VH-ABH (1)       Lockheed 12A                                    (c/n  1236)

                              

                                VH-ABH was imported from the USA in 1937 and was operated by Associated Airlines in whose
                                markings it is seen here at Mascot in the late 1940s.  This was not a public service airline insofar
                                as it was operated solely for the purpose of  flying executives of Broken Hill Proprietary around. 
                                It was named, appropriately, 'Silver City'.  The Lockheed 12A is often referred to as the "Electra
                                Junior"   The photo immediately below, from the CAHS archives shows it during WW II with
                                camouflage.  In December 1957 the 12A was sold to Robert Glen Carswell, t/a Carsair Air Service
                                and operated as a freighter in New Guinea and northern Australia.  The photo no 4 below. from the
                                Macarthur Job collection. shows it whilst in such service in PNG in the late 1950s.       It was then
                                re-registered VH-DMC in 1960 when sold to Doug Muir's Muir Aviation.  When South Australian
                                Air Taxis acquired it in 1962 and flew it to Adelaide it became  VH-TLX       It then went to Air
                                Surveys Australia as VH-ASV and then was finally restored (in 1978) back to VH-ABH as "Silver
                                City" again.    The nice color shot at the foot of the page is from the Mike O'Grady collection
                                (via the CAHS).       For a complete history of this machine go to Ron Cuskelly's The Lockheed
                                Lockheed File entry for it at:    http://www.adastron.com/lockheed/electra/vh-abh.htm