TAA Fokker Friendship Vintage AirlineTravel Poster c.1950s

Fokker Friendship Prop Jet

This was the first of six aircraft ordered new by Trans Australia Airlines - March 09, 1956. Accepted by Trans Australia Airlines at Amsterdam (Schiphol)- June 13, 1959. The aircraft was originally named 'Dirk Hartog' (Note that the poster shows that name on the aircraft). It was entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-TFA - June 15, 1959 registered to Australian National Airline Commission, Melbourne.

This was the 13th Friendship to be delivered by Fokker. It eparted Amsterdam (Schiphol) on the delivery flight to Australia - June 16, 1959 and arrived in Melbourne (Essendon) Airport on completion of the delivery flight - June24, 1959. Flight crew: Captains L. P.Lee, N. Grady; Navigator M. Darby

The aircraft was renamed 'Charles Todd' on June 24, 1959 and operated the first revenue service with Trans Australia Airlines on July 09, 1959.

Trans Australia Airlines or TAA (renamed Australian Airlines in 1986)

One of the two major Australian domestic airlines between its inception in 1946 and its sale to Qantas in September 1992. As a result of the "COBRA" (or Common Branding) project, the entire airline was rebranded Qantas about a year later with tickets stating in small print "Australian Airlines Limited trading as Qantas Airways Limited" until the adoption of a single Air Operator Certificate a few years later. At that point, the entire airline was officially renamed "Qantas Airways Limited" continuing the name and livery of the parent company with the only change being the change of by-line from "The Spirit of Australia" to "The Australian Airline" under the window line with the existing "Qantas" title appearing above.