VH-KZP c/n 758, Kingsford Smith Airport, Aug 1981. Gloss White upper fuselage and wings with Light Metallic Grey lower fuselage, with Black areas on the engine cowling and wings to conceal the exhaust effluxes. The spinners are polished Gloss White. Black regos VH-KZP either side of the fuselage, below port and above starboard wing (standard positions). There were Dark Blue and Orange stripes running the full length of the fuselage and up the vertical tail, with also mini stripes on the sides of the engine cowlings, the ends of the horizontal tail planes are also Dark Blue. Aeropelican logos on tail and nose are Orange/ Black. Also Black Nose, 'Aeropelican' titling and narrow cheat line running below the titling are Black. Refs: https://www.airhistory.net/photo/17705/VH-KZP and https://www.twinotterworld.com/msn-758 for photos.
The end of VH-MMY. In June 1987 VH-MMY was taken out of service as it was out of airframe hours. It required an expensive wing re-spar if it was going to continue in operation, something that was not considered economical. Transferred to Bankstown it was broken down for spares as per the above image. As can be seen it still carried the previous illustrated scheme and never lasted long enough to receive a later one. I was replaced in Aeropelican service by VH-KZN c/n 652 series 320 that was acquired 2nd hand from Mountain Air Cargo, Denver USA as N479WW. Photo: via Alan Flett Bankstown 06-1987.
The next colour scheme change seems to have occured in the late 1980s (it was certainly in use by 1987) and consisted of Overall Gloss White, with Dark Blue areas on the tail, horizontal tailplanes and the engine cowlings to conceal the exhaust effluxes. The spinners were White. Black regos either side of the fuselage, below port and above starboard wing (standard positions). Aeropelican logos on the tail and forward fuselage were now Black/ White. All four airframes VH-KZN, O, P and Q were seen in this scheme with minor variations at times.
VH-KZP c/n 758. Colour scheme as per the details above, note it has Black deicing boots on both Wings and vertical tail, and a Pratt & Whitney engine insignia on the cowling side. Ref : https://www.twinotterworld.com/msn-758.
Since the early 1980s Aeropelican had been increasingly linked to Ansett, On 31 July, 1981, Bodas Pty. Ltd., which was jointly owned by T.N.T. & News Ltd., purchased 80% of the shares in Masling Commuter Services Pty. Ltd. & thus 80% of Aeropelican Air Services Pty. Ltd. They divested their interest in Masling on 6 October, 1981, but retained ownership of Aeropelican. In the early 1990s Ansett used a tail logo scheme that included the Union Jack at the top of the tail. It was certainly common on their Jet fleet but I have only found two images of an Aeropelican Twin Otter using this marking, both of VH-KZQ, however it is likely that the other three airframes were also marked the same.
VH-KZQ c/n 759. Overall Gloss White, with Dark Blue areas on the tail, horizontal tailplanes and the engine cowlings to conceal the exhaust effluxes. The spinners were polished metal. Black regos either side of the fuselage, below port and above starboard wing (standard positions). Aeropelican logos on the tail and forward fuselage were now Black/ White. 'Aeropelican' titling and narrow cheat line running below the titling are Black.
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