VH-PEC  Beech 95-B55 Baron                                        (c/n  TC-0688)

                                 
                                       
                                         VH-PEC was imported into Australia second-hand from  the US where it had been N146J.
                                         It was registered to Lazonby Pty Ltd, of Melbourne in June 1967.     When the aircraft was
                                         entered in the 1969 London-Sydney air race the pilot’s name was P.E. Cooper, which
                                         explained the registration    . The co-pilot was David Darbyshire, a major figure around
                                         Moorabbin airport   . –PEC  may not have started in the race because David Carter’s
                                         picture was taken at Moorabbin in early December 1969.      The race commenced at
                                         Gatwick on December 18.       On November 23, 1971, this Baron came to grief taking
                                         off from Surfers Paradise Gardens for Coolangatta when the pilot, in an attempt to clean
                                         up the aircraft quickly, retracted the undercarriage as soon as the wheels left the ground.
                                         Sadly for him it sank back on the runway.    . –PEC was resurrected and changed owner-
                                         ship to CS Graphic Reproductions, of Melbourne.      It was withdrawn from use in Sep-
                                         tember 1983 after a stint based at Adelaide.