VH-MJR (1) Douglas DC-3A-447
(c/n 6353)
VH-MJR was one
of those 1942 DC-3s destined for the airlines, but pressed into
military service
following the
Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Ostensibly it was to have been
NC34960 for Pan
American's
Latin American Division. In the event it wound up as a US Navy
R4D-4, BuAer No
33818. In 1946 it was civilianized as NC9032H
for Aero Service Corp, a survey company. In
1961
it was either sold or leased to M. J. Lawrence Holding, Ltd of Sydney,
an Australian geological
concern. The
aircraft was operated in Aero Service titling, as seen in Geoff
Goodall's shot (above)
taken at Adelaide in
December 1964 (note tail survey probe). The image below was taken
at Mascot
in April
or May of 1965 by Doug Morrison, and soon after this the aircraft was
sold to MacRobertson
Miller
Aviation becoming VH-MMT and joining
their fleet with the name 'Turner’.
In December
1969 it
was sold to Seulawah Air Service in Indonesia as PK-RDG.
It was later sold off to Mandala
Airlines
changing its rego again, this
time to PK-OSA (Circa Jan
1978). C/n 6353 was last noted
somewhat
derelict at
the old Keymayoran Airport in Jakarta in
April 1980, still in Seulawah markings.
No doubt scrapped when the airport closed. At the foot of
the page is a photo by Bob Neate showing
the DC-3 at Essendon
in 1961 as N9032H. It was owned by M.J. Lawrence Holdings at that
time.