VH-EAP. Lockheed L-1049G Constellation. c/n 4680.
Built as a Lockheed L-1049G-82-153 Constellation - 1957 First flown - November 8, 1957 Accepted by Qantas at Burbank - November 19, 1957 Entered onto Australian Aircraft Register as VH-EAP - November 20, 1957 Registered to Qantas Empire Airways Ltd Departed San Francisco on proving flight to New York-Gander-London-return - November 23, 1957 Departed Burbank, California on delivery flight - December 3, 1957 Arrived Sydney at conclusion of delivery flight - December 5, 1957 Delivery route: San Francisco-Honolulu-Sydney Aircraft was named 'Southern Zephyr' Entered Qantas service on Sydney-Hong Kong route - December 30, 1957 Flew inaugural round-the-world service via the 'Kangaroo' route - January 14, 1958 to January 20, 1958 Total flying time on this flight - 128 hours Operated final Qantas revenue service Sydney-Johannesburg-Sydney - October 3, 1959 Sold to Lockheed Aircraft Corporation - October 23, 1959 Had flown 5,765 hours 16 minutes and 916 cycles to date Departed Sydney on delivery flight to Ontario - October 25, 1959 Cancelled from Australian Aircraft Register - November 5, 1959 Entered onto U.S. Aircraft Register as N9723C Leased to Resort Airlines - 1959 to June 1960 Stored at Oakland, California when Resort Airlines ceased operations Leased to Twentieth Century Airlines - August 1960 to 1961 Stored at Lockheed Aircraft Services facility at Ontario - late 1961 Used by Lockheed - June 1963 to 1970 Sold to California Airmotive / American Jet Industries - December 12, 1970 Stored at Fox Field, Lancaster, California - May 1971 Participated in an unlimited air race meeting at San Diego, California - July 18, 1971 Was withdrawn from further pylon racing after this event and returned to storage at Burbank Prepared for a movie role - had a 'Concorde' like nose attached & 'Global' titles added - November 1971 Registered to Stereo Vision International Inc - October 2, 1972 Made several short flights in connection to proposed movie, which was abandoned - November 1972 Returned to California Airmotive - November 1972 Scrapped at Burbank - July 1974 Cancelled from U.S. Aircraft Register - January 1975 |
VH-EAP. Qantas - the inaugural 'Round The World' service at Melbourne Airport, January 14, 1958. |
VH-EAP. Qantas - the crews of the inaugural 'Round The World' service at Melbourne Airport. |
VH-EAP. Qantas - the crews of the inaugural 'Round The World' service perform a march past. |
VH-EAP. Qantas - the inaugural 'Round The World' service at Melbourne Airport ready to depart. |
VH-EAP. Qantas - departing Melbourne Airport on the inaugural R-T-W service, January 14, 1958. |
VH-EAP. Qantas - in the full livery at San Francisco Airport, date unknown. |
VH-EAP. Qantas - interior view of the main cabin, circa 1959. |
VH-EAP. Qantas - in the full livery at Sydney Airport, date unknown. |
VH-EAP. Qantas - in the full livery at an unknown airport, date unknown. |
N9723C. California Airmotive - in the full livery with 'Red Baron' titles, July 1971. |