VH-FMS

Type: L-12A Electra Junior
MSN: 1275
Previous Identities: NC18977
42-38348 (USAAF)
LA623 (RAF)
G-AGWN
VH-BHH
Owner: Historical Aircraft Restoration Society, Parkes, NSW

History:

NC18977
  
14DEC39 Delivered to the Pittsburgh Steel Company as NC18977.
42-38348
  
14MAR42 Impressed by the USAAF as a UC-40D-LO with serial 42-38348. (Source: Vic Smith)
LA623
  
27JUL42 Transferred to the RAF under lend/lease as LA623. (Source: Vic Smith)
05SEP42 To 24 Sqn RAF, Hendon. (Source: Vic Smith)
01SEP44 Entered service with Metropolitan Communications Sqn at Hendon. (Source: Vic Smith)
07SEP44 Allotted to Metropolitan Communications Sqn at Hendon. (Source: Vic Smith)
07SEP45 Last logged operation: Hendon-Ronaldsway-Long Kesh-Hendon. Pilot: F/Lt Morgan. (Source: Vic Smith)
17NOV45 Struck off charge by RAF. (Source: Vic Smith)
G-AGWN
  
19FEB46 Registered to Sidney Cotton's company Aeronautical and Industrial Research Corporation as G-AGWN.
21MAY47 UK CofA validation No. 269 issued, aircraft having been converted for civil use by Shorts at Belfast who issued conversion number SH.50C.
MAY47 Sold to Skyways Ltd.
JUN50 Sold to The Zinc Corporation as G-AGWN. Operated on executive duties in Europe until early 1952.
10APR52 Ferried from Fisherman's Bend to Essendon for CofA overhaul by Ansett. Aircraft was fitted with additional long range tanks and configured for 2 crew and 4 passengers. Aircraft was named "Silver Star".
VH-BHH
  
18APR52 Registration application from The Zinc Corporation as VH-BHH. To be operated by Silver City Airways, a subsidiary of The Zinc Corporation.
24OCT52 Test flown at Essendon by Len Diprose.
31OCT52 Further test flight by Len Diprose after which Certificates of Airworthiness and Registration were issued.
OCT57 Sold to the Bush Church Aid Society for Australia and Tasmania.
02NOV57 Ferried from Essendon to Ceduna, SA by A.E. Chadwick and G.M. Job. Operated in the aerial ambulance role. Later renamed S.J. Kirkby.
28SEP58
 Macarthur Job's last flight in VH-BHH Tarcoola-Ceduna. (Source: 1)
VH-FMS
  
24JUN59 Re-registered VH-FMS (Flying Medical Service).
17MAR60 Undercarriage collapsed on landing at Ceduna, SA. The pilot and 4 passengers were unhurt but the aeroplane was severely damaged. The aeroplane was trucked back to Parafield, SA and stored in Robby's hangar.
04NOV60 Cancelled from Australian Register.
19AUG62 Trucked to Moorabbin, VIC having been purchased by Allan Rae. Restoration was begun but suspended after the acquisition of VH-ASV.
late 67 Sold to Dr Anthony Fisher.
end 67 Wings trucked to Dr Fisher's property near Jerilderie, NSW.
17FEB68 Fuselage departed Moorabbin for Dr Fisher's property.
02DEC74
 DCA Cessna 170 VH-CAS was flown by Macarthur Job Moorabbin-Jerilderie-Benalla-Moorabbin for the purpose of "Lockheed 12 photography". It is believed that DCA photographer Terry Martin was on the aircraft. (Source: 1)
84 Remains of VH-FMS sold to John G. Love and trucked to Albury, NSW.
Registration VH-JGL reserved but not taken up.
JUL95 Acquired from John Love by the National Air and Space Museum of Australia. (NASMA traded Catalina parts to the RAAF Museum. The RAAF Museum traded C-47 A65-64, subsequently VH-JGL, to John Love and John Love traded VH-FMS to NASMA!) As of 17SEP97, the fuselage is still at Albury with John Love and all other components are at Point Cook.
FEB98 With the demise of the NASMA project, the aircraft's ownership reverted to the Museum of Victoria.
20DEC00 The fuselage arrived at Australia's Museum of Flight at Nowra, NSW on long term loan from the Museum of Victoria. The wings will be collected from Melbourne later. Additional components have been acquired from the U.S. (Source: AMOF)
01FEB10 Moved from Nowra to HARS at Albion Park. The aircraft is on loan to HARS from the Museum of Victoria. It will be restored by HARS.
DEC13 Ownership transferred from Museum Victoria to the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS)
c.FEB14 The aircraft was moved from Albion Park to the HARS storage and restoration facility at Parkes, NSW.
MAR22 The aircraft was raised on its wheels with missing undercarriage components manufactured by HARS volunteers.
JAN24 The aircraft was photographed at Parkes with both engines fitted.
 

 

SOURCES
1
 Macarthur Job's log book held by the CAHS Airways Museum at Essendon.


Issue Date Remarks
21 12MAR24
Added two images of the aircraft in service as VH-FMS thanks to the South Australian Aviation Museum John Smith Collection. Image 1 Image 2
20 13JAN24
Added two recent images with the engines fitted thanks to HARS.
Image 1 Image 2
19 27DEC22
18 04DEC22
Added a slideshow.
17 17MAR22
Added two images of restoration progress thanks to Mike De La Hunty.
Image 1 Image 2
16 05NOV21
Added entries from Source: 1. Also added 6 images of VH-FMS in storage at Jerilderie. All thanks to Phil Vabre and Maurice Austin of the CAHS. Also added two images thanks to Geoff Goodall.
15 08APR16
Refreshed page layout with no change to data.
14 12DEC15
Added an image of the aircraft at the HARS' storage and restoration facility at Parkes, NSW. Thanks to Mick Raftery.
13 20OCT15
Added a photo of the aircraft with her former pilot, Mac Job, thanks to Geoff Goodall. The aircraft is now located at HARS' storage and restoration facility at Parkes, NSW.
12 19SEP14
Added a photo of the aircraft with her former pilot, Mac Job. Thanks to Phil Vabre of the CAHS.
11 22JAN14
Ownership of the aircraft passed to HARS in DEC13.
10 01SEP12
Added an image by Bob McCutcheon of VH-BHH at Essendon in 1959. Thanks to Geoff Goodall.
9 07AUG11
Added an image of the aircraft stored at Albury in 1985 thanks to David Eyre.
8 04MAR10
The aircraft has been moved from Nowra to Albion Park on loan to HARS.
7 10NOV05
Corrected the name applied to the aeroplane to "S.J. Kirkby". Previously shown as "Kirby". (See 02NOV67). Photographic evidence supplied by Geoff Goodall.
6 14JAN05
Added extra detail of RAF service thanks to Vic Smith.
5 13FEB04
Added a colour image of the aircraft in Zinc Corporation service thanks to Geoff Goodall.
4 30JUN01
Aircraft moved to Nowra.




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