de Havilland Aircraft, Hatfield, UK. Delivered 30-Aug-1961 to Hawarden, Chester via Liverpool Docks. First flight, 03-Nov-1961.
• XP821 Delivered to 2 MU Sealand, North Wales, 16-Nov-1961 for preparation for overseas shipment.
Taken on charge by 11 Flight, 656 Squadron at Seletar 01-Feb-1962.
To 390 MU Seletar 16-Mar-1962 as Theatre reserve aircraft.
Returned to 656 Squadron by Feb-1964, perhaps earlier.
Unit retitled 130 Flight RCT.
To 390 MU Seletar 06-Jan-1966.
Served in Borneo.
Accident: Tawau, Borneo 22-Jan-1966. The aircraft became inverted in a landing when passenger had feet on toe brakes as wheels touched ground. It was recovered by a Westland Wessex and declared Category 3 damaged.
To 130 Flight Royal Corps of Transport 4 Wing Army Air Corps from 30-Oct-1967 until May 1970.
Loaned, with an Army pilot, to Foreign and Commonwealth Office for use by the British Embassy in Vientiane, Laos. Left Vientiane Laos in early 1975
Note: It was given its distinctive paint scheme (See photo left and on website) to demonstrate its neutrality in the war then raging in Laos. This however did not save it from coming under fire while flying up the Mekong River on an unknown date when a Russian made RPG-7 missile passed through the port wing, narrowly missing a fuel line. It landed safely without further alarm.
Withdrawn from Laos on 01-Aug-1975. Flown to Tengah, Singapore dismantled and air freighted back to the UK.
• tt 1,343.2
• Approximate distance flown 147,752 km and 1,730 pax carried.
