Originally built as an L-649-79-21 for T.W.A. but order was cancelled

Completed as an L-749-79-35 for Air India

Entered onto Indian Aircraft Register as VT-CQS - February 17, 1948

Registered to Air India

Departed Burbank on delivery flight - February 23, 1948 - arriving Bombay - March 16, 1948

Operated inaugural Bombay-Cairo-Geneva-London service - June 8, 1948

Sold to Qantas having flown 480 hours 13 min - April 20, 1951

Entered onto Australian Aircraft Register as VH-EAF - April 27, 1951

Registered to Qantas Empire Airways Ltd

Aircraft was named 'Horace Brinsmead'

Arrived Sydney at conclusion of delivery flight - April 27, 1951

Entered Qantas service on Sydney-Auckland route - May 4, 1951

Converted to L-749A-79 standard - 1951

Utilised for six Royal flights during Queen Elizabeth II's tour of Australia - March 1954

Departed on its last revenue service Sydney-London-Sydney - July 13, 1954

Sold to B.O.A.C. and departed Sydney on its delivery flight - July 23, 1954

Total time to date: 8,188 hours

Cancelled from Australian Aircraft Register - July 28, 1954

Entered onto U.K. Aircraft Register as G-ANTF - August 16, 1954

Aircraft was named 'Berkeley'

Entered B.O.A.C. service on London-Sydney arriving Sydney - October 1, 1954

Operated its last B.O.A.C. service - March 3, 1957

Placed in open storage at London's Heathrow Airport

Sold to The Babb Company departing London on delivery - December 9, 1957

Entered onto U.S. Aircraft Register as N9816F

Leased to Transocean Airlines - January 3, 1958 to June 1959

Leased to Capitol Airlines - July 1959

Repossessed by B.O.A.C. and stored at Oakland, California - July 31, 1959

Transferred to International Aircraft Services for conversion to freighter configuration - 1960

Intended lease to Alaska Airlines did not eventuate - June 1961

Stored at Bradley Field until January 1964

Entered onto U.K. Aircraft Register as G-ANTF - January 23, 1964

Leased to ACE Freighters, U.K. - February 21, 1964

Arrived Gatwick on delivery flight from Newark - February 23, 1964

Entered service with ACE Freighters - May 6, 1964

Sold to ACE Freighters - March 1, 1966

Made wheels-up landing at Aden Airport whilst on Ministry of Defence contract flight - March 8, 1966

Minimal damage was sustained and temporary repairs carried out on site before ferrying back to U.K.

Withdrawn from use and stored at Baginton, Coventry, when ACE ceased operations - September 14, 1966

Sold by tender to an unknown buyer, but remain stored at Baginton - December 1966

Cancelled from U.K. Aircraft Register - December 4, 1967

Fire destroyed most of the deteriorated aircraft at Baginton - February 1, 1970

Burnt out remains were scrapped on site - 1971

VH-EAF. Qantas - in the last livery at Melbourne's Essendon Airport, date unknown.

(B. Colledge Photograph. 1802-023.)