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    This page documents a history of a specific aircraft. The details provided vary from aircraft to aircraft and are dependent on the research and amount of data uploaded to the Aerial Visuals database.

    Airframe Family: Douglas DC-1 / DC-2/R2D / DC-3 Dakota / C-47/R4D Skytrain / C-53 Skytrooper
    Latest Model:Dakota IV
    Last Military Serial:H-717 PakAF
    Construction Number:16197
    Last Civil Registration:VH-BPN
    Compressed ID:Douglas Dakota IV sn H-717 PakAF cn...
    Latest Owner or Location:Ralph Gordon Chrystall, Larras Lee, NSW

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    Dates

    Event

    Constructed as a C-47B-30-DK by Douglas at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA.

    26 March 1945

    Taken on Strength/Charge with the United States Army Air Force with s/n 44-76613.

    New construction number, 32945, assigned to the airframe.

    From 28 March 1945 to 13 May 1947

    Taken on Strength/Charge with the Royal Air Force with s/n KN470 as a Dakota IV.

    25 November 1947

    Taken on Strength/Charge with the Pakistan Air Force with s/n H-717.

    11 January 1954

    To Field Aircraft Services with new c/r G-ANMA.

    20 April 1954

    To Mac Robertson Miller Aviation Company with new c/r VH-MML.

    10 January 1969

    To Ansett Airlines of Papua New Guinea keeping c/r VH-MML.

    1 May 1974

    To Air Nuigini with new c/r P2-MML.

    21 October 1975

    To Air Nuigini with new c/r P2-ANV.

    20 October 1977

    To Bush Pilot Airways with new c/r VH-BPN.

    From 8 January 1982 to 5 November 1987

    To Air Queensland keeping c/r VH-BPN.

    From 1988 to 1992

    Withdrawn from use.
    And stored at Cairns.

    August 1990


    Photographer: Geoff Goodall
    Notes: At Cairns, Queensland

    2 July 1992

    To R. P. Dick Lang, Highbury, South Australia keeping c/r VH-BPN.

    November 1992

    To Desert Air Safaris keeping c/r VH-BPN.

    March 1993


    Photographer: Danny Tanner
    Notes: At Adelaide International

    July 1995

    To R. Starr, North Gosford, NSW keeping c/r VH-BPN.

    13 September 1995

    To Dakota National Air (aust.) Pty. Limited, Gosford, NSW with new c/r VH-BPN.

    2003

    To Discovery Air Tours keeping c/r VH-BPN.

    8 June 2006

    To Dakota Management Pty Limited, Gosford, NSW keeping c/r VH-BPN.

    Withdrawn from use.

    19 August 2015

    To Ralph Gordon Chrystall, Larras Lee, NSW keeping c/r VH-BPN.
    This dossier is waiting for review by an editor.This airframe dossier is based on
    unreviewed imported data.
    If you can verify the documented history or add to it with additional text and/or photos please feel free to do so by using the upload tool and the history editor.
    Credits
     Data for airframe dossiers come from various sources. The following were used to compile this dossier...
    Internet Sources
     Airbus, Boeing, Convair and Douglas Production List
    Australian Government, Civil Aviation Safety Authority
    Civil Aviation Authority of the United Kingdom
    Individual Contributors
     Terry Fletcher
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