VH-BZE Convair 340-51A

Originally ordered by Jorge Pasquel but order was cancelled due to the death of the purchaser

Constructed by the Convair Division of the General Dynamics Corporation, San Diego, Califoirnia

Construction completed - April 02, 1954

The aircraft was placed in storage until sold to Ansett Airways

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-BZE - February 04, 1955

Departed San Diego on the delivery flight to Australia - March 03, 1955

Arrived at Melbourne (Essendon) on completion of the delivery flight - March 09, 1955

Delivery route: San Francisco - Honolulu - Canton Island - Nadi - Noumes - Melbourne

Operated first revenue service - April 24, 1955

Leased to Butler Air Transport and flown in the Butler 'sky-blue' livery - August 05, 1958

Withdrawn from use and stored - ?

Sold to Remmert Werner Inc - February 1959

Sold to Hawaiian Airlines Finance Inc - April 20,1959

Departed Melbourne (Essendon) on the ferry flight to the United States - April 26, 1959

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - April 28, 1959

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N5511K - June 27, 1959

Converted to CV-440 then upgraded to CV-640 standard using RR Dart engines - June 27, 1966

Leased to School Bus Airlines - December 21, 1971 to June 14, 1972

Leased to Zantop Air Transport Inc as a freighter - July 1972

Sold to Chase Manhattan Bank, New York - December 12, 1974

Leased to Zantop Air Transport as the registered operator

Damaged in landing accident at Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport - January ?, 1975

Undercarriage retracted on landing resulting in the aircraft coming to rest on its belly on the runway

Pilots did not isssue an emergency call prior to landing indicating that they were unaware of the situation

Repaired and returned to service

Sold to Zantop Air Transport - March 25, 1983

Withdrawn from service and stored at Detroit Willow Run Airport - May 1994

Converted to parts and scrapped - June 1999

Cancelled from the United States Aircraft Register - August 03, 2000

VH-BZE. Ansett Airways - in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, date unknown.

(E. D. Daw Collection Copyright Image 1029-013.)

VH-BZE. Ansett Airways - in the standard livery at Brisbane Airport, circa 1955.

(E. D. Daw Collection Copyright Image 1029-011.)

VH-BZE. Ansett Airways - in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, circa 1955.

(E. Coates Collection Copyright Image 1029-127.)

VH-BZE. Ansett Airways - in the standard livery at Brisbane Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1029-180.)

VH-BZE. Ansett Airways - in the revised livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, August 1956.

(B. Colledge Copyright Image 1029-047.)

VH-BZE. Ansett Airways - in the revised livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, date unknown.

(L. Wise Copyright Image 1029-070.)

VH-BZE. Ansett Airways - in the revised livery at Brisbane Airport, November 1956.

(E. D. Daw Collection Copyright Image 1029-122.)

VH-BZE. Ansett Airways - in the revised livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, date unknown.

(L. Wise Copyright Image 1029-072.)

VH-BZE. Ansett Airways - in the revised livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, date unknown.

(L. Wise Copyright Image 1029-071.)

VH-BZE. Butler Air Transport - in the 'sky-blue' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, December 1958.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1029-042.)

VH-BZE. Butler Air Transport - in the 'sky-blue' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 1959.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1029-012.)

N5511K. Zantop International - in the standard livery at Atlanta Airport, January 1975.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1029-193.)

N5511K. Zantop International - in the standard livery at Atlanta Airport, January 1975.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1029-194.)

N5511K. Zantop International - in the standard livery at Atlanta Airport, January 1975.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1029-195.)

N5511K. Zantop International - in the standard livery at an unknown airport, April 1982.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1029-066.)

N5511K. Zantop - in the standard livery at an unknown airport, August 1987.