VH-BZD  Convair 340-32                                               (c/n  110)

                           

                               In 1954 Ansett needed to upgrade its fleet, and received government permission to spend hard-to-
                               get US dollars to acquire two Convair 340s.   The first was purchased from Braniff International
                               Airways, and was formerly N3430.  When the aircraft arrived Ansett were so taken with the livery
                               that they decided to adopt it themselves!  After all, not too many folks who flew Braniff also flew
                               Ansett.  At the time I frankly thought it a trifle trite.      All they did was change the airline name.
                               For a comparison of the two liveries, go to my US Airline section and look at the Braniff CV340.
                               My photo above was taken at Essendon in 1954 but it is totally outclassed by the magnificent
                               color image by Charlie Pratt  appearing at the foot of the page.  The shot immediately below, by
                               Jeff Atkinson (via Geoff Goodall) was taken in 1958 after Ansett had absorbed Australian National
                               Airways.   Anyway, VH-BZD was sold back in the US in 1959, converted to full Convair 440
                               standard, and registered N440W.  For an absolutely superb history of this, and every one of
                               Ansett's Convairs, go to Fred Niven's site at: 
                                                               http://www.spiritsofansett.com/history/Niven/niven_convair.htm