Douglas DC-6

Douglas DC-6

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Remarks by Ed Coates: "This airline was formed in 1948 by the governments of Australia (50%), New Zealand (30%) and UK (20%), to pursue and continue trans-Pacific flights. It was dissolved when Qantas started trans-Pacific routes in 1954.
The six years old VH-BPF was sold to Tasman Empire Airlines of New Zealand in 1954, first as ZK-BFA named "Arawhata" (Bridge), then reregistered ZK-BGA. In 1961 it was sold to the RNZAF to serve with 40 Squadron. In 1968 it went to Laos as XW-DKJ with Lao United Airlines, re-registrated to XW-TDJ. It wound up with Royal Air Laos from 1969, as XW-PEH, and was lost in a crash in a swamp near Tegal, Central Java, Indonesia, February 1, 1971."


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Remarks by Ed Coates: "This airline was formed in 1948 by the governments of Australia (50%), New Zealand (30%) and UK (20%), to pursue and continue trans-Pacific flights. It was dissolved when Qantas started trans-Pacific routes in 1954. The six years old VH-BPF was sold to Tasman Empire Airlines of New Zealand in 1954, first as ZK-BFA named "Arawhata" (Bridge), then reregistered ZK-BGA. In 1961 it was sold to the RNZAF to serve with 40 Squadron. In 1968 it went to Laos as XW-DKJ with Lao United Airlines, re-registrated to XW-TDJ. It wound up with Royal Air Laos from 1969, as XW-PEH, and was lost in a crash in a swamp near Tegal, Central Java, Indonesia, February 1, 1971."