G-73AT Paspaley Pearls Mallard

G-73AT GRUMMAN MALLARD - the legendary aircraft.
Originally designed in 1944, Grumman built 59 aircraft between 1946 and 1951. During the 1960’s the idea of re-engineering the aircraft produced the modified Fraks G-73T Turbo Mallard, the first aircraft to be upgraded to Pratt&Whitney Canada PT6 engines.
The Mallard’s development continued in Australia, when the three Grumman Mallards of Paspaley based in Darwin underwent Paspaley’s G-73AT Turbo Mallard conversion and upgrade, which saw a renewing of the airframe life and installation of new engine nacelles housing PT6A-34 turbines, plus the associated engines instrumentation and modernised systems.
Original airframe serial numbers J22, J23 and J26 are now registered to Paspaley Pearling Company as VH-PPE, VH-PPI and VH-PPT, all having been constructed in 1947. Paspaley purchased VH-PPT in 1994, which was originally owned by Christian Dior and spent her early days flying around Europe. All three aircraft are now primary untilised for flights throughout the Top End servicing Paspaley Pearling Company’s extensive pearling operation.
Filmed on May 16-19 at Macquarie Lake in Rathmins (NSW, Australia) during the SPAA Seaplanes Pilots Conference Splashdown 2019 and Rathmines Catalina Festival.