This aircraft was originally built as a Lockheed 1049E-55 for Northwest Orient Airlines order but not taken up

It was completed as a Lockheed 1049E-55-118 for Qantas

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

Registered to Qantas Empire Airways Ltd, Sydney

First flown - January 22, 1955

It was accepted by Qantas Empire Airways at Burbank, California - January 26, 1955

The aircraft was named 'Southern Breeze'

Departed Burbank on the delivery flight to Australia - January 29, 1955

It arrived at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) on completion of the delivery flight - January 31, 1955

Delivery route: Burbank - Honolulu - Nadi - Sydney

Total flight time for the delivery flight - 29 hours 25 minutes

Operated its first revenue service Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - London (Heathrow) - February 16, 1955

Withdrawn from service for modification to 1049E-01-55 standard - 1956

Withdrawn from service for the fitment of weather radar - April 17, 1957

It was returned to service - May 1957

Operated its final revenue service Sydney - Port Morseby - Sydney - October 15, 1959

Sold to the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation - October 1959

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - November 10, 1959

The aircraft had flown 13,990 hours with 3,044 cycles

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N9719C - November 10, 1959

Departed Sydney (Kingsford Smith) on the ferry flight to Ontario, California (Capt J. R. Carroll) - November 11, 1959

Leased to Twentieth Century Airlines - 1959

Leased to Trans International Airlines - June 01, 1962

Sold to LANSA (Peru) - February 1964

Entered onto the Peruvian Aircraft Register as OB-R-741 - February 29, 1964

It was observed at Long Beach ready for delivery to LANSA but the deal fell through - April 1964

Cancelled from the Peruvian Aircraft Register - October 09, 1964

Sold to California Airmotive Corporation - 1964

Sold to American Flyers Airline - October 31, 1964

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N9719C - ?

The aircraft was badly damaged whilst landing at Ardmore, Oklahoma - September 20, 1965

It was making a three-engine ferry flight when the pilot overshot the wet runway and the aircraft ended up in a ditch

This accident was attributed to a poorly executed approach and landing

It was declared uneconomical to repair and was written-off and used for spares

Last reported sighting at Ardmore - August 1966