VH-ACW Fairchild
24R9
(c/n 415)
Sister ship to the previous
aircraft and delivered on the same boat. This aircraft was
allotted
the military serial A36-4 but for some reason it was not taken
up. John Andrade at the site
http://www.adf-serials.com/2a36.shtml
states "Never delivered and therefore serial not taken up". That
sounds as if the owner reneged
on handing it over!
However, noted aviation historian Fred Niven advises: The
aircraft was
"impressed into
the RAAF, date unknown, until 11/11/42, as A36-4. However, its
impressment
orders were
deferred as it was already being mainly used for Army co-operation
duties, and the
order was rescinded 11/11/42." It is seen in the
shot immediately below from the Alan Betteridge
collection
(via the CAHS) in war time camouflage, still wearing its civilian rego.
I
have gleaned
several shots of this machine. My own above
was
taken at Bankstown in the
mid-50s. Photo
no 3
below shows it just after its arrival in 1939.
Oddly, it was soon repainted, as seen in the
photo # 4 from the Nigel Daw
collection taken circa 1940. At that time it was owned by Bert
Bond
who was a bus operator (Bond's
Tours). Finally, at the foot of the page is a Geoff Goodall
shot
taken at Warracknabeal, Victoria in April of 1967, sporting a smart
livery.