A plane involved in Australia's largest civil evacuation almost half a century ago is living a second life as an "Austin Powers-style" conference room.
Trans Australia Airlines's 727 VH-TBK was only months old when it evacuated 877 Darwin residents in two flights to Mount Isa, and two to Brisbane, on December 27, 1974, after Cyclone Tracy hit the city on Christmas Day.
Darwin-based aviation enthusiast Bruce Dale joined the dots and tracked down the plane in Denmark on a recent "avgeek" pilgrimage.
Mr Dale's interest stemmed from the plane's pioneering, but now commonplace, tourism livery.
"It was one of the first aircraft painted in the colours to represent Central Australia back in the day so I was just looking into the history of that particular aircraft," he told ABC's Jo Laverty.
Hidden story
Mr Dale, who works in the aviation industry, then uncovered the plane's contribution to Cyclone Tracy evacuation efforts.
"I've met many of the staff who've been involved with the evacuation," he said.
"It's a very tangible link to that momentous time in Darwin and Australia's history."
Current owners were unaware of the provenance.
"It just about moved them to tears," he said.
"The aircraft was used very early on [in the evacuation] meaning it would have been carrying some of the most critically injured out of Darwin."
New life
The plane is featured prominently in the Cyclone Tracy permanent exhibition in the Museum and Art Gallery of the NT.
Danish consultancy firm, appropriately named 727, has preserved the plane to use as conference facilities, but also as a marketing stunt.
"They've set it up in all funky 1970s Austin Powers colours in one part," Mr Dale said.
727 managing director Flemming Kok heard about the plane's significance while reeling from news about the Türkiye earthquake.
"I immediately felt that this disaster was quite important to Australians," he said.
"You're touched hearing that story and this plane being part of it."
Mr Kok said the plane had contibuted to the success of his business.
"We were younger, we wanted to conquer Denmark in regards of being a good advertising company," he said.
"We have to make something that stands out for ourselves.
"We move clients from one point to another.
"Having a plane would be the most amazing thing."
Business opportunity
Mr Kok and partner Tom Christiensen bought the rotting plane in 2003 for US$50,000 at Southend Airport, UK.
They sent it, dismantled, to Denmark on a ferry and to their office by road on a custom trailer in an expensive 18-month process.
"We had to buy an entire deck for this for this truck," he said.
"It was quite an inexpensive ferry ticket.
"People were saying we were crazy.
"But working with advertising and marketing, first of all, you have to attract attention."
In-flight entertainment
Mr Kok said the plane's new position as a landmark along one of Denmark's main highways was causing a hazard.
He said police had asked people to stop parking on the highway to take photographs of it.
"We attracted new colleagues," Mr Kok said.
"We attracted new clients and we grew.
"That was what we wanted to happen when we came up with this idea."
The plane provides about 100 square metres for a lounge, bar, meeting room, and a creative room used daily for meetings, presentations and interviews.
"A lot of clients ask 'can we use your plane for a meeting?' And yes 'sure'," he said.
He said kindergartens also made special outings to the plane and were among the thousands of visitors who had toured the unique business premises.
Memories still raw
December 27, 1974, was Kathy Buntain's 17th birthday, but there was no celebration.
Now 65, she said her dad William left her family at the Darwin Airport, as men were required to stay and clean up.
"It was very busy and very confused," she said.
"There were crying people with babies crying and some with bandages on. Everybody was just in a daze. It was pretty horrible," she said.
They were bundled onto another plane — not TBK — heading to Alice Springs.
A standout memory for her sister Heather McMaster, then 14, was seeing a bloodied, unwashed women sitting nearby onboard.
"She was still in a nightie and she had a headband," Ms McMaster, now 63, said.
"I often think of her and think 'oh, you poor thing'.
"I can't imagine what she must have gone through.
"There was a lot of people out there who went through a lot worse than what we did."
