VH-IND   'Menana'                                                    c/n  13529

                                              Essendon, 1955

                                              This aircraft, built as a Douglas C-47A-25-DK, served with the USAAF in the Phillipines during
                                              WW II as 42-93599 and was delivered to Australia in 1948.   After being absorbed into the
                                              Ansett-ANA fleet in 1958, it also saw service with Butler Air Transport and Airlines of NSW.
                                              Ansett Transport Industries converted it to 'Viewmaster' status and it was sold to South Pacific
                                              Airlines in New Zealand in 1960 as ZK-BYE and used for ten years shuttling sightseers over that
                                              country's scenic wonders.   It was then reported as being imported into Laos (ostensibly with the
                                              help of Air America) and is believed to be have been one of the two C-47s delivered to General
                                              Vang Pao's Xieng Khouang Air Transport, this one as XW-PFX.    It then went to Lao Air Charter
                                              as XW-TDJ.  On Dec 23, 1969 it crashed into a mountain near Luang Prabang.