10/15/2006. Remarks by Ed Coates: "VH-BZA was an ex C-47-DL built in 1942 with the USAAF s/n 41-38623. In 1943 it was assigned to the 5th Air Force and stationed in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It went onto the civil register in 1947 as VH-GAT for Guinea Air Traders. Ansett acquired it in 1948 and it was reregistered VH-RMA. Noted aviation historian and author Fred Niven advises that the 'RMA' stood for the initials of the airline founder - that great Australian entrepreneur Reginald Myles Ansett (later Sir).

In 1949 the Ansett fleet was reregistered again, this time into the VH-BZ- series. VH-RMA became VH-BZA and it is in the livery above that most air travellers of the 1950s associate the fleet. Colour scheme was natural metal with dark red cheat line, rudder and titling. (No white top). VH-BZA crashed off Spectacle island, Fred Henry Bay, Tasmania on January 12, 1956. The aircraft was on a cargo flight and carried only the two pilots, one of whom was killed.