Photo via Stefano Pagiola. Location in Australia unknown

crashed in the Congo in April 2003 while attempting a three-engine take off on a 900m gravel strip - photographer unknown

my ride to Jakarta arrives - as a freebie every passenger received a packet of local cigarettes! Padang-Tabing now serves as the Sutan Sjahrir Air Force Base, having been replaced by Minangkabau International Airport in 2005. On 24 July 1992 PK-RVU impacted Liliboi Mountain at a height of 2300 feet while on an instrument approach to runway 04 at Ambon-Pattimura Airport, Indonesia, in a heavy rainstorm

"John Murray's" overhead instrument panel.

"John Murray's" forward instrument panel.

The second VH-TVR (the first completed in TAA colours was not taken up but eventually came to Australia as RAAF A6-435). First flown 19/11/58 as a V.818 model and delivered to Cubana Airlines as CU-T622. Purchased by Trans Australia Airlines (TAA) on 15/3/62 and converted to V.816 standard. WFU on 28/12/69 but briefly returned to service from 1/3/70 to 4/4/70 before retiring with 21213 hours of flight time. TAA donated the aircraft to the Moorabbin Air Museum in June 1970 but due to lack of space it was stored off site for 17 years before returning to Moorabbin for static display (minus tail).

Ex Far Eastern Air Transport B-2025, registered Aug 1976 and withdrawn from use WIII (Jakarta) 31st Jan 1995, scrapped Apr 2004

Noted on a busy Essendon ramp.

A6-436 initially operated in this bare metal finish. It soon acquired a blue cheatline and white fuselage top. Towards the end of its RAAF career the remaining bare metal surfaces - lower fuselage, wings, engines, fin and tailplane were painted grey.

VH-TVP with the dayglo orange fin TAA adopted to make its aircraft more visible. The paint faded quickly and was replaced with a white fin.

After being retired by TAA, this Viscount became an attraction at Wobbies World, which was an amusement park that operated in Melbourne from about 1980 to the late 1990s. When the park closed the aircraft was donated to the Moorabbin Air Museum.

Built for TAA as VH-TVR but not delivered. Built as Viscount 816, but modified to V.836 in April 1960 (prior to delivery) and sold to Union Carbide as N40N in 05.60. To RAAF as A6-435 in 08.64. Later became G-BFZL.

Just under 5 months after this photo was taken, the aircraft was destroyed when it hit Mount Lilliboy in bad weather on approach to Ambon, Indonesia, 1992-07-24.

Taken on my way to board it for a flight to Surabaya. Delivered to Trans-Australia Airlines as VH-TVP in 1959. To Far Eastern Air Transport as B-2025 in 1971 then to Mandala as PK-RVS in 1976. Withdrawn from use at Jakarta-CGK in 1994 and scrapped in 2004.

Delivered to Trans-Australia Airlines as VH-TVP in 1959. To Far Eastern Air Transport as B-2025 in 1971 then to Mandala as PK-RVS in 1976. Withdrawn from use at Jakarta-CGK in 1994 and scrapped in 2004.

Sitting on an empty Brisbane tarmac awaiting passengers. Note the TAA DC-3 on the grass in background.