VH-BDA Percival
P.44 Proctor V (c/n Ae.61)
The
post-War Proctor V was discernable from the earlier versions by the
enlarged rear window
(see VH-AUC
for a Mark 1). This shot was taken at the old Commonwealth
Aircraft plant at
Fisherman's Bend, circa 1951 just
after the aircraft had been imported. It was formerly
registered
in the UK
as G-AHTG. It was withdrawn from use in 1961 (mandatory
withdrawal was required
by the DCA in 1962 anyway, due to glue bonding
problems of these wooden aircraft). Further to
that mandate, Geoff Goodall furnishes the
image below taken at Bankstown in January of 1964
showing poor old -BDA impounded in
a DCA truck compound after it had been caught flying
beyond the deadline date. Naughty naughty.