VH-IND Douglas DC-3CG202A
'Menana'
(c/n 13529)
This
aircraft, built as a Douglas C-47A-25-DK, served with the USAAF in the
Phillipines during
WW II as 42-93599 and
was delivered to Australia in 1948. After being absorbed
into the
Ansett-ANA fleet in 1958,
it also saw service with Butler Air Transport and Airlines of NSW.
Ansett Transport
Industries converted it to 'Viewmaster' status and it was sold to South
Pacific
Airlines in New
Zealand in 1960 as ZK-BYE and used for ten years shuttling sightseers
over that
country's scenic
wonders. It was then reported as being imported into Laos
(ostensibly with the
help of Air America) and is
believed to be have been one of the two C-47s delivered to General
Vang Pao's Xieng
Khouang Air Transport, this one as XW-PFX. It then
went to Lao Air Charter
as XW-TDJ. On Dec 23,
1969 it crashed into a mountain near Luang Prabang.