VH-PNB  Douglas DC-3CS1C3G                         (c/n  26789)

                                    

                                            Like its sister aircraft VH-PNA, this DC-3 was a rather "late Model" as DC-3s go, although it
                                            came to Patair via a much different route.  .  It was a former USAAF C-47B-15-DK with serial
                                            43-49528 and was acquired by TPA Aloha Airlines of Hawaii as N62803 in November 1958.
                                            It was sold to Patair in July 1961.  It was later leased to Trans Australia Airlines' for their Sunbird
                                            Services in New Guinea and made an emergency return to Madang, on 11 April 1972, where it
                                            ove ran runway 25, into the sea.      No hydraulics, no brakes, no steering.        It then sat in the
                                            TAA hangar for a year, then taken to the fire practice area.   It was finally destroyed in 1973.
                                            At the time the registered owner was Ansett Airlines of Papua/New Guinea.     The above photo-
                                            graph, from John Hopton was taken ar Port Moresby on Christmas Day, 1964, whilst the color
                                            shot below at Bankstown is from the Ben Dannecker collection.