This aircraft was part of an original order for 20 airframes placed by Western Airlines but was not taken up

Convair offered these aircraft to other interested airlines providing they accepted the Western specifications

Trans-Australia Airlines agreed to purchase five of these aircraft for $US 260,000

This aircraft was constructed at the San Diego plant

Construction was completed - September 21, 1948

Entered onto Australian Aircraft Register as VH-TAS - October 08, 1948

Registered to Australian National Airlines Commission, Melbourne

Departed San Diego on the delivery flight to Australia - October 1948

It arrived at Melbourne (Essendon) on completion of the delivery flight - October 24, 1948

Delivery route: San Diego - Tulsa - Chicago - Montreal - Goose Bay - Narssaq - Keflavik - London - Rome -

Nicosia - Basra - Karachi - Delhi - Calcutta - Rangoon - Singapore - Makasar - Darwin - Alice Springs - Adelaide -

Melbourne

The aircraft was named 'James Cook' and later 'Thomas Mitchell'

Operated its first revenue service - November 03, 1948

Established a speed record for flight Melbourne (Essendon ) - Hobart of 74 minutes - March 27, 1954

Operated its final revenue service - June 22, 1956

Withdrawn from use and stored at Melbourne (Essendon) Airport

Sold to Pakistan International Airlines - July 04, 1956

Departed Melbourne (Essendon) on the ferry flight to Pakistan - July 07, 1956

It arrived at Karachi on completion of the ferry flight - July 08, 1956

Ferry route: Melbourne - Alice Springs - Darwin - Sourabaya - Singapore - Bangkok - Rangoon - Calcutta -

New Delhi - Karachi

Cancelled from Australian Aircraft Register - July 13, 1956

Entered onto the Pakistan Aircraft Register as AP-AHS - ?

Sold to N.V. Fokker as a trade for Pakistan International Airlines Friendship - October 17, 1959

Entered onto the Dutch Aircraft Register as PH-NLP - ?

Operated by Euravia Air Charter N.V.

Sold to Beldex Corporation - July 06, 1960

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N559R - ?

Ferried to St Louis for fitment of executive interior by Remmert-Warner

Sold to Peabody Coal Company, St Louis - January 06, 1961

Sold to Louis Larramore, California - September 30, 1961

Reregistered as N559L - ?

Sold to Beldex Corporation - May 11, 1962

Reregistered as N568R - ?

Sold to Stephens Inc, Little Rock, Arizona - February 14, 1963

Sold to Little Rock Airmotive, then to Faberge Inc - September 21, 1970

Reregistered as N396CG - ?

Sold to Western Commander Inc - August 22, 1972

Ownership was transferred to Western Leasing Corporation - August 23, 1972

Sold to the Summa Corportation (Howard Hughes) - August 21, 1974

Sold to Kings Point Corporation, Las Vagas - February 25, 1977

Sold to Gemini Management Corporation, Tulsa, Oklahoma - November 09, 1977

Sold to H. A. Cousins, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan - July 24, 1980

Cancelled from the United States Aircraft Register - February 20, 1981

Placed in storage at Pontiac Airport, Michigan

Restored to the United States Aircraft Register as N396CG - ?

Sold to C & M Airways Inc, Longview, Texas - August 25, 1989

Sold to Garr Aero Inc, Stillwater, Oklahoma - November 29, 1989

Sold to R. Stevenson, Haskell, Oklahoma - January 05, 1990

Sold to Gunnell Aviation Inc, Santa Monica, California - June 1991

Sold to E. A. Schnepf, Tucson, Arizona - October 29, 1993

Used as a personal transport by singer Glenn Campbell

Withdrawn from service and stored at Camarillo Airport, California as non airworthy - 1999

Reportedly being held in storage for a Camarillo museum since 2003

Acquired by California Air Heritage Foundation - August 2009

It was observed being dismantled at Camarillo Airport - August / October 2010

Aircraft to be displayed at Proud Bird Restaurant near Los Angles Airport - 2011

Current status - ?

VH-TAS. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - 'James Cook' in the original livery at an unknown location, date unknown.

(E. D. Daw Collection Copyright Image 1029-024.)

VH-TAS. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - 'James Cook' in the original livery at an unknown location, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1029-134.)

VH-TAS. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - 'James Cook' in the revised livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, date unknown.

(E. Coates Collection Copyright Image 1029-141.)

VH-TAS. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - 'James Cook' in the revised livery at an unknown airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1029-033.)

N396CG. Garr Aero Inc - in the standard livery at an unknown airport, November 1989.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1029-140.)

N396CG. Gunnell Aviation - in the standard livery at Sacramento Metro Airport, June 1991.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1029-062.)

N396CG. E. A. Schnepf - in the Gunnell Aviation livery at Tucson Airport, July 1993.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1029-063.)