VH-EAE Bert Hinkler
 |
 |
| Type: | L-749-79-35
Constellation L-749A-79 Constellation (converted) |
| MSN: | 2505 |
| Previous Identities: | NC86522
(NTU) VT-CQR |
| Subsequent Identities: | G-ANTG N1552V |
History:
| 47 | Built as L649-79-21 for TWA (to become NC86552) but order cancelled and completed as L-749-79-35 for Air India. |
| 13FEB48 | Accepted by Air India as "Rajput Princess". Export CofA No E-14770 issued same day. |
| 17FEB48 | Registered VT-CQR to Air India. CofR No 1131. |
| 26MAR48 | Arrived in Bombay on delivery. |
| 22JUN48 | Entered service. |
| 30DEC49 | Sold to Qantas. |
| 11JAN50 | Departed Bombay on delivery to Australia. Capt R.J. Ritchie. |
| 17JAN50 | Arrived in Sydney. |
| 18JAN50 | Registered to Qantas Empire Airways as VH-EAE. CofR No 1689. Later named "Bert Hinkler". |
| 07APR50 | Departed Sydney on its first Qantas service. |
| 26JUN51 | Fuselage painted with white top and red cheatline. |
| 30JUN51 | Repaint completed. |
| 01SEP51 | Withdrawn from service for conversion to L-749A-79 with higher all up weight. |
| 22OCT51 | Returned to service. |
| 18JUN52 | Right hand undercarriage door damaged on retraction at London. |
| 08MAR54 | Back up aircraft for Royal tour (until 27MAR54). |
| 07AUG54 | Departed Sydney on its last Qantas service (to London). Capt R.F. Uren. |
| 15AUG54 | Sold to BOAC. Total Time: 11,718. |
| 18AUG54 | Departed Sydney on delivery to BOAC in London. |
| 20AUG54 | Arrived London on delivery to BOAC. |
| 23AUG54 | Cancelled from the Australian Register. |
| 10SEP54 | Re-registered G-ANTG. |
| 15OCT54 | UK CofA issued. |
| 22NOV54 | Entered service with BOAC as "Bournemouth". |
| 26NOV54 | Operated its first BOAC service to Sydney. |
| 07OCT58 | Operated the last BOAC Constellation passenger flight. |
| 30NOV58 | Departed London on delivery to Pacific Northern Airlines. Later re-registered N1552V Fleet Number 52V. |
| 02DEC58 | Cancelled from UK Register. |
| 01JUL67 | Transferred to Western Airlines. Fleet Number 52V, later 552. |
| 26NOV68 | Operated last scheduled Constellation passenger flight in North America from Juneau to Anchorage. |
| 27NOV68 | Withdrawn from service and donated to the City of Kenai, Alaska. Total Time: 40,568 hours. |
| 73 | Approximately sometime during 1973 the aircraft was sold to a private individual who intended to use the aircraft as a restaurant. The aeroplane was towed to a nearby parking lot but the project was abandoned and the aircraft subsequently broken up. |
| Issue | Date | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 25FEB16 |
Revised
presentation of type.
|
| 2 | 18SEP00 | - |
