VH-ECA Lockheed 188C Electra

VH-ECA. Lockheed 188C Electra. c/n 2002.

Was also registered as: N359AC; HC-AVX; TI-LRM; F-OGST; N359Q; G-LOFA.

This aircraft was the first of four Electras ordered new by Qantas Airways - April 01, 1958

The order was officially announced - May 23, 1958

First flown at Burbank - September 17, 1959

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-ECA - October 30, 1959

Registered to Qantas Airways Ltd, Sydney

Departed Burbnk on the delivery flight to Australia - November 05, 1959

It arrived at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) on completion of the delivery flight - November 08, 1959

Delivery route: Burbank - San Francisco - Honolulu - Canton Island - Sydney

Flight crew: Captains K. Nicholson, Emmerick (Qantas); Captain C. Nicholson (Lockheed)

The aircraft was named 'Pacific Electra'

Operated the inaugural Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Tokyo service - December 21, 1959

Departed Sydney (Kingsford Smith) for Burbank for wing and engine mount modification - December 13, 1960

Ferry route: Sydney - Nadi - Canton Island - Honolulu - Burbank

Entered the Lockheed (LEAP) Program as LEAP #45 QEA-1 - December 19, 1960

The LEAP modifications were completed - January 18, 1961

Departed Sydney (22:03 local) on the positioning flight to Thailand as QF179001 - August 14, 1962

It arrived at Bangkok on completion of the positioning flight via Darwin - August 15, 1962

The aircraft was under charter to the Royal Thai Government for the Royal Tour of New Zealand and

Australia by the King and Queen of Thailand from August 17 to September 12, 1962

To read more about this Royal Tour please click 'HERE'

Withdrawn from service early 1967, stored at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) and advertised for immediate sale

Sold to California Airmotive / Air California - May 29, 1967

Departed Sydney (Kingsford Smith) on the ferry flight to the United States (Captain A. M. Bonney) - June 05, 1967

It arrived at Santa Ana on completion of the ferry flight - June 08, 1967

Ferry route: Sydney - Nadi - Canton Island - Honolulu - San Francisco - Santa Ana

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - June 09, 1967

The aircraft had flown 16,313:14 hours

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N359AC - June 1967

Sold to GATX-Booth Aircraft Corp and leased to Air California - November 01, 1968

Sold to Aircraft Holdings - March 19, 1969

Sold to F.B. Ayer & Associates - November 07, 1969

Withdrawn from use by Air California and stored at Fort Worth, Texas - 1970

Leased to Ecuatoriana, Ecuador - September 07, 1971

Entered onto the Ecuadorian Aircraft Register as HC-AVX - September 1971

Returned to Air California at the end of the lease - March 06, 1972

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N359AC - March 24, 1972

Stored at Miami Florida - March 1972 to December 1975

Registered to Miguel C. Acosta, Miami - 1975

Registered to MCA Leasing Inc - 1976

Leased / sold to LACSA and converted to freighter configuration - April 1976

Entered onto the Costa Rica Aircraft Register as TI-LRM - ?

The aircraft was named 'Camaquire'

Withdrawn from service and stored at Miami, Florida - August 30, 1981

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N359AC - September 1981

Registered to FBA Corp, Miami, Florida

Registered to Turbo Power Inc, Miami, Florida - October 1982

Registered to Qualley International Corp, Miami, Florida - December 1983

Registered to James B. Qualley, Miami - May 1984

It was observed with TPI International Airways titles at Montreal - September 13, 1984

Registered to JBQ Aviation Corporation, Miami - March 1985

Reregistered as 'N359Q' and operated by TPI International Airways - May 1985

It was observed at Miami with 'STAF' titles - November 1986

It was observed at Ezeiza (Buenos Aires) with Servicios de Transportes Aereos Fueginos SA - December 26, 1986

Entered onto the French Aircraft Register as F-OGST - February 11, 1987

Registered to STAF Ste Services et Transportes, Buenos Aires

It arrived at East Midlands Airport on lease to Air Bridge Carriers - October 05, 1990

Commenced operations in the standard STAF livery with Air Bridge stickers - October 09, 1990

Departed Castle Donington on return to the United States via Keflavik - September 25, 1992

Cancelled from the French Aircraft Register - ?

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N359Q - October 1992

Registered to JBQ Aviation Corp, Miami, Florida

It was observed at Miami, Florida in service with 'ALM' decals - February 19, 1993

It arrived at Coventry on delivery to Air Atlantique - November 08, 1993

Cancelled from the United States Aircraft Register - February 1994

Entered onto the British Aircraft Register as G-LOFA - February 10, 1994

Registered to Atlantic Air transport Ltd

Entered service with TNT on Stansted - Cologne route - February 15, 1994

Aircraft experienced an explosive decompression during the climb out from Berlin - July 30, 1996

The rear cargo door had opened damaging the door opening mechanism and surrounding structure extensively

Repaired and returned to service

Ferried to Coventry Airport for major overhaul - May 16, 1998

During the overhaul extensive corrosion was found and as it was beyond economical repair the aircraft was retired

Stripped for parts and scrapped with fuselage completely broken - October 2002

VH-ECA. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - at the Lockheed Burbank Plant, April 1959.

Phil Jost and Bill Thomas (Qantas Engineers) inspect the keel during construction.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1808-834.)

VH-ECA. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - at the Lockheed Burbank Plant, April 1959.

Phil Jost, Bill Thomas and Clint Banik inspect the keel during construction.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1808-835.)

VH-ECA. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - at the Lockheed Burbank Plant, April 1959.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1808-836.)

VH-ECA. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - at the Lockheed Burbank Plant, April 1959.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1808-837.)

VH-ECA. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - in the original livery at the Lockheed Burbank Plant, June 1959.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1808-838.)

VH-ECA. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - 'Pacific Electra' in the original livery at the Lockheed Burbank Plant, April 1959.

The 'Lockheed Electra' titles and the Lockheed 'star' were deleated from the aircraft at a later date.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1808-839.)

VH-ECA. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - 'Pacific Electra' in the original livery after roll-out at the Lockheed Burbank Plant, October 1959.

Present for the event from left to right: Phil Jost (Resident Qantas Engineer); Norm Heppel (Production Inspector); Frank Ward (Production Inspector); Gordon Hall (Foreman); Rolly Hill (Foreman); Bill Thomas (Production Inspector); Don Hollebon (Service Engineer); Keith Hancock (Sub-forman); Bill Pearce (Route Statetion Engineer); Ian Paton (Route Station Engineer- BOAC); Gordon Smith (Route Station Engineer); Jim Sumner (Route Station Engineer); Mick Litherland (Route Station Engineer); Bruce Scott (Systems Engineer on course at Lockheed); Norm Smith (Route Station Engineer); Don White (Route Station Engineer); Alan Woods (Sub-forman); Russell Eyres (Route Station Engineer); Denny Cary (Production Inspector).

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1808-840.)

VH-ECA. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - 'Pacific Electra' in the original livery on hand over at the Lockheed Burbank Plant, November 1959.

Present for the event from left to right: R. H. Stevens (Resident Engineer, Burbank); J. Doldissen (Production Inspector); R. Traynor (Engineer Officer): Captain K. W. Nicholson (Qantas); R. J. Yates (Technical Manager, USA): C. Halliday (Qantas First Officer): K. Weddell (Acting Procurement Supt, USA).

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1808-841.)

VH-ECA. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - 'Pacific Electra' in the revised livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 1962.

(J. Hopton Copyright Image 1808-757.)

VH-ECA. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - 'Pacific Electra' in the revised livery at an unknown airport, October 22, 1962.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1808-978.)

VH-ECA. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - 'Pacific Electra' in the revised livery at Melbourne Avalon Airport, June 1964.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1808-842.)

VH-ECA. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - 'Pacific Electra' in the revised livery at Melbourne Avalon Airport, June 1964.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1808-004.)

VH-ECA. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - 'Pacific Electra' in the revised livery at Melbourne Avalon Airport, June 1964.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1808-843.)

VH-ECA. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - 'Pacific Electra' in the revised livery at Melbourne Avalon Airport, June 1964.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1808-869.)

VH-ECA. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - 'Pacific Electra' in the revised livery at Melbourne Avalon Airport, June 1964.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1808-368.)

VH-ECA. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - 'Pacific Electra' in the revised livery at Melbourne Avalon Airport, June 1964.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1808-870.)

VH-ECA. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - 'Pacific Electra' in the revised livery at Melbourne Avalon Airport, June 1964.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1808-907.)

VH-ECA. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - 'Pacific Electra' in the revised livery at Melbourne Avalon Airport, June 1964.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1808-908.)

VH-ECA. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - 'Pacific Electra' in the revised livery at an unknown airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1808-001.)