VH-EAH Southern Sky

 

Type: L-1049C-55-81 Super Constellation
L-1049E/01-55 Super Constellation (converted)
MSN: 4545
Subsequent Identities: N9716C


History:

54 Built as L-1049C-55-81.
09FEB54 CofR No 2061 issued to Qantas Empire Airways as VH-EAH.
22APR54 First flown.
25APR54 Accepted by Qantas as VH-EAH "Southern Sky".
26APR54 Export CofA No E-27610 issued.
26APR54 Departed Burbank on delivery to Sydney via Honolulu and Nadi.
28APR54 Arrived Sydney. Flight Time 27:47. Total Time 37:24. The aircraft subsequently operated a series of training flights.
07-09MAY54 Operated training flights.
10MAY54 Operated several courtesy flights. The aircraft also performed a flypast at the funeral of Arthur Baird.
11MAY54 Operated training flights.
19MAY54 Entered service (to Vancouver).
30JUL54 Departed Sydney for Essendon (Melbourne) where several courtesy flights were conducted.
02AUG54 Departed Sydney on the inaugural Qantas L-1049 service to London.
02JUN55 Departed Sydney for Tokyo but returned after 10 hours with No 2 engine shut down.
SEP56 Converted to L-1049E/01-55.
21OCT57 Withdrawn from service for "A" overhaul and fitment of weather radar.
17NOV57 Returned to service.
14OCT59 Departed Sydney on its last Qantas service (to London via Melbourne and the Kangaroo Route).
03NOV59 Sold to Lockheed as N9716C and cancelled from the Australian Register. Total Time 15,581:53. Landings 4,130.
04NOV59 Departed Sydney on delivery to Ontario, USA. (Capt J.G. Morton).
59 Stored initially at Burbank but later leased to Twentieth Century Airlines Inc.
MAR61 Leased to Capitol Airways Inc.
DEC61 Sold to Capitol Airways Inc.
AUG64 Withdrawn from service by this date and stored at Wilmington, Delaware. Later used for spares.
67 Cancelled from the U.S. Register.
AUG67 Derelict by this date and subsequently broken up at Wilmington.


Issue Date Date
7 20SEP22
Added an image thanks to Eric Allen.
6 15FEB22
Added an image thanks to Ken Watson.
5 07JUN19
Added details of training flights and courtesy flights in MAY54.
4 25FEB16
Revised presentation of type.
3 26DEC15
Added an image from the Qantas Heritage Collection.
2 13SEP00
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