DE HAVILLAND HERON 2D/A1 VH-KAM
MSN 14123
(AA000038)

 



EC-AOF
   
02OCT57
  Delivered to Aviacion y Comercio S.A. (Aviaco) of Spain as Heron 2D with Gipsy Queen engines. Registered EC-AOF (7 hr 5 min).
G-ASVC
   
31JUL64
  Sold to Morton Air Services Ltd., as G-ASVC.
20AUG64
  Delivered to Gatwick but never entered service with Morton.
VQ-FAF
   
01OCT64
  Sold to Fiji Airways as VQ-FAF.
16NOV64
  Delivered to Fiji Airways. (4962 hr 55 min).
26FEB65
  Arrived at Hawker de Havilland Bankstown as VQ-FAF. (Source: 5)
15APR65
  Departed Bankstown for Fiji. (Source: 6)
30APR65
  Test flown at Nausori (Suva) by Captain Russ Hilder. (Source: 8)
APR71
  Fiji Airways changed their name to Air Pacific.
DQ-FAF
   
AUG71
  Aircraft painted and Re-registered DQ-FAF (new Fiji nationality marking).
Log Book #2 opened at Total Time: 11087 hrs 80 (sic) min i.e. 11088 hr 20 min. (Source: 1)
03JAN75
  Last revenue flying with Air Pacific - 6 flights, 4hr 30 min. Total Time: 14939 hr 5 min. (Source: 1)
06MAY75
  Test flown 35 min. (Source: 1)
12MAY75
  Test flown 35 min. (Source: 1)
APR75
  Connair Assistant General Manager, Stephen Marshall, and Engineering Manager, Bob Bovill, flew to Suva to negotiate the purchase of the three Air Pacific Herons, DQ-FAC, DQ-FAE and DQ-FAF which were time expired on the main spars. A representative from Prinair of Puerto Rico, then the world's largest operator of Herons, was also trying to purchase the aircraft but he incurred the displeasure of the Air Pacific General Manager and consequently it was Connair that was successful in acquiring the three aircraft and all the spare parts for $50,000. (Source: 4)
14MAY75
  DQ-FAF arrived Brisbane (Eagle Farm) on delivery to Connair, Alice Springs as DQ-FAF in full Air Pacific colours. (Source: 7)
15MAY75
  Departed Brisbane for Alice Springs. (Source: 7)
MAY75
  Final entry in Air Pacific log book #3. Added "25 hr 00 mins approx hrs - ferry flt Fiji-ASP".
Total Time: 14964 hr 75 (sic) min i.e. 14965 hr 15 min. (Source: 1)
VH-KAM
   
late 75
Converted by Connair to Riley Heron 2D/A1 with Lycoming engines.
16DEC75
Registered VH-KAM. (Source: 3)
c.DEC75

Delivered to Kendell Airlines, still in Air Pacific livery but marked as VH-KAM. (15,032 hr 50 min). This date was previously recorded as 29JAN76 but it is believed that the aircraft was actually delivered in late 1975.

JAN76
Sold to Premiair (later Kendell Airlines) of Wagga Wagga as VH-KAM. (14,965 hr 0 min).
JAN76
Rolled out at Wagga Wagga in Kendell colours. (Source: 4)
19JAN76
Operated a Kendell Airlines service Wagga-Melbourne-Wagga. It is suspected that this was its first revenue flight with Kendell but this is subject to confirmation. (Source: 2)
AUG80
Sold to Davey Air Services as VH-KAM.
AUG81
Davey Air Services taken over by Avdev Airlines. Aircraft operated with "Avdev Airlines Davey" titles and inscription "B-52" under cockpit window!
82
Operating name changed to Avdev Airlines.
01MAY84
Sold to East Coast Airlines as VH-KAM.
16MAR85
Departed Sydney on lease to Tongair of Tonga as VH-KAM.
01MAY85
Returned to Sydney.
MAY85
Change of ownership to Seaspan P/L, Denham Court, NSW. (Source: 9)
16JUL85
Sold to Airlines of Tasmania as VH-KAM.
15SEP85
Was to be delivered to Sunflower Airlines of Fiji as DQ-FEC "Belo Loa" (Grey Heron) but the transaction did not eventuate.
OCT88
Visited Bicentennial Air Show at Richmond.
26JUN92
Delivered to Wellington, N.Z. on lease to Vincent Airlines as VH-KAM. Carried basic Airlines of Tasmania livery (white with black outline of Tasmania on tail) with Vincent titles. (24,687 hr 30 min)
21SEP93
Returned to Airlines of Tasmania. (26,885 hr 9 min)
04NOV94

Last flight (Launceston-Flinders Island-Launceston). Pilot Kevin Swiggs.
Last log entry (29,999 hr 7 min).

30JUN97
Sold to Australia Pacific Air Parts, Burleigh Gardens, Qld. After parts reclamation, the airframe was donated to the Queen Victoria Museum, Launceston.
05SEP97
Queen Victoria Museum accepted QAM’s proposal to exchange a radial engine for VH-KAM.
25SEP97
Struck off Register as withdrawn from service.
08FEB98
QAM recovery crew arrived in Tasmania.
18FEB98
Aircraft arrived QAM Caloundra by road.

 

SOURCES
1
Air Pacific Log Books held by QAM.
#2 AUG71-JUN74
#3 JUN74-MAY75
2
Gordon Reid
3
Geoff Goodall
4
Stephen Marshall
5
Australian Air Log Vol. 1 No. 2
6
Australian Air Log Vol. 1 No. 4
7
Ron Cuskelly
8
Captain Russ Hilder (log book)
9
AustAirData, Tony Arbon

 

Compiled by Ron Cuskelly

 



 


ISSUE
DATE
REMARKS
13
21APR20
Added entry at MAY85 from Source: 9.
12
23OCT19
Added two recent images thanks to Angelo Calleja.
Image 1 Image 2
11
04OCT19
Added an image of VH-KAM with the other Kendell Airlines Heron VH-CLW. Thanks to Phil Vabre of the Civil Aviation Historical Society. Added information from Captain Russ Hilder (Source 8).
10
22SEP19
Added entries from Source: 1.
Corrected the dates of delivery and entering service with Kendell Airlines.
9
04SEP19
Added an image of the aircraft as G-ASVC and as VQ-FAF thanks to Geoff Goodall.
Also added two images of the aircraft on approach to Brisbane on 14MAY75. Image 1 Image 2
8
02JUL19
Added a recent image after fitment of four propellers.
7
20JAN19
Added a recent image after painting and fitment of engine cowls.
6
11AUG17
Added details of Connair's purchase of the aircraft in April 1975. Also added three images. Thanks to Stephen Marshall.
Image 1 Image 2 Image 3
5
10NOV09
Added a recent image of painting in progress.
4
06SEP09
Added a recent image of the restoration in progress.
3
18JUN09
Added a photo of VH-KAM in Air Pacific livery thanks to Allan Walker.
2
14MAY02
-