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Old 17th Oct 2023, 04:45
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vne165
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Australia
Posts: 166
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I crew changed on that aircraft every two weeks for years in the late eighties, between Karratha and Varanus Island, a flight of about 40 minutes. Sat in the right hand seat many times to as the pilots knew I was a keen student pilot at the time. I remember sea water trickling in around aft window seals, how it was handled backwards though the narrow channel when a wind change meant taking off from the other side of the island. Of the wind-up and down pilots and co-pilots windows. It had a mishap on takeoff one year, damaging the engine and starboard wing by memory. It was recovered and sat on the island for months whilst they found (or made) jigs for a replacement wing.

It was said that it once belonged to Elizabeth Arden, and that she kept it moored on the Hudson. But that was just a rumour, don't know if it is true.
Fabulous aircraft.
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