Allocated BuNo. 44248 but given RAF serial JX630 prior to becoming A24-385 with the RAAF in 1945, this Catalina gained fame in 1951 as the first aircraft to cross the South Pacific between Australia and South America, from Rose Bay in Sydney to Valparaiso in Chile. It is one of only two surviving non-amphibious Catalinas. Accepted into the Museum of Applied Art and Sciences in 1961. The museum was renamed Powerhouse in the late 1970s and closed in February 2024 for three years of major redevelopment.

Flown by Captain P. G. Taylor on the first air crossing of the South Pacific, leaving Sydney in March 1951 for Valparaiso, Chile.

VH-ASA was leased to Ansett-ANA, another airline in the Ansett group, in the winter of 1963 for flights between Alice Springs and Ayers Rock.

Kevin Kerle photo. Commuter Airlines was one of the early Australian third-level airlines. Based at Essendon, then Melbourne's main airport, it allowed Ansett to give up its loss-making Victorian intrastate service and retire its DC-3s.

Eagle AW used VH-ASA to haul cargo including day-old chickens until withdrawn from use in 1979 and scrapped.

This historic Catalina in the Powerhouse Museum is VH-ASA 'Frigate Bird II' (Australia-South America). Built in Canada in 1944 for the RAF as JX630, later RAAF A24-385). In 1951 it flew the first air crossing of the South Pacific Ocean, from Rose Bay Sydney to Valparaiso Chile, under legendary Captain P.G. Taylor GM. Also visible are DH-60X Cirrus Moth VH-UAU, Dept of Health NSW Beech B80 Queen Air VH-AMB and a Wheeler Scout on floats.

The aircraft used to pioneer a crossing of the South Pacific from Australia to Chile in 1951 under the command of Captain P.G.Taylor. The Boeing Canada built aircraft, a Catalina Mk.VI (ex RAF JX630), was stored after the flight, firstly at Rathmines flying boat base then from 1959 until the mid 1960s at Rose Bay. It has since been fully restored, reassembled and is displayed at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney.

Ex Airlines of South Australia. VH-ASA was withdrawn from use in 1979 and scrapped.