Dates

Event

Circa March 1943

Constructed as a C-47A-20-DL by Douglas at Long Beach, California, USA.

Circa 25 March 1943

Taken on Strength/Charge with the United States Army Air Force with s/n 42-23424.

30 April 1943

Taken on Strength/Charge with the Royal Australian Air Force with s/n A65-9.
Used callsign VHCTI.

From 27 August 1945 to 16 September 1945

Attached to the British Mission in Japan.

Civil registration VH-BAL reserved but not taken up.

6 April 1946

To Qantas Airways.

12 December 1946

Assigned civil registration: VH-EAM

12 December 1946

To JNP Enterprises Pty. Ltd, Broome, WA with new c/r VH-CWS.

By 19 August 1948

To Qantas with new c/r VH-EAM.

19 August 1948

Crashed.
Summary: The airframe was damaged but was repairable. There were 5,236 hours on the airframe at the time. It was a local testing flight from Brisbane-Archerfield Airport, QLD (YBAF), Australia. The accident occurred at Brisbane-Archerfield Airport, QLD (Australia) while taking off. Narrative: The Certificate of Airworthiness of DC-3 VH-EAM expired on July 23, 1948 and the aircraft was overhauled at Archerfield Airport, Australia. On completion of the overhaul on August 19, a Certificate of Inspection was issued to carry out a test flight...
For a complete description of the event read the Aviation Safety Network Report.

22 July 1953

To East-West Airways with new c/r VH-EWA.
Named *Peel City*.

1 May 1959

To East-West Airways with new c/r VH-EWF {2}.
Renamed *Oxley City*.

23 December 1961

Leased to Westralian Air Surveys.

From 2 June 1965 to Circa December 1965

Leased to Airlines of South Australia.

27 November 1967

Civil registration revised.
The East West DC-3 fleet were reregistered to free-up the EW- block for the growning Friendship fleet.

September 1968

Photographer: Geoff Goodall
Notes: When East West Airlines retired several DC-3s in 1967, their ownership was transferred to associate company Pacificand Western Aviation at Tamworth to arrange their disposal. VH-PWN was previously VH-EWF. It was photographed at Tamworth in September 1968 prior to its sale to Queensland Pacific Trading Ltd.

Circa September 1969

Leased to Queensland Pacific Trading Co. Pty Ltd.

8 May 1972

Leased to Adastra Aerial Surveys Pty Ltd.

Circa September 1972

To Bush Pilot Airways (PNG) Pty Ltd.

9 June 1973

Photographer: Danny Tanner
Notes: At Cairns International, Queensland

4 January 1982

To Air Queensland Ltd.
Bush Pilots Airways Ltd changed its name to Air Queensland Ltd.

22 June 1986

Photographer: Danny Tanner
Notes: At Cairns, Queensland

September 1987

Withdrawn from use.
Withdrawn from use and stored at Cairns.

7 April 1988

To Air Rambler (Australia) Pty Ltd Trading as DC-3 Queensland with new c/r VH-PWN {1}.

Circa 1989

Photographer: Arthur Scarf
Notes: 1989 photo at Bankstown

10 June 1991

To R. P. Lang, Highbury, S. A. Trading as Desert Air Safaris keeping c/r VH-PWN {1}.

Circa April 1993

To Pioneer Adventures keeping c/r VH-PWN {1}.

15 July 1993

To Pionair Wigram New Zealand with new c/r ZK-AMS.
Named *Spirit of Queenstown*.

Circa 1995

Photographer: Arthur Scarf
Notes: 1995 photo at Wanaka

March 1999

Photographer: Mark Cranston
Notes: At Auckland International

Circa 2004

Leased to Pionair Australia Pty Ltd.

14 March 2006

To Classic Wings, Midland, W. A with new c/r VH-CWS.

12 January 2009

To Westpac Banking Corporation, Concord West, NSW keeping c/r VH-CWS.

17 May 2010

To Slattery Auctions Australia Pty Ltd, Hexham, NSW keeping c/r VH-CWS.

24 June 2010

To JNP Enterprises Pty. Ltd, Broome, WA keeping c/r VH-CWS.

24 June 2010

Operated by Peter Christoudias.

7 July 2010

Operated by Peter George Christoudias.

Circa October 2012

Aircraft advertised for sale.

23 March 2014

Photographer: Terry Fletcher
Notes: Aircraft now (2014) noted stored at Bankstown, NSW Australia

11 December 2015

Civil registration, VH-CWS, cancelled.