VH-EBK  (1)   Douglas DC-4-1009                           (c/n  42917)

                                 

                                     VH-EBK was a  purpose-built DC-4.  i.e. not a converted C-54.   It was one of five brand new
                                     machines delivered to Western Air Lines in 1946.  However, with the exception of the last one,
                                     they were sold off quite quickly.  Like new cars right after the war, new aircraft were hard to come by.
                                     I suspect that Western had a slight cash flow problem at the time and sold these brand new machines,
                                     (possibly at a profit) replacing them later with cheaper ex-C-54s.   Anyway, 42917 was sold to
                                     Australian National Airways (ANA) in 1947, becoming (the first) VH-ANF.  ANA sold it to
                                     British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines as VH-BPC.  Qantas acquired it in 1949 after BCPA
                                     received their DC-6s.  It was re-registered VH-EDA in 1959 to leave the markings available for a
                                     Boeing 707. In 1980 it was sold to Basler Flight Service as N5581T, who in turn sold it to Calm Air
                                     International the following year where it became C-GPFG.  It was damaged beyond repair after
                                     under-shooting Hidden Bay Airport, Saskatchewan in 1987.   The image below, from the Civil
                                     Aviation Historical Society archives shows -EBK at Cocos Island, circa 1952  delivering supplies
                                     to a RAAF crew who were rebuilding the WW II airstrip.