The aircraft used to bring the 1963 Royal Tour party, including Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II and His Royal Highness, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, to the Kununurra Airstrip (KNX) from Darwin (DWN), on March 17th 1963, was A96-353, a Convair CV-440 Metropolitan. This aircraft was one of only two Convair Metropolitan aircraft operated by the RAAF.A96-313 & A96-353The two Convair aircraft were delivered to the RAAF in April and November 1957 and were allocated the serial numbers A96-313 and A96-353, respectively.Back-up Aircraft A96-313One photograph in the slideshow below shows the tail of A96-313 and from earlier newspaper articles, we have learned that a complete back-up aircraft was deployed, being the only other RAAF Convair aircraft, A96-313.VIP Transport - A96 Convair Aircraft They were operated initially by the VIP flight of No 86 Transport Wing, which later became No 34 (Special Transport) Squadron and moved to RAAF Base Fairbairn, Canberra. While in RAAF service the aircraft were fitted out to spaciously seat 15 to 20 passengers, and flew Prime Ministers, Governors-General and Royalty to all parts of Australia, before being sold in 1968. March 17th 1963 - Royal Tour to Kununurra - The Royal Tour party, including Her Royal Highness, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, Sir David Brand, Premier of Western Australia, and Mrs Brand walk across the "tarmac" at the Kununurra (KNX) Airstrip. Behind the Royal party is the "complete backup aircraft" for the Royal Tour, the RAAF Convair, A96-313. The Royal party are walking towards the only other RAAF Convair in RAAF service. A96-353, to depart for Darwin (DWN). Photographed by Peter Davies - KHS-2013-11-PD -Peter Davies Collection File Name - 1963-03-17 - Royal Tour Party departing - Kununurra Airport - KHS-2013-11-c-PD TECHNICAL DATA:Convair CV-440 MetropolitanDESCRIPTION:Medium-range VIP transportPOWER PLANT:Two 2500 hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800-CB17 enginesWEIGHT:Empty 15 059 kg (33 200 lb); Loaded 22 272 kg (49 100 lb).DIMENSIONS:Wingspan 32.10 m (105 ft 4 in); Length 24.13 m (79 ft 2 in); Height 8.58 m (28 ft 2 in).PERFORMANCE:Max speed 483 km/h (261 kt); Cruise 465 km/h (251 kt); Range 2880 km (1555 nm).ARMAMENT:[Information above from http://www.airforce.gov.au/raafmuseum/research/aircraft/series2/A96.htm] You can watch digital video. created for KHS from KHS archival material, consisting of three 8mm colour films, by different photographers, from different angles, mixed and edited with stills from these KHS Flickr collections - See - http://www.youtube.com/user/KununurraMuseum [Below from http://www.aussieairliners.org/convairr/a96-353/a96353.html - AB 6 III 2013] A96-353 - Convair Aircraft - Information TimelineA96-353. Convair CV-440-78. c/n 353. Seized by Sheriff of Broward County - July 31, 1989 |