift colours. They
                  were ferried with undercarriage extended from Nelson to Hamilton. Inspection found severe corrosion in the airframes and the
                  engines, outer wings and tail were removed to allow extensive corrosion repair.     

.83             Change of ownership: Pacific Aerolift Cargo, Honolulu

11.83         Pacific Aerolift Cargo in serious financial arrears on Carvair maintenance. The company in Honolulu collapsed without having
                  commenced operation. ZK-NWA had been test flown at Hamilton but ZK-NWB was not completed and work had stopped
                  pending payments. It was painted in Pacific Aerolift scheme with name Ruth II

83-89         Both Carvairs parked in weather at Hamilton, pending resale

7.86           ZK-NWB had engine inspections by Fieldair at Palmerston North

86               Proposal for both NZ Carvairs to be operated by an Australian company Gold Crown Aviation, established by Captain
                   Jack Ellis, to be based Geelong, Victoria for freight services to Tasmania. CAA required more information before it
                   would consider approving the operation. Plan lapsed.

87               ZK-NWB rebuild completed at Hamilton at James Air Ltd's expense. Repainted white with two-tone orange fuselage stripe

8.2.90         Change of ownership to Hawaii Pacific Air Inc, Honolulu
                   (HPA was registered as a new company in July 1989, listing George Crabbe as president, with some other principals previously
                   connected with Pacific Aerolift Cargo and Pacific Air Express. Director of Operations of all three companies was Captain
                   A. P. Fairchild, who had flown Carvairs from as early as 1961 with Interocean on United Nations contracts in Africa)

25.6.90       Registered reserved N5459M Air Cargo Hawaii Ltd, trading as Hawaii Pacific Air Inc, Honolulu

10.9.90       Departed Hamilton as ZK-NWB on ferry flight to Honolulu. Painted white and blue, with Hawaii Pacific Air titles.
                   Routed Auckland, Pago Pago, Christmas Island, reached Honolulu in 4 days

17.9.90       ZK-NWB cancelled from NZ Register when its arrival at Honolulu was confirmed

11.90          N5459X & ZK-NWB parked together at Honolulu, not yet in service, Hawaii Pacific Air titles

9.91            N5459X & ZK-NWB parked together at Honolulu, not yet in service, Hawaii Pacific Air titles

12.91          N5459X had been repainted as ZK-NWA, parked with ZK-NWB at Honolulu, Hawaii Pacific Air titles painted over

23.1.92       Change of ownership: Air Cargo Hawaii, Honolulu

1.93            Hawaii Pacific Air Inc ceased operations, both Carvairs retired at Honolulu.
                   (Both aircraft had changed ownership several tirmes between associate companies.  Inter-island cargo business had declined
                   since the introduction by competitors of Boeing 727 and 737 pure-cargo services.

93-96          N5459X & N5459M were parked on a remote Lagoon Drive parking ramp at Honolulu Airport.

13.9.93       Change of ownership: Roberts Hawaii Inc, Honolulu
                   (Owned by Hawaiian tourist operator Robert Iwamoto, who was a financial partner in Air Cargo Hawaii. It was an umbrella
                   company for numerous subsidiary associated companies, and ownership of the retired Carvairs was transferred between these
                   company names. Not listed here)

29.7.96       Change of ownership: Airline Marketing Consultants Inc, Miami FL
                   (Purchased on behalf of Joseph Mallel and Andre Pierre Vigano, trading as Aircraft Traders Belgium. Planned to be used for
                   relief supply contracts in Democratic Republic of Congo, formerly Zaire)
                  
8.96            Both Carvairs at Honolulu being worked on by a team of mechanics from Wonderair, South Africa also Mahalo Airways (a
                   Roberts Hawaii company which flew inter-island.

10.96          N5459M departed Honolulu on ferry to Africa, flown by Bruce McSwiggan.  The delivery of both aircraft was contracted
                   to Custom Air Service at Griffin, Georgia owned by Bob McSwiggan and his son Bruce, who were experienced Carvair
                   operators. The South African flight engineer had installed two 150 gallon fuel tanks in the freight cabin.  First stage of the
                   delivery was to Custom Air Service's base at Griffin GA for final prepartion for the African ferry.

31.10.96     N5459M arrived at Griffin GA. Several weeks later it was joined by N5459X flown from Hawaii by the McSwiggans.
                   They were parked alongside Custom Air Services' two operational Carvairs.

11.96          Leased to Avia Air Charter c/- WonderAir, Wonderboom, Pretoria, South Africa for planned relief flight contracts in Zaire

11.96          Departed Griffin GA for South Africa, flown by Bob and Bruce McSwiggan. First stop was Lakeland Florida where N5459X
                   had diverted with a failed engine on its ferry flight to Africa. All the spares and equipment and auxiliiary fuel tanks were
                   transferred from the grounded Carvair, then N5459M conrtinued to Miami, Barbados, ocean crossing to Dakar, Abidjan,
                   Windhoek.  Joseph Mallel met the Carvair at Windhoek and rode the last 900 miles to Wonderboom.

13.11.96     Arrived Wonderboom Airport, Pretoria. Still wearing Hawaii Pacific Air titles

11.96          Overhaul at Johannesburg-Rand and repainted all white upper surfaces. No revenue flying.

9.97            WonderAir defaulted on their lease. The sub-lease to Avia Air Charter had also collapsed.

12.3.98       Ferried from Johannesburg-Rand to Johannesburg-Lanseria

99               Made operational for a test flight, then returned to storage.

2.11.99       Airline Marketing Consultants filed a standard FAA report stating that N5459M was "scrapped or destroyed"

15.12.99     Cancelled from US Register

00               Reported that the Carvair would be ferried to Kinshasa, Zaire to be broken up for engines and spares for resident DC-4s

5.11.00       ferried Wonderboom-Johannesburg-Kinshasa in all white scheme. Later that day flown to Pietersburg Gateway, Northern
                   Province, South Africa where parked again.
                   (Probably a demonstration flight for a prospective purchaser, despite being de-registered)

15.3.01       Restored to US Civil Register N5459M: Airline Marketing Consultants Inc, Miami FL

5.01            Parked at Pieterburg. Advertised for sale, ready to be ferried worldwide.

12.01          N5459M still parked at Pietersburg, South Africa. All white. Retired, future uncertain

1.02            Advertised for sale by Airline Marketing Consultants Inc as airworthy, located at Pietersburg

3.02             Purchased by Phoebus Apollo Aviation, Johannesburg-Rand Airport
                    (Founded in 1994 as passenger and cargo carrier with DC-3s and DC-4s)

4.02             Overhaul at Wonderboom. Repainted in new blue/white scheme as N5459M with black tailplane, Phoenix Apollo titles,
                    plus Exclusive as advertising for main customer Exclusive Cigarettes. 

30.4.02        cancelled from US Register as sold to Zambia

20.5.02        Registered 9J-PAA: Phoebus Apollo Aviation Zambia, Lusaka

5.02             Entered freight service between Johannesburg and Lusaka, delivering "Exclusive" cigarettes and carrying general cargo.

25.6.05         Ferried Johannesburg-Jan Smuts to Johannesburg-Rand. Probably its last flight.

5.07              noted at Rand, stored engineless

2.08              reported aircraft would be scrapped

8.09              9J-PAA parked at Rand, engines now installed

8.11              9J-PAA still parked at Rand, reported that owner plans to make it airworthy. However has remained parked since.

9.19              parked in open at Rand, control surfaces tattered, paint weather-faded


VH-INM on arrival at Essendon March 1965 in Japan Air Lines paintwork. Photo by Bob Neate


VH-INM at Hobart in December 1966, in Ansett-ANA Cargomaster service.


Now a Carvair, at Essendon in December 1970 still in Ansett-ANA scheme. Photo by Roger McDonald


VH-INM in Ansett Airlines of Australia paint scheme, March 1973.  Photo by Mike Madden


At Ansett maintenance, Tullamarine in July 1975, "AAS" and "Seulawah Air" titles. Photo by Robert Zweck


N54596 (ex VH-INM) at Darwin on 27 November 1978 on delivery flight from Singapore to NZ.
The US registration is in green on lower rear fuselage. Photo by Robert Zweck


Now ZK-NWB, in New Zealand with the short-lived Nationwide Air. Peter Gates collection


Honolulu September 1991. Although registered N5459M, the US registration was not painted on the aircraft.
ZK-NWB can be seen under the port wing. Photo by Geoff Goodall


9J-PAA at Johannesburg-Rand in May 2003.                                                         Photo by Gawiele Roux


Above and below: the sad scene at Rand in September 2018 as the retired Carvair succumbs to the weather.
Photos courtesy Tom Singfield



Carvair charter flights to Australia

- G-APNH Carvair British United Air Ferries Ltd departed RAF Lyneham 11 January 1965 on a British Government charter to carry a rocket to Woomera rocket range, South Australia. The Carvair routed via the North Atlantic to USA and was forced to abandon the
trip in San Francisco, California when the rocket structure was found to be developing a fracture, probably due to temperature changes and vibration.

- G-APNH Carvair British United Air Ferries Ltd departed Southend 16 October 1965,  en route to New Zealand, via Australia.
It was carrying a cargo of computers for NZ and on arrival was chartered by SAFE - Straits Air Freight Express, to evaluate the
type on its Bristol Freighter services. The Carvair returned to Stansted on 1 December 1965.


G-APNH transits Darwin NT during the 1965 NZ charter.              Photo by P.Gabbett via SA Aviation Museum

- F-BHMU Carvair Cie Air Transport (CAT), Nimes, France crashed at Karachi, Pakistan on 18 March 1971 while on a charter
flight to Australia.
It had earlier positioned Nimes to Le Bourget on 28 February to pick up 7,233 Kg of technical equipment from Nord Aviation to be transported to Australia. The long flight was under the command of Captain Dessannaux, with crew comprising another captain, a copilot acting as navigator, a Flight Engineer and two ground engineers. Routing was Paris-Brindisi-Damos-Bahrein, arriving at Karachi 4 March 1967.  No.2 engine had been giving trouble inbound to Karachi and it required changing. A replacement engine was despatched from Nimes in a Cie Air Transport Bristol Freighter and installed at Karachi during the night of 7-8 March.
After ground runs of the new engine, the aircraft taxied to continue the flight. The Carvair commenced takeoff at the maximum weight of 33,067 Kg.  Backfiring was heard as the aircraft became airborne and it was unable to climb, banked left and hit the ground, injuring 15 on
the ground and killing a total of 7 people. Airport fire service were able to rescue the Captain and the flight engineer, both seriously hurt.
Investigation found the aircraft was loaded 1000 kg above the calculated maximum takeoff weight for the 29C density altitude. The replaced No.2 engine had been feathered and No.1 was not developing full power.

References:
-  Australian Civil Aircraft Register, Department of Civil Aviation and its successors
-  DCA initial registration files, National Archives of Australia, Melbourne
-  Paul C. Howard, Cairns, Australia: personal research on SE Asian Carvair operations in SE Asia
-  British Civil Aircraft Since 1919, Volume 1 Second edition, A.J.Jackson, Putnam 1973
-  British Civil Aviation News, Air Britain, 1965-68: Carvair news
-  Australian Air Log, monthly 1965-1968: numerous reports on Australian Carvairs
-  Propliner Magazine, quarterly: numerous reports on Carvairs around the world
-  Flypast A Record of Aviation in Australia, Neville Parnell & Trevor Boughton, AGPS 1988
-  Take Your Car by Air, Simon Murdoch, Aviation News magazine, January 1980
-  The Carvair's last chapter, Simon Murdoch, Aircraft Illustrated magazine October 1979
-  The Carvair Story, A.C.Leftley, Chief Designer, Aviation Traders
-  Airlines and Aircraft of the Ansett Group 1921-2002, CD Edition 8, Fred Niven 2011
-  British Independent Airlines since 1946, A. C. Merton-Jones, LAAS International 1976
-  The Pilots of Phnom Penh, William M. Leary, Airliners magazine, Winter 1990
-  discarded Air Express paperwork saved by Russell Legg from the Essendon Hangar 104 rubbish dumpster

In addition, the 400 page book THE ATL-98 CARVAIR by William Patrick Dean (McFarland & Co, Jefferson NC and London, 2008) is highly recommended.  The author's research gives fascinating detail on each Carvair, and just as importantly, their owners and operators. Personal interviews with some of the more colourful characters greatly expand on the history of each airframe.


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