VH-EAB Lockheed 1049E Constellation

This aircraft was built as an L-1049E-55-81 but converted during construction to L-1049E-01-82-119

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-EAB - February 24, 1955

Registered to Qantas Empire Airways Ltd, Sydney

First flown at Burbank - February 26, 1955

Accepted by Qantas Airways at Burbank - March 04, 1955

The aircraft was named 'Southern Horizon'

Departed Burbank, California on the delivery flight to Australia - March 05, 1955

It arrived at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) on completion of the delivery flight - March 08, 1955

Delivery route: Burbank - Honolulu - Canton Island - Nadi - Sydney

Flight time: 32 hours 36 minutes

Operated its first revenue service Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Vancouver - April 02, 1955

Visited Singapore (Paya Lebar) for the opening of the new airport (Captain R. Bruce) - August 20, 1955

It was modified to Lockheed 1049E-01-55 standard - 1956

It departed Athens carrying Olympic Flame for the Melbourne Olympic Games - November 03, 1956

Withdrawn from service for the fitting of weather radar and 'C' service - July 15, 1957

Returned to service - August 11, 1957

Withdrawn from service for modification to L-1049G-01-82 with wingtip tanks - January 23, 1958

Returned to service - February 06, 1958

Operated the inaugural Brisbane - London Lockheed 1049 Constellation service - April 03, 1958

Operated inaugural TEAL-Qantas Melbourne (Essendon) - Auckland - Nadi service - December 1958

Withdrawn from service and the interior fittings stipped ready for freighter conversion - May 26, 1960

Departed Sydney on the ferry flight to Ontario for conversion to L-1049H-01-55 freighter - June 03, 1960

Ferried Ontario - Portland following freighter conversion - August 16, 1960

Departed Portland on the ferry flight to Australia - August 19, 1960

It arrived at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) on completion of the ferry flight - August 21, 1960

Operated its first freighter revenue service Sydney - London via Kangaroo Route - September 13, 1960

Withdrawn from service and stored at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - June 1961

Re-entered service to ferry a replacement engine Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Hong Kong - August 26, 1961

Withdrawn from use and used as a static classroom at Sydney Airport with engines removed - 1962

Operated its final revenue service Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - San Francisco - March 24, 1963

Route: Sydney - Christchurch - Nadi - Honolulu - San Francisco

Ferried San Francisco - Burbank for sale to Boeing - March 25, 1963

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N9715C - March 27, 1963

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - March 27, 1963

The aircraft had flown 18,104 hours 35 minutes

Reregistered as N93164 - July 31, 1964

Registered to California Airmotive Corporation

Sold to West Coast Airmotive Corporation - August 05, 1964

It was observed at Lima, Peru on lease to Galaxy Trading Corportation - April 1966

Reregistered as N4192A - September 07, 1966

Registered to California Airmotive Corporation

Sold to Lee J. Matherne - February 27, 1968

Flown to Lisbon, Portugal with bogus registration 'ZP-TBV' - March 17, 1968

Painted with bogus 'Transcontinental Airlines SA' titles and Panamanian flag with intention

of securing work on the Biafran Airlift

It was observed stored at Miami, Florida with Transcontinental titles but no registration - June 13, 1968

Reregistered as N442LM - August 23, 1968

Leased to Bolivian Airways TABSA - 1969

Sold to Lance W. Dreyer - December 15, 1969

Reregistered as N11SR - September 24, 1970

Transferred to Transnational Cargo Inc (a Dreyer company) - October 15, 1970

Transferred to Unum Inc (a Dreyer company) - July 30, 1971

Aircraft stored at Port of Spain, Trinidad - 1971 to 1973

Sold to Transglobal Leasing Inc - October 26, 1973

Ferried Port of Spain - Fort Lauderdale - 1973

Sold to PM Leasing Inc (Captain Duncan Baker) - October 11, 1974

Registered to PM Leasing Inc, London - November 06, 1974

Operated freight charter flight from Miami to South America

Operations were transferred from Miami to London - 1975

Ferried Fort Lauderdale - Brussels - March 14 - 15, 1975

Ferried Brussels - Jersey - March 16, 1975

Leased to Lanzair (Channel Islands) - March 28, 1975

It arrived at Athens on three engines with load of tobacco destined for Sudan - April 1975

It was ferried Athens - Nimes, France for engine change, leaving cargo at Athens

It arrived at Athens to collect the off-loaded cargo of tobacco - June 18, 1975

The Greek Authorities deemed that this tobacco had been imported illegally and it was confiscated

The aircraft returned empty to Nimes, France

Lanzair became embroiled in a legal dispute following its departure from Shannon - July 04, 1975

Its cargo consisted of a load of calves destined for Venice

Airport Authorities tried to block the aircraft's departure due to incorrect documentation of the flight

Paperwork was subsequently proved to be in order but local media had a field-day over the incident

Wing tip tanks from ex Qantas 1049 'VH-EAP' were acquired from California Airmotive - September 1975

Two new engines and wing-tip tanks fitted by Shannon Repair Services - October 1975

The aircraft diverted to Casablanca with a failed engine on a flight to Nigeria - November 1975

It was temporarily abandoned at Casablanca pending resolution of diplomatic problems and engine rectification

following its unannounced arrival which were finally resolved - March 1976

It departed Jersey for Athens to commence contract to transport prefabricated fibreglass buildings

to Kuwait and Damascus twice a month - June 08, 1976

Departed Athens with cargo of pre-fabricated fibreglass buildings - June 18, 1976

During take-off nosewheel tyres broke up and precautionary landing made at Kuwait in sandstorm

Due to alleged irregularities associated with the flight a heavy fine was imposed on Lanzair

As a result the aircraft was abandoned at Kuwait City Airport

This aircraft was considered for reclaiming with a view to preserving it in Australia as being the last

remaing Qantas Super Constellation - July 1981

It was inspected by a licenced Kuwait Airways engineer but it was deemed to be beyond restoration to flying

condition and that it would require surface transportaion if movement was to occur

Cancelled from the United States Aircraft Register - April 1982

Inspected by Stephen Piercey at Kuwait City - May 02, 1982

Although the aircraft was complete it had suffered some external damage and the interior was covered in sand

It was to be auctioned on this date with the intent of the new owner to use it as a restaurant

It was reported that the aircraft had been purchased by the Ministry of Defence for training purposes - June 1983

It was reported in 1991 that the aircraft had remained intact and had been used for fire-fighting drills

until the airport was bombed during the 1991 Gulf War

Cancelled from the United States Register - June 26, 2009