VH-PLZ  Cessna 172G Skyhawk                                (c/n  17253506)

                                    

                                        Extraordinarily, VH-PLZ had just one owner in 50 years on the register.  Stockman Alfred
                                        “Bomber” Johnson, a legend of the Channel Country in the Australian Outback,  bought the
                                        aircraft new – it was registered in March 1966 – and it was still registered to him in Novem-
                                        ber 2016   . Bomber died in 2013 and his niece donated –PLZ to the Stockman’s Hall of
                                        Fame at Longreach as an exhibit.     It had not flown for many years and was languishing at
                                        Bomber’s final home, Nappa Merrie Station   . After an inspection, the decision was taken
                                        to fly the Cessna to Longreach in August 2015.    David Carter’s picture of -PLZ was taken
                                        at Bankstown in December 1969.