Balair Douglas DC-6's used on the IRC operations in Biafra late 1960's
On the subject of Douglas DC-6,s flown during the War in Nigeria (Biafra) thought some of you would be interested in the two that are very close to my heart as having work for BUA at SEN I dispatched & flew in both Airframes many times between 1960 & 1966. I do have a lot of images of both Airframes if anyone is interested’’’
HISTORY OF HCA, BUA, AIR FERRY, BALAIR, CONAIR DC-6 G-APNO / HB-IBS / C-GIBS.
Douglas DC-6A G-APNO (c/n 45531) Was the first of two Douglas DC-6,s supplied to Hunting-Clan Air Transport in September 1958 together with her sister ship G-APNP, G-APNO was transferred to BUA when the company was combined with all the other associated company’s which were to make up the new Airline and BUA continued to operate the HCA Africargo service taken over by the company in 1960 and also the MOS military contract to the Woomera rocket range in South Australia plus many other both Pax & Cargo Charters worldwide. Then in 1966 She was handed over to another Air Holdings company AIR FERRY before being sold to BALAIR in 1968 as HB-IBS with the intention of using both Airframes on the IRC (International Red Cross) relief flights into Biafra the Airframes were then repainted in IRC colours sporting a large IRC Red Cross on the vertical stabilizer it was by good fortune that November Oscar survived her considerable time on this contact as many A/C did not survive, At the end of the War She was ferried back to Basle give a major check and reconfigured back into Pax service and operated many flights with Balair until being sold on to Conair a Canadian Bug/Tanker sprayer airframe who were based in Abbotsfield BC, She was then registered as C-GIBS and converted and emerged as Conair’s Tanker 51 She has now been retired and last report of a month or so ago did not appear in a very good condition in the last picture taken in Fairbanks Alaska so I fear that it may not be too long before she is scrapped it is a shame as he has had an interesting career and served all her operators over the years well She did perform well and gave us all a good living.
HISTORY OF HCA, BUA, AIR FERRY, BALAIR, DC-6 G-APNP / HB-IBT..
Douglas DC-6A G-APNP (c/n 45532 ) was the second of the pair of aircraft delivered to Hunting Clan Airtransport 1i 1958 that would spend their entire service lives together until NP crashed during the Biafran Airlift. G-APNP was transferred to British United Airways in 1960 and nominally transferred to Manston-based Air Ferry (both Air Holdings-owned companies) in December 1965. However, the aircraft continued during the period 1960-1966 operating the twice weekly "Africargo" freight schedules to South Africa from Heathrow (LHR-JNB) in between visits to Southend for maintenance. The first sign of a change came on February 3 1966 when 'NP undertook crew training at Southend and Manston with Captain Wood in command. A brace of Britannia’s later replaced the DC-6A's on the "Africargo" services, and in Air Ferry service the aircraft were operated in passenger configuration on IT charter flights radiating from Manston to the Mediterranean and western Europe. Ad-hoc freight charters were operated, including assignments for Airwork from Bournemouth (Hurn). Air Ferry ceased all flying on October 31 1968, and G-APNP was sold to Balair for Red Cross work as HB-IBT. Flown initially to Castle Donnington, the DC-6A ferried onward to Southend on January 10 1969 and was delivered to Basle on the evening of January 11 in the hands of Captain Ahmad, who had delivered sistership G-APNO to Basle earlier in the day. Sadly, HB-IBT was written off on approach to Uli Airstrip on May 7 1969 Whilst delivering food aid (dried fish) with the tragic loss of all three crew members.