Originally ordered by Northwest Orient Airlines as a 1049E-55 Constellation but it was not taken up - 1954

The order was instead completed for Qantas Airways as a 1049E-55-118

Entered onto Australian Aircraft Register as VH-EAK - September 24, 1954

Registered to Qantas Empire Airways Ltd, Sydney

First flown - January 04, 1955

The U. S. Certificate of Export 'E-27659' issued - January 11, 1955

Accepted by Qantas Airways at Burbank, California - January 12, 1955

The aircraft was named 'Southern Mist'

Departed Burbank, California on the delivery flight to Australia - January 15, 1955

It arrived at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) on completion of the delivery flight - January 17, 1955

Delivery route: Burbank - Honolulu - Nadi - Sydney

Flight time: 29 hours 16 minutes

Entered Qantas service on the Sydney - San Francisco route - February 02, 1955

Withdrawn from service to be modified to L-1049E-01-55 standard - 1956

Underwent overhaul and the fitment of weather radar - April 04 to May 05, 1957

Operated a courtesy flight Sydney - Port Moresby becoming first L-1049 to land there - January 20, 1959

Operated the first Hong Kong - Singapore - Jakarta service on lease to Malayan Airways - March 06, 1960

Operated the inaugural L-1049 Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Noumea service - March 18, 1960

Departed Sydney for Mauritius to upload passengers from the crashed L-1049 VH-EAC - August 25, 1960

Leased to Tasman Empire Airways Limited - December 23, 1960

The lease was to cover the airline's Lockheed Electra fleet as they were modified in the U. S. under the LEAP program

Returned to Qantas Airways at end of the lease - March 1961

Ferried Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Perth where it was based to operate Qantas services - June 10, 1961

Ferried Perth - Sydney on completion of its Western Australia based operations - July 26, 1961

Departed Sydney on final Qantas service (migrant charter) - January 15, 1963

Sold to Boeing Aircraft Company as a trade-in on the Boeing 707s - February 02, 1963

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - February 02, 1963

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as 'N9717C' - February 02, 1963

No official F.A.A. records exist that show an 'N' registration for this airframe

Departed Sydney the on ferry flight to the United States (Captain J. G. Morton) - February 02, 1963

It arrived at Burbank on completion of the ferry flight - February 04, 1963

Ferry route: Sydney - Nadi - Honolulu - Burbank

Had flown 20,680 hours 24 minutes to date

Sold to California Airmotive Inc for spares - 1963

It was observed in a parking lot near Burbank minus outer wings and tail - December 1964

It was still present at Burbank - 1969

California Airmotive cancelles 'N9717C' from the United States Aircraft Register - July 12, 1970

The construction number quoted on this cancellation corresponds to this airframe

Final scrapping occured - ?