(De Havilland Photo - DHA LDK.1)

VH-BMU ahead of its sale in New Hebrides (now Vanuatu) as VQ-FAD. The registration was actually a Fijian registration ahead of New Hebrides receiving its own British Colonial block two years later. It then became VP-PAD.

VH-BMU was the second Drover to be built and the second to be operated by the Department of Civil Aviation. Registration VH-CAT was allocated but not taken up. Planned sale in the UK in 1959 as G-APPP did not go ahead and VH-BMU remained in Australia. In 1964 it was sold to New Hebrides Airways (Vanuatu) as VQ-FAD. Reregistered VP-FAD in 1966 and crashed Tanna Island on October 21 that year.

Sold in New Hebrides as VQ-FAD in July 1964

Was meant to become VH-CAT with the Department of Civil Aviation but registration not taken up. Planned sale in the UK in 1959 as G-APPP did not go ahead and VH-BMU remained in Australia. In 1964 it was sold to New Hebrides Airways (Vanuatu) as VQ-FAD. Reregistered VP-FAD in 1966 and crashed Tanna Island on October 21 that year. Photo from: State Library of Queensland

The crossed UK and French flags represent the unique status of New Hebrides as a jointly ruled Anglo-French condominium that finally ended on independence in 1980 and the birth of Vanuatu. With no New Hebrides register, the Drover initially carried Fijian registration. In June 1966 -FED became VP-PAD when New Hebrides got its own block within the British Colonial system. It crashed at Tannu Island on October 22, 1966 with the loss of eight lives.