AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY & SURVEY MAPPING EXHIBIT
Incorporating a fuselage section of
AERO COMMANDER 680FLP VH-DCE
MSN 1655-33
(AA000064)

 

    Built by Aero Commander Division of Rockwell-Standard Corp., Bethany, Oklahoma. N4700E assigned initially by the factory but not advised to the FAA and not taken up.
N4700E subsequently used on serial 680FL-1779-148.
07SEP66
  Modified Work Release Order 3638, under Work Release Order 153.
N556DC
    
14SEP66
   Registered N556DC to Dravo Corp., Bellevue, Washington.
OCT66
   Change of marks from N4700E to N556DC authorised by MWRO 3638-3.
    Painted to a custom design in Bluetone White, Valor Red and Black.
07DEC66
   To Aero Air Inc., Hillsboro, Oregon.
07DEC66
   To Aero Commander Acceptance Corp., Bethany, Oklahoma.
28NOV66
   Modified with installation of Chamberlain 3066X nose radome (for RDR-100).
28NOV66
   Certificate of Airworthiness - 2A4 Revision 11.
Engines: Lycoming IGSO-540-B1A with Hartzell HC-B3Z30-2B/9349-6.5 (87") propellers.
15DEC66
   To Dravo Corp., Bellevue, Washington.
07JAN69
   Modified with installation of Hartzell HC-B3Z30-2B/9349 (93.5") propellers.
07JAN69
   Modified with installation of Brown Aero Corp flap area mod (STC SA 796SW).
18MAR69
   Export Certificate E67271.
VH-DCE
    
08APR69
   Cancelled, sold in Australia as VH-DCE.
17APR69
   To Dravo Pty Ltd., Perth, Western Australia.
13DEC72
   To Arrindale Investments Pty Ltd., Ballarat, Victoria.
20JUL76
   To Nevin Nominees Pty Ltd., Fawkner, Victoria.
24FEB77
   To Millson Group Holdings Pty Ltd., Fawkner, Victoria.
10APR80
   To Hawkins, Graham Clyde., North Balwyn, Victoria.
08NOV83
   Cancelled, withdrawn from service.
06JUL84
   Returned to Register to Hawkins, Graham Clyde., North Balwyn, Victoria.
    Named Donna
22FEB85
   To Civil Flying Services Pty Ltd., Cheltenham, Victoria.
18JUN85
   To Karco Nominees Pty Ltd., Melbourne, Victoria.
23MAY86
   To Macecut Pty Ltd., North Cairns, Queensland.
14APR92
   Cancelled, withdrawn from use.
OCT95
   To Queensland TAFE, Southbank, Brisbane, Queensland as a training aid.
MAR99
   Noted at Oxenford in the yard of Coastal Auto Sales on Old Pacific Highway.
01
   To Queensland Institute for Aeronautical Engineering, Caloundra, Queensland.
20MAR07
   Bernie Moriarty (11 September 1942 – 4 March 2020) of QASCO (Queensland Aerial Survey Company Pty Ltd) donated a Wild RC9 aerial survey camera (serial number 629) to QAM. (Source: 2)
17NOV07
   A section of fuselage was moved to Queensland Air Museum at Caloundra Aerodrome in order to display a Wild RC9 aerial survey camera installation, although no camera installation was ever made on this aircraft in service.
10DEC07
   The remains of the airframe were collected by a scrap dealer from QIAE at Caloundra Airport, Queensland.
11JAN09
   The fuselage section was installed in QAM's Aerial Photography and Survey Mapping exhibit in Hangar 1. The Aero Commander/RC9 diorama was constructed by QAM Treasurer, Cameron Elmes. It should be noted that this display is representative only as VH-DCE was never operated as a survey aircraft.
     
    Note:
The meagre remains of VH-DCE cannot be regarded as an aircraft exhibit but its full history is presented here for the benefit of future historians.
     
   
QAM records its appreciation to
Bernie Moriarty (11 September 1942 – 4 March 2020)
for the donation of the Wild RC9 camera.

 

SOURCES
1 The source of the above chronology is Aero Commander specialist Barry Collman unless shown otherwise. This information was received via Russell Legg.
2 QAM

 

Compiled by Ron Cuskelly

 

 

 


ISSUE
DATE
REMARKS
2
28APR22
 Recorded the passing of Bernie Moriarty on 4 March 2020. Advice from his son-in-law Steve Menasse.
1
11FEB09
 Original issue.