VH-RMA Lockheed 188A ELECTRA

VH-RMA. Lockheed 188A Electra. c/n 1039.

Was also registered as: N356Q; N355WS; OE-ILB; C-FBAQ.

The order for this aircraft was placed with Lockheed - December 09, 1958

First flown as VH-RMA - February 13, 1959

Accepted by Ansett-A.N.A. at Burbank, California - February 27, 1959

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-RMA - March 05, 1959

Registered to Ansett-A.N.A., Melbourne

Departed Burbank on the delivery flight to Australia - March 07, 1959

It arrived at Melbourne (Essendon) with R. M. Ansett as a passenger - March 10, 1959

Delivery route: Burbank - Las Vegas - San Francisco - Honolulu - Canton Island - Nadi - Melbourne

Flight crew: Captains A. Lane, A. Lovell, A. C. Thomson; Navigator W. C. Kennedy; F/Es M. Perry, C. Ford

The aircraft was originally configured to seat 60 First Class and 14 Economy Class passengers

Operated its first revenue service Melbourne (Essendon) - Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - March 18, 1959

Flight crew: Captains A. Lovell, A. Lane

This was the first Lockheed 188 Electra passenger service operated outside the United States

Established new record on Sydney - Brisbane sector (Captains A. Lovell, K. Nicholls) - April 06, 1959

Withdrawn from service for six days for Electra Refinement Program - June 21, 1959

During the program the engine mounts were modified under guidance of Lockheed Engineers

Tail titles were modified to read 'Electra Mk II Turbo Prop' in a single tail band - early 1960

Tail titles were again modified to the final 'twin-bands' - May 1960

Withdrawn from service and ferried to the United States for LEAP modifications arriving Burbank - April 25, 1961

Ferry route: Melbourne (Essendon) - Nadi - Canton Island - Honolulu - Burbank

Flight crew: Captain N. Murdoch, A. Thompson, D. Moodie; Navigator W. C. Kennedy; Engineer C. Ford

Entered LEAP program as LEAP # 134 - April 26, 1961

Departed Burbank on redelivery to Australia - May 20, 1961

Ferry route: San Francisco - Honolulu - Canton Island - Nadi - Melbourne

Ferry crew: Captains N. Murdoch, W. Ross, P. Longbottom, A. Lane; Navigator W. C. Kennedy

The aircraft was grounded by a Department of Civil Aviation order - July 24, 1964

This was the result of corrosion specks being found in wing of the TAA Electra 'VH-TLB'

They had been misidentified as being wing cracks and the grounding order was lifted on the Electra fleet - July 27, 1964

Registered to Ansett Transport Industries (Operations) Pty Ltd, Melbourne - December 18, 1969

Operated its final passenger service - April 28, 1971

Withdrawn from service and stored at Melbourne (Essendon) Airport

Departed Melbourne (Essendon) on the ferry flight to the United States - March 06, 1972

Ferry route: Melbourne - Port Moresby - Wake Island - Honolulu - Ontario (California)

Ferry crew: Captains B. Porter, S. Davis; Navigator W. C. Kennedy; Engineer P. Straney

The aircraft was converted to freighter configuration by Lockheed

Test flown on completion of conversion to L-188AF standard - July 18, 1972

Departed Ontario on the redelivery flight to Australia - July 22, 1972

It arrived Melbourne (Tullamarine) on completion of the ferry flight - July 25, 1972

Ferry route: San Francisco - Honolulu - Wake Island - Port Moresby - Melbourne

Ferry crew: Captains A. James, G. Backhouse; Navigator W. C. Kennedy; Engineer G. Lynch

Returned to service as freighter with Ansett Airlines of Australia Air Cargo - August 03, 1972

Operated its last freighter service Melbourne - Adelaide - Perth - Melbourne as AN950/951 - December 23, 1983

Flight crew: Captain S. Smythe; F/O K. Lumsden; F/E G. Young

Withdrawn from use and stored at Melbourne (Tullamarine) Airport pending sale

The aircraft had flown 52,937 hours with 40,509 cycles

Sold to Turbo Power International - June 29, 1984

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N356Q - ?

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - October 08, 1984

Departed Melbourne (Tullamarine) as N356Q on the ferry flight to the United States - October 12, 1984

Leased to Air Bridge - February 02, 1988

Reregistered as N355WS to Air Bridge - November 23, 1989

Reregistered as N356Q - ?

Leased to Hunting Cargo Airlines as N356Q - May 06, 1993

Returned to Renown Aviation - July 01, 1994

Wet leased to Amerer Air - November 1996

Sold to Amerer Air - August 1998

Cancelled from the United States Aircraft Register - August 22, 1998

Entered onto the Austrian Aircraft Register as OE-ILB - September 28, 1998

Registered to Amerer Air GmbH

It had flown 64,341 hours and 49,819 cycles as of July 24, 2001

Advertised for sale by Amerer Air - June 2002

Operated its last Amerer Air service Wien - Linz as TAY73P - ?

Amerer Air was advised by the Austrian C.A.A. that the CofA on this aircraft would not be renewed

Sold to Buffalo Airways, Yellowknife, NWT - October 2006

Ferried Linz - Coventry - October 27, 2006

Ferried Coventry - Reykjavik - Keflav - Iqaluit - Red Deer - Alberta - October 28, 2006

Entered onto the Canadian Aircraft Register as C-FBAQ - July 03, 2007

It was badly damaged whilst making an emergency landing at Yellowknife Airport - March 05, 2012

The starboard main landing gear had failed to lower on command during the approach to Yellowknife

The crew tried for over an hour to dislodge the malfunctioning gear

A successful landing was made on the remaining wheels but when the speed decreased the aircraft left runway

The landing run was arrested when the aircraft ploughed into a snowdrift

Number 4 propeller and gearbox were torn off, Number 3 propeller was badly damaged but remained attached to engine

The starboard wing trailing edge flaps and aileron were badly damaged but the vital wing planks were not damaged

No serious damaged was caused to the fuselage, port wing and engines

The wo pilots and three crew members were unhurt

Preliminary reports indicate that aircraft will be repaired and returned to service

It had flown a total of 68,509.9 hours

VH-RMA. Ansett-ANA - in the original livery somewhere over California, February 1959.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1808-057.)

VH-RMA. Ansett-ANA - in the original livery somewhere over California, February 1959.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1808-628.)

VH-RMA. Ansett-ANA - in the original livery at Oakland Airport, February 1959.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1808-356.)

VH-RMA. Ansett-ANA - in the original livery at Oakland Airport, February 1959.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1808-627.)

VH-RMA. Ansett-ANA - in the original livery at Burbank Airport, February 1959.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1808-888.)

VH-RMA. Ansett-ANA - in the original livery somewhere over California, February 1959.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1808-471.)

VH-RMA. Ansett-ANA - in the original livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, April 1959.

(L. Wise Copyright Image 1808-630.)

VH-RMA. Ansett-ANA - in the original livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, October 1959.

(K. Gould Collection Copyright Image 1808-611.)

VH-RMA. Ansett-ANA - in the original livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, October 1959.

(L. Wise Copyright Image 1808-631.)

VH-RMA. Ansett-ANA - in the original livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, October 1959.

(B. Colledge Copyright Image 1808-320.)

VH-RMA. Ansett-ANA - in the modified original livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, date unknown.

(K. Gould Collection Copyright Image 1808-612.)

VH-RMA. Ansett-ANA - in the final livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1808-059.)

VH-RMA. Ansett-ANA - in the final livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, June 1965.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1808-065.)

VH-RMA. Ansett-ANA - in the final livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, June 1965.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1808-068.)

VH-RMA. Ansett-ANA - in the final livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, November 1965.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1808-629.)

VH-RMA. Ansett-ANA - in the final livery at Brisbane Airport, July 1965.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1808-545.)

VH-RMA. Ansett-ANA - in the final livery at Brisbane Airport, date unknown.

(J. Wilson Collection Copyright Image 1808-333.)

VH-RMA. Ansett-ANA - in the final livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1808-474.)

VH-RMA. Ansett-ANA - in the final livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, date unknown.

(G. Bennett Collection Copyright Image 1808-708.)

VH-RMA. Ansett-ANA - in the final livery at an unknown airport, date unknown.

(G. Bennett Collection Copyright Image 1808-707.)

VH-RMA. Ansett-ANA - in the final livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1808-063.)

VH-RMA. Ansett-ANA - in the final livery minus nose titles at Melbourne Essendon Airport, date unknown.

(J. Hopton Copyright Image 1808-504.)

VH-RMA. Ansett-ANA - in the final livery at Brisbane Airport, July 1965.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1808-473.)

VH-RMA. Ansett-ANA - in the final livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, November 1966.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1808-062.)

VH-RMA. Ansett-ANA - in the final livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1808-357.)

VH-RMA. Ansett-ANA - in the final livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, January 1967.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1808-060.)

VH-RMA. Ansett-ANA - in the final livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, January 21, 1968.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1808-066.)

VH-RMA. Ansett-ANA - in the final livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, June 1968.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1808-064.)

VH-RMA. Ansett-ANA - in the final livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, date unknown.

(G. Bennett Collection Copyright Image 1808-613.)

VH-RMA. Ansett-ANA - in the final livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, January 26, 1970.

(G. Bennett Collection Copyright Image 1808-709.)

VH-RMA. Ansett-ANA - in the final livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, May 1970.

(G. Bennett Collection Copyright Image 1808-699.)

VH-RMA. Ansett-ANA - in the final livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, November 1970.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1808-710.)

VH-RMA. Ansett-ANA - in the final livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, November 1970.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1808-711.)

VH-RMA. Ansett-ANA - in the final livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, November 08, 1970.

(E. D. Daw Copyright Image 1808-067.)

VH-RMA. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'dela' livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, August 1971.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1808-069.)

VH-RMA. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'dela' livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, February 1972.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1808-070.)

VH-RMA. Ansett Airlines of Australia Air Cargo - in the 'dela' livery at Brisbane Airport, November 1974.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1808-073.)

VH-RMA. Ansett Airlines of Australia Air Cargo - in the 'dela' livery at Brisbane Airport, January 1979.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1808-074.)