VH-TAE      'Gregory'                                                                 c/n  12056

                                              Essendon, 1956

                                              Built as a C-47A-1-DK Skytrain 42-92274, this aircraft went to the RAAF A65-29
                                              with the wartime call sign VHCTZ.  Civilianized in 1946, it went to TAA.  When this
                                              shot was taken at Essendon in 1956 it had been relegated to cargo duties.  However,
                                              some years later it was transferred by TAA to its New Guinea 'Sunbird' services and
                                              re-registered VH-SBL.   The shot of it in full Sunbird livery (below) is from the Barry
                                              Maclean collection.  At that point in time it was evidently converted back to passenger
                                              configuration.  In 1973 it went to Air Nuigini as P2-SBL and was later re-registered
                                              P2-ANR.  It was repatriated back to Australia in the early 1980s (as a freighter) and
                                              reverted to VH-SBL.  It is still flying today with Dakota National Air out of Sydney
                                              (replete with plush seats) on ad hoc commemorative flights.