AP-ABC - All Pakistan Aircraft Registration Marks

Registration:

AP-ABC

Certificate of Registration Number:

Registration Date:

March 9, 1948

Operator/Owner:

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA)

Aircraft Type:

Douglas C-47-DL Skytrain

Construction Number:

6069

Line Number:

Year Built:

1942

SelCal Code:

First Flight:

Test Flight Registration:

Delivery Date:

Aircraft Name:

"City of Sylhet"

Previous Registration:

NC88752

Previous Operator:

Fate:

Next Registration:

ET-ABF

Next Operator:

Ethiopian Airlines

Additional Remarks:

Construction number 6069, United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) serial number 43-30638. To United States Navy (USN) as Douglas R4D-1 Skytrain, Bureau Number (BuNo) 12403, November 25, 1942. To VR-3 on December 2, 1942 (VR = Transport Squadron or Air Transport Squadron or Fleet Logistic Air Squadron - United States Navy aviation unit designation used from 1942 to 1958). To VR-1 on December 23, 1942. To VR-7 in January 1944. To VR-3 in April 1945. To VRS-1 in July 1945 (VRS = Air Ferry Service Squadron or Ferry Command Service Squadron - United States Navy aviation unit designation used from 1943 to 1946). To VRF-3 in August 1945 (VRF = Transport Ferry and Service Squadron United States Navy aviation unit designation used from 1943 to 1946 or VRF = Air Ferry Transport Squadron or Air Ferry Squadron - United States Navy aviation unit designation used from 1943 to 1948). To United States Navy Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Virginia in March 1946. To SOC October 31, 1946. Number 12403, converted to Douglas C-47-DL Skytrain. Registered in United States of America (USA) as NC88752. Registered in Pakistan as AP-ABC for Orient Airways on March 9, 1948. Transferred to Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on April 1, 1955. Flown by PIA with designation Douglas DC-3 Dakota. Aircraft named "City of Sylhet". AP-ABC sold to Ethiopian Airlines and registered in Ethiopia as ET-ABF in February 1961. Registration AP-ABC removed from Pakistan Aircraft Register on April 28, 1962. On July 20, 1977, ET-ABF was operating Ethiopian Airlines flight from Tippi (Ethiopia) to Jimma (Ethiopia) when it crashed near Tubo Milkie in poor weather conditions with low visibility and rain. All three crew members and two passengers aboard the aircraft died in this accident.

Photo:

Douglas C-47-DL Skytrain

Douglas C-47-DL Skytrain (Abbas Ali Collection)

Douglas C-47-DL Skytrain (registration AP-ABC)