This was the first of four aircraft ordered by Qantas Airways Ltd. It was built by de Havilland Aircraft of Canada Ltd, Downsview, Toronto, Ontario, Canada and powered by Pratt and Whitney R.1340 Wasp engines.
The aircraft plus the amphibian kits were shipped from St. Johns, Canada on the S.S. Port Adelaide on 1 March 1958 and delivered to de Havilland Australia at Sydney (Bankstown) on 14 April 1958. It was then purchased by Qantas Airways and accepted by Qantas in a joint handover ceremony at Sydney (Bankstown) with VH-EAX on 27 May 1958. The aircraft was delivered for operations in Papua New Guinea as an amphibian named ‘Kikori’ (Papua) at Port Moresby on 4 June1958
On 1 September 1960 it was sold to Trans Australian Airlines (T.A.A.) and reregistered as VH-SBQ - on 8 December 1960 but retained the name Kikori (Papua).
It was forced to ditch into sea 10 miles west of Samari, Papua New Guinea on 14 April 1961 as the engine lost power due cylinder problems, 2 crew and 7 passengers were uninjured. The aircraft subsequently drifted onto rocks and was damaged beyond repair. It was salvaged and then reduced to spares.
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