L-1329 JetStar Visitors


The Lockheed L-1329 JetStar was the first American purpose-built executive jet. It flew for the first time on 4 September 1957 powered by two Bristol Orpheus engines. When plans to produce the Orpheus under licence in the US did not eventuate, Lockheed were forced to redesign the aircraft using four lower powered Pratt & Whitney JT12A-6 as the USAF would not accept an aircraft with foreign engines. This aircraft was marketed as the JetStar 6. A subsequent version powered by the JT12A-8 became known as the JetStar 8. Several aircraft were retrofitted with the Garrett TFE 731 turbofan after which they were known as the JetStar 731. New production aircraft with the Garrett engine were known as the JetStar II (2 in Roman numerals, the Arabic 6 and 8 having been used previously.) The JetStar II was known as type L-2329.

The USAF acquired a total of sixteen aircraft which were similar to the JetStar 6 and classified as C-140A (5), C-140B (5) and VC-140B (6).

Three JetStar 6 were gifted to Indonesia under the administration of President John F. Kennedy.

Total production of all versions of the JetStar was 204.

The JetStar had a novel design feature in that tailplane variable incidence was achieved by pivoting the entire fin to which the tailplane was fixed. The JetStar was not a common visitor to Australian shores but several examples are depicted.


Kenny Rogers' JetStar 731 N90KR (MSN 1329-5036) carried one of the more elegant executive liveries. Named Christopher after his son, it is seen at Brisbane on 24 February 1987. Picture: Ron Cuskelly (AB508)
Kenny Rogers' JetStar 731 N90KR (MSN 1329-5036) at Brisbane on 24 February 1987. Picture: Ron Cuskelly (AB507)
TNI-AU JetStar 6 T-9446 Sapta Marga (MSN 1329-5046) brought Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Adam Malik to Melbourne for Prime Minister Harold Holt's funeral on 22 December 1967. Although Tullamarine was still under construction, it was used by the JetStar and other visiting aircraft because of the longer runway and greater parking space. This aircraft is now preserved in Indonesia. Picture: Gordon Reid
And here it is in colour! TNI-AU JetStar 6 T-9446 Sapta Marga (MSN 1329-5046) brought Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Adam Malik to Melbourne for Prime Minister Harold Holt's funeral on 22 December 1967. It is pictured here at Darwin but it is not known if it was coming or going. Picture: SAAM via Nigel Daw
The Lockheed company demonstrator JetStar II N711Z (MSN 2329-5202) at Perth on 14 March 1979. This registration was carried at various times by no fewer than 10 JetStars! Picture: Geoff Goodall
JetStar 6 HZ-FNA (MSN 1329-5056) brought Saudi Prince Turki Bin Nasser to Adelaide on 19 April 1985. Picture: Nigel Daw
The first converted JetStar 731 N731A (MSN 1329-5011) at Brisbane, Eagle Farm on 12 February 1977. Picture: Ron Cuskelly (K315)
JetStar 731 N77D (MSN 1329-5097) at Sydney on 9 February 1984.
Picture:
Paul Daw
JetStar 8 N337US (MSN 1329-5107) The Free Enterprise II of Kaiser Industries Corp at Mascot on 9 December 1972. Picture: Eric Allen
JetStar II N5541L (MSN 2329-5215) of Northeast Jet Inc under threatening skies at Brisbane on 8 February 1985. The aircraft had arrived from Adelaide and departed for Majuro. This image reminds us of a time when the name JetStar signified elegance and exclusivity and when the Qantas kangaroo was an elegant design with wings.
P
icture: Ron Cuskelly (Y266)
Registered in Bermuda, JetStar 731 VR-BJI (MSN 1329-5149) of Dennis Vanguard International at Adelaide on 1 October 1987. Picture: Nigel Daw
JetStar 731 N3EK (MSN 1329-5029 or 5076) at Essendon on 23 October 1978.
Picture:
Nigel Daw
JetStar 731 N760DE (MSN 1329-5101) at Adelaide on 17 April 1994.
Picture:
Nigel Daw
C-140A-LM JetStar 59-5959 (MSN 1329-5026) of the U.S. Air Force Communications Service. No other details are known but it is believed that this is an RAAF photograph and therefore likely taken in Australia. It certainly looks like an Australian landscape. Picture: RAAF
JetStar 731 N303LE (MSN 1329-5113) of Eagle Mountain International Church at Brisbane in April 1995. Picture: Peter Gates

 

 

Issue
Date
Remarks
4
08NOV20
Added an image of N303LE thanks to Peter Gates.
3
02AUG19
Added a colour image of T-9446 thanks to Nigel Daw and SAAM.
2
28JUL19
Added images of T-9446 and N711Z thanks to Geoff Goodall.
Added images of HZ-FNA, VR-BJI, N3EK, N77D and N760DE thanks to Nigel and Paul Daw.
Also rewrote the introductory text and image captions.
1
26JUL19
Original issue.



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