| 57 |
Built
as L-1049G-82-153.
|
| 24OCT57 |
First
flown.
|
| 25OCT57 |
CofR No
2879 issued to Qantas Empire Airways as VH-EAO.
|
| 25OCT57 |
Accepted
by Qantas as VH-EAO "Southern Aurora".
|
| 26OCT57 |
Departed
Burbank on delivery to Sydney via Honolulu.
|
| 28OCT57 |
Arrived
Sydney. This was the first time a commercial airliner had flown from Honolulu
to Sydney non-stop. Flight Time: 22:18. Total Time: 37:58. (Capt A.A.E.
Yates).
|
| 30NOV57 |
Test flown.
|
| 02DEC57 |
Entered
service (to Hong Kong).
|
| 20DEC57 |
Departed
Sydney on a round the world proving and goodwill flight. The names of the
cities on Qantas' round the world route were painted on the fuselage. (Capt
R.A. Bruce).
|
| 08JAN58 |
Returned
to Sydney.
|
| 14JAN58 |
Departed
Melbourne on Qantas' inaugural round the world service via the "Southern
Cross" route. (Capt K.D. Mears). The philatelic mail was carried from Sydney
to Sydney by VH-EAO (see flown cover above). See also VH-EAP which departed
at the same time in the opposite direction via the "Kangaroo Route".
|
| 20JAN58 |
Returned
to Sydney. Flying Time: 128 hours.
|
| 12AUG59 |
En route
San Francisco to New York, a vibration in the number four propellor was
experienced during cruise at 13,000 feet. Unable to feather the propellor,
the aircraft diverted to Lovelock, Nevada after dumping fuel. The engine
seized and shortly after, at 1,500 feet on base leg, the propellor separated.
There was no further damage and the aeroplane landed safely.
|
| 19SEP59 |
Cancelled
from Australian Register.
|
| 13OCT59 |
Sold to
Lockheed as N9722C. Total Time: 5,874:09. Landings: 932.
|
| 14OCT59 |
Departed
Sydney on delivery to Ontario. (Capt Harry Mills).
|
| 18AUG60 |
Qantas
leased the aircraft back from Lockheed because of a shortage of capacity.
Total Time: 5,903:07.
|
| 19AUG60 |
Departed
Portland on delivery to Sydney via Honolulu and Nadi.
|
| 21AUG60 |
Arrived
Sydney. Total Time: 5,934:07.
|
| 23AUG60 |
Returned
to the Australian Register as VH-EAO. Qantas re-named the aeroplane "Southern
Prodigal".
|
| 24AUG60 |
Re-entered
Qantas service (to Melbourne, Auckland, Nadi and Sydney).
|
| 31MAR61 |
Sold to
Qantas by Lockheed.
|
| 29APR61 |
Departed
Sydney for Perth where the aircraft was based until 16JUN61.
|
| 13JUL61 |
Departed
Sydney for Madrid on a ships crew and migrant charter.
|
| 27SEP61 |
Departed
Sydney for Butterworth, Malaya.
|
| 23DEC61 |
Based
in Perth until 11FEB62.
|
| 13FEB62 |
Departed
Sydney on its last Qantas service, a migrant charter.
|
| 25FEB62 |
Operated
its last training sortie to Narromine.
|
| 05MAR63 |
Cancelled
from the Australian Register. Re-registered N86682 on sale to California
Airmotive Corp. Departed Sydney on delivery to Burbank via Nadi, Honolulu
and San Francisco. Flight Time: 29:40. Total Time: 10,299:53 (Capt. S.D.
Brown).
|
| 65 |
To American
Flyers Airline Corp.
|
| NOV68 |
Returned
to California Airmotive and stored at Fox Field, Lancaster, California.
|
| 70 |
Cancelled
from the U.S. Register.
|
| NOV71 |
Only the
fuselage remained by this date. Scrapped shortly afterwards.
|
