VH-ABW R.M.A. Kimberley

History:

SEP38	Construction completed at Burbank.
05DEC38	Arrived (together with VH-ABV) at Port Adelaide on the "Tolken". Subsequently towed to Parafield for assembly under the supervision of Capt H.C. Miller, Managing Director of MacRobertson Miller Aviation and F. Colquhoun, Chief Engineer of MMA. The Chief Pilot of MMA, Capt James Woods arrived from Perth via Darwin on the scheduled Guinea Airways Electra for familiarisation.
15DEC38	Registration application from MacRobertson Miller Aviation Co., Perth.
17DEC38	Re-assembly completed at Parafield.
21DEC38	CofR No 728 issued as VH-ABW. Departed same day for Perth as "R.M.A. Kimberley". Flown by Capt James Woods and F/O C.L. Browne. Passengers were Capt Horrie Miller, Mrs Miller, Keith Dureau of Brown and Dureau (Lockheed agents), Mr Colquhoun and a DCA Aeradio officer.
FEB39	Entered service on the MMA Perth-Darwin route.
20SEP40	Forced landing at Broome due loss of engine oil. (Capt A.L. Whitham).
27JUN41	Damaged landing on slippery surface at Carnarvon, W.A. Struck a fence but no injuries to the seven passengers.
25NOV41	Returned to Port Hedland with engine trouble. (Capt Whitham).
MAR42	Participated in the evacuation of Broome and Darwin after enemy air raids.
03MAR42	Commandeered by US Army at Port Hedland for an indefinite period. (Source: NAA file on DCA communications relating to the evacuation of Broome following enemy air raids. Accessed by Geoff Goodall.)
DEC42	Operated the Sydney-Hobart courier run releasing other aircraft for the Buna campaign.
JAN43	Returned to MMA.
17JUN46	Crashed on take-off from Broome and came to rest in Roebuck Creek. The aircraft was dragged to high ground to avoid high tide. No injuries to Capt Woods and two other crew. There were no passengers on board.
15MAY47	Struck off the Register having been determined to be beyond economical repair. The wreckage remained near Broome airport for a number of years before being scrapped.

Issue	Date	Remarks
6	13DEC21	Added a 1939 image from the SLNSW.
5	05AUG19	Added a 1946 image thanks to Ian Mawson.
4	16DEC17	Added 4 new images thanks to Geoff Goodall. Image 1 Image 2 Image 3 Image 4
3	03APR16	Refreshed page layout with no change to data.
2	26AUG15	Added a reference to being commandeered by the US Army at Port Hedland on 03MAR42.
1	08FEB00	Original issue.

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