VH-ACV  (1)     Fairchild 24R9                        (c/n  416)

                           

                               The register states this aircraft was imported in October of 1939.  I am surprised, frankly, that they
                               were able to do that.  Notwithstanding the fact that we were, by then, at war, I would have thought
                               that the freighters were all occupied doing "'essential war work".   Clearly the purchase had been
                               consummated prior to September of that year and so presumably the deal went through.  This, along
                               with the following machine, VH-ACW were shipped new from Fairchild.     Anyway, in the event
                               it was only on the register for a year before it was "drafted" into the RAAF, becoming A36-1.  The
                               shot below is from the Geoff Goodall collection and shows it just after it had been impressed into
                               service, with military serial, but still in civilian garb.  This would soon be changed to a camouflage
                               finish.  Sold post-war by Commonwealth Disposals Commission to Brown & Dureau Pty Ltd, who
                               traded in numerous disposals aircraft, it was rebuilt at their hangars at Belmont Common aerodrome,
                               Geelong and the Ranger engine was replaced by a Menasco C4S Pirate, changing the type to F-24M.                                                                                               It had an accident at Nhill, Victoria in 1951 and remained dormant until rebuilt in 1956 by Kingsford
                               Smith Aviation Services, fitted with a Warner Scarab radial engine, given the designation 24R9W (to
                               indicate that it was not a standard F-24W Argus, although  it did  retain the fuel tankages and CofG
                               limitations of the original F24R9.) and re-registered. VH-BVF.    The Fairchild went on to a busy life
                               with many owners, and after a long rebuild by Fairchild enthusiast John Gallagher at his home in Sydney,
                               it is still flying today under the new rego VH-JCG.