1980s AUSTRALIAN AIRLINES - FREIGHTERS

A selection of my photographs of the civilian cargo carriers of the 1980s


The memorable sight and deafening sound of the Ansett Air Cargo fleet of Lockheed L188A Electras.
VH-RMA in original colour scheme taxies from the Ansett Air Cargo hangar at Perth in September 1980


VH-RMA again, repainted in the new white Ansett Air Freight markings.
Photographed on the Melbourne Airport freight ramp June 1983while waiteing for that night's cargo schedule


Remaining Ansett Electras VH-RMA, RMB and RMC retired at Melbourne Airport in April 1984 waiting to be sold.
The night freighter pilots' Wombat Airlines emblem referred to the similar lifestyles of eats roots and leaves.
The trio were sold to Turbo Power International in USA and delivered in September-October that year.


Melbourne Airport April 1984


VH-RMB Wombat 2 repainted as N358Q with Ansett markings painted over, apart from the wombat, at Melbourne on
9 September 1984 while being prepared for its ferry flight to USA. It departed 3 days later to Amarillo, Texas


Ansett Air Freight replaced the Electras with dedicated freighter Boeing 727s and later 707s.  VH-RMX at Perth August 1988


Transcorp operated this Boeing 707 freighter between Hong Kong and Australia as VR-HTC and later VH-HTC.
During 1988 it was operatred by Ansett Air Freight and associate TNT Air Freight System


Transcorp leased this Boeing 707 9G-ACY from West Coast Airlines, Accra, Ghana for several months from November 1985
for regular freight services Perth-Brunei-Hong Kong


During 1988-1989 Ansett Air Freight leased this DC-8-61 N23UA for domestic cargo services.   Perth January 1989


TAA countered Ansett Air Freight with this former Air Nauru Boeing 727 C2-RN7, seen at Perth in June 1984


C2-RN7 became VH-TBS with TAA Cargo. Here it is at Perth in January 1988 in the new Australian Cargo markings


The short-lived Bloodstock Air Services was a Perth business planning dedicated race horse charters. 
Their only aircraft, Boeing 727 VH-LAP (named after the legendary racehorse Phar Lap) seen at Melbourne in April 1983


The IPEC -International Parcel Express Company fleet at Melbourne-Essendon in January 1984.
Douglas DC-9 VH-IPF and Argosies VH-IPA, VH- IPB and VH-IPD


Ground level view of this rare line-up of the IPEC cargo fleet
 


Argosy VH-IPD had returned from Singapore where it had been flown by Kris Air and Air Tenggara as N37807


IPEC DC-9 VH-IPF at Essendon in September 1986, showing the large forward cargo door


From an earlier era, Air Express Bristol Freighter 31 VH-ADL Tasmanian Devil at Essendon in April 1984


Another Essendon freight operator was Setair (Scenic and Educational Tours Ltd) which flew DC-3s to Tasmania,
Bass Strait islands, Canberra and Sydney.   VH-UPQ Sandra at Essendon June 1983


Setair leased this Air NSW Fokker F.27 in 1983. However the lease arrangements were to cause the collapse of the company.
VH-FCB at Melbourne Airport in April 1984 after it had been returned to Ansett


Wards Air Freight introduced Learjets on its Wards Express small parcel delivery services across Australia.
VH-WFJ at Perth in October 1980


Wards Express also used this Falcon 20 VH-BRR with large forward freight door.  Perth April 1980


TNT Air Freight used IAI Westwinds for their nightly small parcel network.  VH-AJP at Perth in March 1982



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