VH-UBI  Ford 5-AT-C                              (c/n  5-AT-60)

                                 

                                   The above rare image is from the Peter Johnson collection, whilst the blurred shot below from the
                                   Allan Betteridge collection ( via Geoff Goodall) shows -UBI as A45-1 at Parafield in 1942.   The
                                   Ford Tri-Motor was operated by Guinea Airways from 1935 until the outbreak of WW II, and
                                   then converted by the airline to an aerial ambulance for the RAAF.     Built as NC401H,  the air-
                                   craft went to the UK in 1931 as G-ABHO before being sold to Guinea in 1935.  On 21 July 1938
                                   VH-UBI sustained serious damage in New Guinea and was rebuilt using most of the airframe of
                                   NC9686 (c/n 41) which had been imported from the USA.  In the rebuild, the fuselage, fin and rudder,
                                   undercarriage and right wing were used.  Thus, when -UBI was subsequently impressed by RAAF, the
                                   center P&W Wasp was the original from its days as G-ABHO but little else of that aircraft remained!
                                   A45-1 was wrecked at Lake Myola, New Guinea 24 November 1942 while evacuating wounded
                                   personnel.  Seen below is a shot of the remains taken in the 1960s.  It was later recovered from Lake
                                   Myola by the PNG Museum at Port Moresby but no work has yet commenced on a planned restoration
                                   for display.