VH-ASA  Piaggio P.166B  Portofino      (c/n    409)


                              

                                     This is actually the third VH-ASA (a Tiger Moth and a Catalina respectively were the first
                                     and second) and as such is almost outside of the 'time envlope' of my Australian selection.
                                     However, since it was first registered in 1963 I feel it is O.K. to include it.  Clearly not my
                                     own shot (I was in Southern California at this time working for Western Air Lines), this
                                     excellent photograph was taken by Richard Maclean in the mid-1960s at Essendon.
                                     The aircraft's registration is, of course, an acronym of its owner.   For everything you ever
                                     wanted to know about this, and all the Piaggios operated by the Ansett Group of Airlines
                                     (and there are a considerable number of them) go to Fred Niven's terrific site at:
                                                                    http://www.ansettinwa.org/Pages/fredspages/piaggio.htm