VH-EAJ Southern Star
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| Type: | L-1049E-55-81
Super Constellation L-1049E/01-55 Super Constellation (converted) L-1049E/01-82 Super Constellation (converted?) |
| MSN: | 4549 |
| Subsequent Identities: | N9718C |
History:
| 54 | Built for Braathens SAFE as L-1049E-55-89 but completed as L-1049E-55-81 for Qantas. |
| 09FEB54 | CofR No 2063 issued to Qantas Empire Airways as VH-EAJ. |
| 04JUN54 | First flown. |
| 18JUN54 | Export CofA No E-27617 issued. |
| 30JUN54 | Accepted by Qantas as VH-EAJ "Southern Star". |
| 02JUL54 | Departed Burbank on delivery to Sydney via Honolulu and Nadi. (Capt A.A.E. Yates) |
| 05JUL54 | Arrived Sydney. Total Time 84:33. |
| 24JUL54 | Entered service (to Vancouver). |
| 22JUL56 | Withdrawn from service for "D" overhaul and conversion to L-1049E/01-55 |
| 08AUG56 | Returned to service. |
| 06MAR57 | Withdrawn from service for "B" overhaul and fitment of weather radar. |
| Possibly converted to L-1049E/01-82 at this time. | |
| 07APR57 | Returned to service. |
| 16DEC57 | Wing tip collided with wing tip of VH-EAM while VH-EAJ was taxying at Sydney for Hong Kong. The flight was delayed by seven hours. |
| 26NOV59 | Departed Sydney on its last Qantas service (to Port Moresby). On return to Sydney withdrawn from service for "D" overhaul. |
| 02JAN60 | Sold to Lockheed. Acceptance flight conducted at Sydney. Total Time: 15,607. Landings: 3,902. |
| 05JAN60 | Departed Sydney on delivery to Ontario. (Capt J.J. Connolly). |
| 08JAN60 | Cancelled from Australian Register. |
| 13JAN60 | Re-registered N9718C. |
| JAN60 | Leased to Twentieth Century Airlines. |
| 06FEB61 | Leased to Capitol Airways. |
| 01DEC61 | Sold to Capitol Airways. (Capitol state 19MAY61). |
| 66/67 | Operated by Capitol International Airways for Berliner Flug Ring in 108 seat configuration on inclusive tour charters during the European summer. |
| 12JUL67 | Total Time: 22,976 hours. |
| 67 | Stored at Wilmington, Delaware by the end of Summer 67. |
| 70 | Transferred to Sebring, Florida for storage in March or April and advertised for sale at US$25,000.00. |
| 05JUL72 | Sold to California Airmotive Corp but remained in storage at Sebring. |
| 13APR73 | Sold to Midair Inc and subsequently delivered to Barstow, California for conversion to a sprayer. |
| SEP75 | Noted being broken up at Barstow. Midair went bankrupt and the sprayer conversion was never commenced. |
| MAR77 | Still at Barstow partially broken up. Believed subsequently scrapped. |
| 81 | Still on registered to Midair Inc. |
| APR82 | Cancelled from U.S. Register. |
| Issue | Date | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 25FEB16 |
Revised
presentation of type.
|
| 1 | 06JAN00 | - |
