VH-FNK Fokker F.27 Friendship 200
(c/n (c/n 10280)
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VH-FNK flew for the first time on 23 June, 1965 with the test
registration PH-FGX. It was
registered in Australia on 8 August to
Australian National Airways, which traded as Ansett-ANA.
David Carter took the photo above at Mascot on a foggy 14 April,
1967. It was leased for short
periods with other airlines in the
Ansett group and in November 1969, its ownership changed to
Ansett Transport Industries (Operations). It was also repainted
in the new company-wide “delta”
color scheme, with the small titles “Ansett Airlines of Australia” to
show the division of the Ansett
group with which it flew.
From 1 November, 1973, -FNK
was leased to Air Nuigini, which bought in on 1 July, 1976.
A few months later it became P2-ANL, as seen in
David's photo below at Port Moresby in March
1983 . Air Niugini sold the Fokker in May 1984 to Luxair,
which registered it LX-LGK. In 1989
it was sold to Northwest Aviation as N278MA, which leased to Northwest
Airlink operator Mesaba
Air. The Fokker was withdrawn from use in 1995 and over the following
11 years ownership changed
frequently, often among related companies. The aircraft also
moved around and was observed stored
at Las Vegas, Boulder City, Opa Locka and
finally Daytona Beach, where it was scrapped in 2006.
