FOKKER F.27 Mk 400 FRIENDSHIP VH-FNQ
C/N 10315

 

 

 

 


PH-FKK
    
19OCT65
 Ordered by ANSETT-ANA. (Source: 7)
13DEC66
 Registered PH-FKK. Constructed as a Mk. 400 Version 4108. (Source: 3)
13DEC66
 Departed Schiphol at 1525 on its first flight as PH-FKK and returned to Schiphol at 1640 (1 hr 15 min). Crew: Captain A.P. (Jas) Moll (Fokker), Co-pilot S.R. (Sjoerd) Wolters (Fokker) and Engineer C. (Cees) Dik (Fokker)
(Source: 10 & 11) View log book
14DEC66
 Departed Schiphol at 1120 on its second flight as PH-FKK and returned to Schiphol at 1225 (1 hr 5 min). Crew: Captain Petrus Maria Laurentius Brey (Fokker), Co-pilot Henry (?) and Engineer Lambertus Hokke (Fokker).
(Source: 10) View log book

The names in the log book are difficult to read but retired Fokker employee, Cees Mechielsen, has provided the correct names which have been retrospectively added above. The captain and engineer were Fokker employees but the co-pilot was probably an ANSETT-ANA employee. It was customary for the first test flight to be performed by a Fokker crew but it was not unusual to include crew from the customer on subsequent flights. P. Brey and L. Hokke died in the crash of Pelita Air Service F.27 PK-PFB at Malaybalay, Philippines on 27APR67. (Source: 11)
17DEC66
 Registration cancelled. (Source: 8) (Source 3 has it as 20JAN67)
VH-FNQ
    
16DEC66
 Registered VH-FNQ to Ansett Transport Industries (Operations) Pty. Ltd. (40 passengers and 10 windows each side).
16DEC66
 CofR No 4860. (Source: 4)
16DEC66
 Delivered ex factory to ANSETT-ANA as VH-FNQ. (Source: 3)
17DEC66
 Departed Schipol on delivery via Rome, Athens, Beirut, Damascus, Bahrain, Karachi, Delhi, Calcutta, Bangkok, Singapore, Jakarta, Denpasar, Darwin and Alice Springs.
24DEC66
 Arrived at Essendon, Vic. Crew: Capt. C. Henry, Capt. Ian Brown, Capt. R. Baker and Navigator P. Smith.
DEC66
 Entered service with ANSETT-ANA. The QC (Quick Change) configuration facilitated removal of passenger seats for freight operations at night.
14MAR67
 Total Time 468 hours. (Source: 4)
01NOV68
 To Ansett Airlines of Australia. (Change of operating name)
18MAY72
 Noted at Adelaide still in ANSETT-ANA markings. VH-FNQ was the last F.27 to carry ANSETT-ANA livery. (Source: 4)
JUL73
 Operated for Airlines of South Australia.
07FEB78
 Arrived in Perth from Melbourne for a seven week lease to MMA. Operated on all MMA routes, but particularly Perth-Kalgoorlie and Perth-Geraldton. (Source: 4)
28MAR78
 Ferried Perth-Melbourne on completion of MMA lease. (Source: 4)
27JUN80
 The aircraft experienced a bird strike on finals to Runway 26 at Wynyard, Tasmania resulting in minor damage to the starboard landing light. There was no flight disruption.
30MAR81
 Arrived Perth from Geraldton on an around-Australia charter. (Source: 4)
13APR81
 To Ansett. (Change of operating name)
29APR81
 Operated joint services with Airlines of Northern Australia.
04JAN82
 Leased to Air Queensland for initial F.27 operations ex Brisbane while VH-FNV and VH-FNW were being painted in Air Queensland colours by Qantas in Sydney. (Source: 4)
17JAN82
 Returned to Ansett after Air Queensland lease. (Source: 4)
01AUG82
 Joint services with Airlines of Northern Australia ended.
12SEP82
 Rolled out at Tullamarine in the new, predominantly white "Southern Cross" livery. It was the first F.27 to be repainted in this colour scheme. (Source: 4)
15SEP82
 Returned to service as AN1883 Melbourne-Devonport.
83
 Leased by Ansett Air Freight for night freight services.
09DEC83
 Leased to Air Queensland while VH-FNV was undergoing maintenance in Melbourne. (Source: 4)
16DEC83
 Returned to Ansett in Melbourne. (Source: 4)
22APR84
 The aircraft was present at the Mangalore Air Show. (Source: 4)
27JUL84
 Operated ad hoc services for Airlines of New South Wales.
SEP84
 Added to the NSW fleet and used for pax and freight operations. On four nights a week operated a crossover flight with an Ansett F.27 Sydney-Brisbane-Townsville-Cairns. (Source: 4)
15AUG87
 Noted in Sydney in Ansett colour scheme. (Source: 4)
16AUG87
 Noted in Brisbane. (Source: 4)
88
 To Ansett Australia. (Change of operating name)
10DEC88
 Operated a charter Cairns-Lae-Cairns.
06MAR89
 The aircraft experienced a bird strike at Townsville resulting in broken taxy lights.
26JUL89
 Operated the last F.27 service for Ansett as AN662 Mackay-Hamilton Island-Cairns. Crew: Capt. Peter Lomas and First Officer John Hudson, Flight Attendants Kim Bresman and Sarah de St. Jorre and 'paxing' Flight Crew Capt. Jonathan Swift and F/O Mike Ranson, who had crewed AN653 Cairns-Hamilton Island-Mackay.
26JUL89
 To be used as a freighter until the end of August, then ferried to Melbourne to be withdrawn from service. (Source: 4)
21AUG89
 Ferried to Melbourne (Capt. Kennedy) withdrawn from service and stored. (TT: 47,950 hours)
09OCT89
 Total Time: 47,979 hours. Cycles Since New: 47,725 (Source: 4)
06DEC89
 Ferried Melbourne-Sydney-Norfolk Island-Auckland as "Safeair 27" on lease to SAFE Air (New Zealand). Crew: Capt. Murray McPhail, Capt. Tim Allan, LAME G. Atkinson and LAME W. Bird. The aircraft was subsequently ferried to Blenheim. (Source: 6)
19MAY90
 SAFE Air lease terminated. (Source: 4)
20MAY90
 Ferried Blenheim-Auckland-Norfolk Island as "Safeair 28".
21MAY90
 Ferried Norfolk Island-Brisbane-Sydney-Melbourne as "Safeair 28" and stored.
04OCT90
 Entered maintenance prior to being leased out. (Source: 4)
01NOV90
 Leased to Rex Aviation / Ansett New Zealand.
07NOV90
 Sold to Rex Aviation (N.Z.) Ltd.
07NOV90
 Ferried Melbourne-Sydney-Norfolk Island in an all-white livery as "Safeair 27". Crew: Capt. Murray McPhail and Capt. Chris Green. (Source: 6)
08NOV90
 Ferried Norfolk Island-Wellington.
09NOV90
 Ferried Wellington-Christchurch.
12NOV90
 Struck off Australian Register.
ZK-RTA
    
12NOV90
   Registered ZK-RTA to Ansett New Zealand Air Freight Limited and operated under contract by Rex Aviation (N.Z.) Ltd. At that time Rex was wholly owned by Pacific Aviation Pty Ltd, Sydney, which was owned in turn by Ansett Australia Holdings. Rex Aviation also operated two Cessna C208 aircraft on general freight services, two corporate jet aircraft and a five Embraer Bandierante commuter service, Ansett Regional. Much of the freight carried was for New Zealand Post and when that company set up its own air freight service, Air Post, volumes dwindled to the point where air freight services were discontinued in the mid 90s and RTA was returned to Australia. The registration ZK-RTA is derived from the initials of Ansett New Zealand Air Freight's Operations Manager, Ross T. Allen. Ansett NZ briefly became Qantas New Zealand about 1997 and in turn about 1999 Tasman Pacific Airlines of New Zealand Ltd. It collapsed in late 2000 under $200M debt. (Source: 5)
31MAR96
 The aircraft was returned to Ansett Australia at Essendon having been ferried via Norfolk Island and Coffs Harbour.
01APR96
 Struck off the New Zealand Register.
01APR96
 Leased to Independent Air Freighters Pty. Ltd.
VH-WAN
    
16MAY96
 Noted at Essendon in the basic Rex Aviation livery painted as VH-WAN and carrying the name "The West Australian". (Source: 4)
22MAY96
 Registered VH-WAN to Independent Air Freighters Pty. Ltd.
24MAY96
 Delivered to Independent Air Freighters Pty. Ltd. and departed Essendon for Perth the same day.
27MAY96
 Entered service as AN6164/5 Perth-Port Hedland-Karratha-Paraburdoo-Perth. Operated by Independent Air Freighters under charter to Ansett Air Freight. The aircraft operated 4 return weekly services Perth-Karratha-Port Hedland-Paraburdoo-Perth and a weekly service Perth-Paraburdoo-Karratha-Port Hedland-Broome-Paraburdoo-Perth.
24DEC97
 Noted at Essendon. (Source: 4)
22JAN98
 Departed Essendon after overhaul. (Source: 4)
04FEB98
 Noted at Ceduna, SA. (Source: 4)
20FEB01
 Ferried Perth-Brisbane for maintenance.
17APR01
 Leased to AirCruising Australia and registered to AirCruising Australia on the same day. Operated freight services Brisbane-Sydney-Brisbane on behalf of Ansett Air Cargo until Ansett ceased operations on 13SEP01.
21APR01
 Operated a training flight Brisbane-Maroochy-Brisbane. (Source: 4)
13SEP01
 Operated its last Ansett cargo flight. (Source: 4)
14SEP01
 VH-WAN was included on a list of assets for sale by the Ansett administrators after this date.
The aircraft was ferried Brisbane-Tamworth for storage in late 2001. (Source: 4)
01NOV01
 Fokker records show that by this date the aircraft had accumulated 58,521 hours and 55,614 landings. (Source: 9)
23FEB03
 Noted stored at Tamworth.
15JUL06
 Australian Civil Aircraft Register shows Registration Holder and Registered Operator as Ansett Australia Ltd., Melbourne Airport. (Source: 4)
11APR07
 Sold to TAG Aviation, Stansted, UK. (previously thought to be TAG Aviation, Farnborough). (Source: 2)
08JUN07
 Struck off the Register by CASA due to "Failure to provide an application that complies with 47.110(6)."
01JUL08
 QAM resolved to purchase the aircraft minus engines and props from Sigma Aerospace.
(Source: 2)
23AUG08
 QAM purchased the aircraft from Sigma Aerospace.
(Source: 2)
20OCT08
 QAM recovery crew departed for Tamworth. (Source: 2)
30OCT08
 The fuselage departed Tamworth by road. (Source: 2)
31OCT08
 The fuselage arrived at Caloundra. (Source: 2) Read the full story of the recovery
21NOV08
 The aircraft records arrived at Caloundra. (Source: 2)
07JAN09
 The aircraft was substantially reassembled at Caloundra. The fin and tailplane were attached, the wing centre section was attached to the fuselage and the aircraft was raised on its undercarriage. (Source: 2)
04JAN10
 The outer wings were attached at Caloundra. (Source: 2)

 

The Recovery of Friendship VH-WAN

 

FOKKER NOMENCLATURE



The following explanation is provided by Jan F. Homma, Historian, F27 Friendship Association, The Netherlands.

The RLD (CAA-NL) F27 Type Specification Data Sheet A22F Issue 11 dated 1 September 1986 shows that the Mark 100 was approved on 29 October 1957 and the Mark 200, 300, 400, 600 and 700 were approved on 25 May 1965. The only difference between the Mark 400 and Mark 600 is an all-metal floor in the Mark 400 and a normal floor in the Mark 600.

The FAA F27 Type Certificate Data Sheet A-817 Revision 16 dated 15 May 1995 gives the same dates as above.

The EASA F27 Type Certificate Data Sheet A.036 Issue 2 dated 20 May 2005 also gives the same dates.

Table of Variants

F27/0 The prototypes F-1 & F-3.
F27/1 The first version was called F27/1 which indicated the F27 Mark 100 with Dart 6 engines.
F27/2 The second version was the F27 Mark 200 with Dart 7 engines.
F27/3 The third version was the F27 Mark 300 with Dart 6 engines (Mark 300 & 300M).
F27/4 The fourth version was the F27 Mark 400 with Dart 7 engines (Mark 400 & 400M)
Note: Many Mark 400s were re-designated to Mark 600 during production.
F-27/5 (E) This version became the Mark 500 (E = Extended)
F27/6 A Mark 400 without the heavy duty, strengthened cabin floor.
F27/7 Conversion of the Mark 100 with the large cargo door.
F27/6 This was the Rough Field version of the Fokker F27 Mark 600 which was to be known as the F27 Mark 800 but this designation was dropped completely in favour of Mark 600. Both the Mark 500 and the Mark 600 were sold in the RF version so these were known as Mark 500RF and Mark 600RF.

(Note: The above table was revised and expanded by Jan F. Homma in January 2011)

Conclusion: It looks like Fokker started using the Mark 600 number only from late 1968 onwards. However, it appears that this change was made retrospective to May 1965. (Source: 9)

The following explanation is drawn from Air-Britain's Fokker F.27 Friendship (Source:3)

"In November 1968 the F.27 Mk 600 was introduced and was a new version of the Mk 200 but incorporating the large forward cargo door. It differs from the Mk 400 in not having the heavy duty, strengthened cabin floor. A quick-change interior featuring roller tracks and palletised seats and/or cargo pallets can be fitted in the Mk 600. To standardise production both the Mk 400 and Mk 600 aircraft are constructed to the same specification with the exception of the cabin floor. Aircraft c/n 10385 for Trans-Australia Airlines (VH-TQN) was the first true Mk 600 airframe built. Some earlier Mk 400 aircraft, built without the heavy duty floor, have since been re-designated Mk 600 aircraft to bring them in line with the current situation. The Mks 200/400/500 and 600 are all operated to the same flight manual and are certificated to the same maximum take-off weight"*. (Source: 3)

* The maximum take-off weight was 45,000 pounds for all but the Mk 500 which was 45,900 pounds. (Source: 9)

Subsequent to this change, Fokker identified c/n 10315 (VH-FNQ) as a Mk. 600 Version 6108. (Source: 3)

The Australian Register of Civil Aircraft dated January 1967 shows VH-FNQ as an F27/2.
The July 1967 edition shows VH-FNQ as type F27/4.
By January 1969 VH-FNQ has become type F27/400 (F27-400 also used later).
In November 1990 VH-FNQ was deleted from the Australian Register as type F27/600.
In May 1996, the aircraft returned to the Australian Register as VH-WAN as type F27/600.
(Source: 2)



SOURCES
1
 This chronology is courtesy of Ansett historian, Fred Niven. All references are from this source unless shown otherwise.
2
 QAM.
3
 Barnes, F.G. & Turner, R.M. & Urquhart, R.M. 1979 Fokker F.27 Friendship Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0851300731
4
 David Thollar.
5
 John Lanham who flew ZK-RTA in New Zealand.
6
 Murray McPhail who flew ZK-RTA in New Zealand.
7
 Fokker via Hans Groen.
8
 Dutch Civil Aircraft Register by Herman Dekker.
9
 Jan F. Homma, Historian, F27 Friendship Association, The Netherlands.
10
 Log Book F.215 PH-FKK held by the Aviodrome Museum, Lelystad and sourced by Jan F. Homma. This log book is also marked "Ansett/ANA VH-FNQ". It records only two flights on 13/14DEC66 and is otherwise blank.
11
 Cees Mechielsen, retired Fokker employee.

 

 

 

ISSUE
DATE
REMARKS
18
13OCT11
 Added the full names of the crew on the test flights on 13/14DEC66 thanks to Cees Mechielsen.
17
19JAN11
 The section on Fokker Nomenclature has been revised and updated by Jan F. Homma.
16
30JAN10
 Corrected the entry at 16DEC66 which stated that the aircraft had 11 windows. Photographic evidence clearly shows that there were only 10 windows on each side. Thanks to Jan Homma for pointing out the error.
Jan Homma has also provided total hours and cycles for the aircraft (see 01NOV01).
15
04JAN10
 The wings were attached at Caloundra.
14
20JAN09
 The aircraft was substantially reassembled at Caloundra on 07JAN09.
13
23NOV08
 Added details of the first two flights by PH-FKK sourced by Jan Homma from Log Book F.215 held by the Aviodrome Museum at Lelystad.
12
04NOV08
 Added an image of VH-WAN in downtown Tamworth courtesy of Geoff O'Neill of the Northern Daily Leader. Corrected ownership details from TAG Aviation, Farnborough to TAG Aviation, Stansted.
11
01NOV08
 Added details of delivery to QAM Caloundra.
10
19OCT08
 Added an image of PH-FKK thanks to Merv Prime.
Added new material on Fokker nomenclature thanks to Jan Homma.
9
03OCT08
 Several amendments to history as PH-FKK thanks to Hans Groen. Sources 7 & 8 refer.
8
29SEP08
 Deleted reference to a first flight on 23DEC66 (Source 3) as this is clearly anomalous.
7
03SEP08
 Amended the crew names on the trans-Tasman ferry flights on 06DEC89 and 07NOV90 thanks to Murray McPhail.
6
03SEP08
 Corrections received from John Lanham:
Ross T. Allen was with Ansett NZ Air Freight not Rex.
Deleted reference to ZK-RTA being operated to the Chatham Islands.
5
03SEP08
 Added the date of purchase by QAM.
4
28AUG08
 Added an explanation of the significance of the registration ZK-RTA.
3
10AUG08
 Added references from Source 4.
2
24JUL08
 Added references from Source 3.
1
23JUL08
 Original issue.