VH-EAD Southern Dawn

Type: L-1049E-82-140 Super Constellation
L-1049E/01-82 Super Constellation (converted)
L-1049G/02-82 Super Constellation (converted)
MSN: 4607
Subsequent Identities: N9721C
N9751C

History:

55 Built as L-1049E-55 but converted to L-1049E-82-140 on the production line.
14NOV55 CofR No 2828 issued to Qantas Empire Airways as VH-EAD.
14NOV55 First flown.
18NOV55 Accepted by Qantas as VH-EAD "Southern Dawn".
22NOV55 Export CofA No E-27699 issued.
23NOV55 Departed Burbank on delivery to Sydney via Honolulu and Nadi.
26NOV55 Arrived Sydney. Flying Time 29:15. Total Time 36:12.
04JAN56 Entered service (to Tokyo).
24FEB56 Departed Sydney for Adelaide where the aircraft performed 6 courtesy flights. VH-EAD was the first L-1049 to land at Adelaide. (Capt R. Uren).
02MAR56 Departed Sydney on the inaugural Express Service to London via Darwin, Singapore, Calcutta, Karachi, Cairo and Rome. Seating configuration was 43 first class. Flying time was 54:30.
12MAY57 Withdrawn from service for fitment of weather radar.
Converted to L-1049E/01-82, probably at this time.
09JUN57 Returned to service.
01DEC57 Withdrawn from service for conversion to L-1049G/02-82 and fitment of tip tanks.
22DEC57 Returned to service.
08FEB60 Departed Sydney for Darwin on last Qantas service.
10FEB60 Cancelled from Australian Register.
08MAR60 Sold to Lockheed as N9721C.
14MAR60 Lockheed acceptance flight. Total Time 12,505:46. Landings 2,393.
15MAR60 Departed Sydney on delivery to Burbank.
16MAR60 Arrived Burbank. (Capt W.A. Killingworth)
60 Leased to Twentieth Century Airlines as N9721C.
61 Stored at Lockheed Aircraft Service, Ontario.
20MAY62 Sold to Trans-International Airlines and later re-registered N9751C.
19JUN63 Leased to Standard Airways for the summer.
OCT63 Returned to Trans-International by this date. Later leased briefly to Capitol Airways (unconfirmed).
JUL68 Sold to California Airmotive.
AUG68 Withdrawn from service and stored at Oakland by this date until at least APR69.
NOV69 Flown to Fox Field, Lancaster, California for storage by this date.
70 Cancelled from U.S. Register.
MAY71 Only fuselage remained by this date. Subsequently scrapped.


Issue Date Remarks
4 03AUG22
Added two images thanks to Eric Allen. VH-EAD N9721C
3 25FEB16
Revised presentation of type.
2 23DEC15
Added two images thanks to the Qantas Heritage Collection. Image 1 Image 2
1 03JAN00
Original issue.


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