History of this aircraft from the Museum website copied below The Bell Jet Ranger III helicopter, Dick Smith Australian Explorer, was flown by Australian businessman and adventurer Dick Smith on the first solo circumnavigation of the world in a rotary wing aircraft in 1982/3. The flight was also the first solo helicopter flight across the Atlantic Ocean and the first solo flight from the U.S.A. to Australia by helicopter. The flight was taken over three stages from Fort Worth, Texas to London, London to Sydney and Sydney back to Fort Worth. Over 55,000 km was traveled in 260 hours of flying

VH-BGJ in its agricultural configuration.

The wooden prototype Air Tourer. The production aircraft by Victa was all metal.

Sold by the RAAF to the Association of Australian Aero Clubs in 1946. Yet to appear on the register. The DH82 fuselage stored next to it, A17-284, became VH-AFF in 1976.

Australia's only Safir as looked when first registered. It became VH-AHA in December 1956 and was current in December 2019 as VH-BHG. Photo from: Civil Aviation Historical Society, Melbourne, Australia

Wearing her "green" Eastern livery on the Sydney ramp.

Reregistered VH-DMB in July 1957

Crashed at Scone, NSW, on October 22, 1969.

VH-APA remained in the register until 1984 despite looking worse for wear in this photo. In 2002 it returned to the register as VH-RUG

Crashed on February 16, 1951 while attempting to land on the HMAS Sydney.

Now repainted as A7-076 as a memorial to 76 Sqn personnel who have lost their lives in defence of the country. -076 had suffered wing failure during combat training in November 1990. Pilot died.

Reregistered VH-WMG in September 1966

Formerly VH-JGT. Its recreational aircraft registration expired in 2006. With the closure of the museum the aircraft's whereabouts is not known.

Crashed in 2001

DQ-FDY was part of a collection of derelict aircraft stored in the museum compound. The museum has since closed and the collection dispersed. The Heron is with the Central Australian Aviation Museum at Alice Springs in the livery it wore as VH-CLW with Alice Springs-based Connair.

Crashed Cessnock on February 4, 2011