G-ALAN Beaufort

 

Type: L-649-84-12 Constellation
L-749-79-22
L-749-79-32
L-749A
MSN: 2555
Previous Identities: EI-ADD
Subsequent Identities: N1554V

History:

- Construction commenced as L-649-84-12 for Eastern Airlines. Modified on the production line as L749-79-22 and completed as L-749-79-32 for Aerlinte (Ireland). (Source: 2)
29SEP47 Export CofA E-13438 issued. (Source: 2)
29/30SEP47 Delivered to Aerlinte as EI-ADD Saint Kevin. (Source: 2)
08OCT47 Registered EI-ADD. (Source: 2)
Aerlinte operated five 749s, initially on services between Dublin and London. A new service between Dublin and Rome was inaugurated in December 1947 but it lasted only six weeks. Plans to operate trans-Atlantic services were abandoned when there was a change of government and the airline was instructed to dispose of the Constellations, all five of which were sold to BOAC. (Source: 2)
FEB48 Placed into storage. (Source: 2)
15JUN48 Sold to BOAC. (Source: 2)
22JUN48 Registered G-ALAN to BOAC. Subsequently named Beaufort. (Source: 2)
30JUN48 CofA issued. (Source: 2)
JUL48 The aircraft was handed over to Qantas at Shannon, Ireland. The aircraft retained BOAC markings and the registration G-ALAN for the delivery flight. The Qantas delivery crew comprised:
Captain Jim Pollock
First Officer Rod MacAlpine
Engineer Officer Don Brown
Engineer Officer Val St Leon
Radio Officer Ron Petrich
Navigation Officer Gordon Goodwin
Flight Hostess Marj de Tracey
plus 2 Flight Stewards
(Source: 4)
27JUL48 Engineer Officer Val St Leon: "While ferrying G-ALAN to Australia from London, we suffered an inadvertent loss of fuel when the dump valve opened when we were about two hours out of Cairo. The fuel gauges had become inoperative and there was no indication that fuel was being dumped, and we landed at Cairo with all tanks showing empty, although the engines were still running." (Source: 4)
30JUL48 Leased to Qantas. (Source: 2)
JUL48-APR50 Operated by Qantas on the Kangaroo Route retaining its British registration. (Source: 4)
29MAY50 Re-entered service with BOAC. (Source: 2)
Converted to L-749A with a tourist class configuration of 60 seats. (Source: 2)
SEP57 Final service with BOAC. Aircraft stored at Heathrow. (Source: 2)
20MAR59 Registration G-ALAN cancelled. (Source: 2)
MAR59 Sold to Pacific Northern Airlines as N1554V. (Source: 2)
Pacific Northern also operated the former VH-EAE as N1552V.
14JUN60 Crashed into the face of Mount Gilbert, Alaska (elevation 9,646 ft) while operating the second sector of flight PN201 from Seattle-Tacoma to Cordova and Anchorage. During the transit at Cordova, the Speedpak was lowered to offload baggage and freight. The aircraft departed Cordova for Anchorage and last reported at 0432 Alaska Standard Time. Subsequently the wreckage was located at the 9,000 foot level of Mount Gilbert, approximately 28 nautical miles to the right of the aircraft's intended track. All 5 crew and 9 passengers were killed. (Source: 3)
Aircraft Total Time: 30,560:22 hours. (Source: 3)

 

SOURCES
1
Qantas Press and Information Department, The Qantas Fleet 1921-1967, Sydney. November 1967.
2
Marson Peter J., The Lockheed Constellation Series, Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., England, 1982
3
Civil Aeronautics Board, Aircraft Accident Report File Number 1-0019, 15MAR62.
4
Banfield, Greg, Aviation Heritage, Vol. 35 No. 3, September 2004, AHSA.

 


Issue Date Remarks
1 15JAN25
Original issue.



Return to the Constellation Menu



Return to the Lockheed File