DC-3 VH-CWS 'Katherine' c/n 9286

Despite her relatively recent importation into Australia, VH-CWS has spent most of her life flying here, and is one of the well-known aircraft of the small but familiar group of Australian DC-3's.

She was built as a C-47 for the United States Air Force in 1943, flying for the first time on March 27 of that year. In May 1943 she was delivered to the Royal Australian Air Force, taking up the serial of A65-9 and the callsign of VH-CTI, as 34 Squadron's first C-47.

After seeing service with the British Mission in Japan she returned to Australia for storage before being sold to Qantas Empire Airways in 1947. Qantas 'civilianised' her, including the removal of the large freight door, and registered her VH-EAM, this becoming official on August 8, 1948.

In 1954, she became the first DC-3 for East-West Airlines of Tamworth, and as the flagship of the fleet took up the registration VH-EWA and the name 'Peel City'. She kept this registration until the first East-West Fokker Friendship arrived in 1959, when she became VH-EWF.

In November 1967, after being advertised for sale, EWF was leased to Pacific & Western Aviation, a subsidiary
of East-West for special project work, and taking up yet another new registration of VH-PWN.

She was leased again in 1969  to Cairns-based Queensland Pacific Trading as a charter aircraft and freighter.

In 1972 Queensland Pacific was purchased by Bush Pilots Airways to whom the lease was transferred, until PWN was purchased outright by them in 1973.

Between then and 1991, PWN stayed based in Queensland, transferring to Air Queensland, DC-3 Queensland and Air Rambler.

In 1991 she went to South Australia with Dick Lang's Desert Air Safaris.

1993 saw PWN leave Australia on export to New Zealand with Pionair Adventures as ZK-AMS where she was based initially in Queenstown before moving to Wigram. She worked there as a tour aircraft including some visits to Australia. In 2003 she moved permanently to Bankstown, NSW to operate with Pionair Australia, still as ZK-AMS.

Finally, in 2006, Classic Wings purchased her and returned her to Australia as VH-CWS.

Phone: (+61 8) 9255 3376

Email: enquiries@classicwings.com.au