VH-GWS  Piper PA-25-235 Pawnee                        (c/n  25-2490)

                                     

                                           Seen above is a brand new Pawnee, just assembled out of its shipping crate at Moorabbin
                                           in September 1963.  Photo via The Collection p5555-0688.   It had been ordered new by
                                           Alpine Aviation to replace their Pawnee VH-BFC which crashed in July 1963.   At the time
                                           of this photo, -GWS had not yet received its CofA, being added to the register on 8 October
                                           1963.  The color shot below, from the Roger McDonald collection was taken some 16 years
                                           on, at Corowa, NSW in February 1979.   By then it had been modified to a  two-seat trainer
                                           with raised rear decking.   This modification was known as the PA-25-235/A1, and later A9.
                                           Since those days it has had several different owners and is still current, based in Leongatha, Vic