VH-GWR Piper PA-24-400
Comanche
(c/n 26-104)
VH-GWR was a demonstrator for Victorian
Piper dealers Pipeair Pty Ltd of Moorabbin when the
above Geoff Goodall
shot was taken at Portland, Vic in April 1966. It later flew in
the 1970 1000
mile Mobil-Moomba air race around Victoria in 1970 as seen in the shot
below, where it is wearing
its race number. Presumably, originally, the high powered
Comanche was to have been given a
new "PA" series number (which would have necessitated getting a new ATC
type approval for it),
but
Piper's then decided to make it a variant of the PA-24 series.
However, in the event, all 148
dash 400s built were given c/ns in the 26-1 to 26-148 range.