This was the third of four Electras ordered new by Qantas - April 01, 1958

The order was officially announced - May 23, 1958

First flown - November 19, 1959

Powered by Allison 501-D13 turboprop engines

Accepted by Qantas Airways at Lockheed (Burbank) facility - November 23, 1959

Entered onto Australian Aircraft Register as VH-ECC - November 24, 1959

Registered to Qantas Airways Ltd, Sydney

Departed Burbank on the delivery flight to Australia - November 25, 1959

It arrived at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) on completion of the delivery flight - November 28, 1959

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

Flight crew: Captains C. Fox, K. Nicholson

The aircraft was named 'Pacific Endeavour'

Departed Sydney (Kingsford Smith) for Burbank for wing and engine mount modification - January 25, 1961

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

Entered the Lockheed (LEAP) Program as LEAP #73 QEA-3 - January 31, 1961

The LEAP modification program was completed - February 27, 1961

Operated the inaugural Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Wellington service (Captain J. S. Ross) - October 03, 1961

Operated the inaugural Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Auckland service (Captain J. S. Ross) - October 04, 1961

Operated the inaugural Auckland - Melbourne (Essendon) service (Captain F. S. Furniss) - October 07, 1961

Operated final revenue service with Qantas - April 17, 1965

Sold to TEAL Air New Zealand to replace the destoyed Electra 'ZK-TEC' - April 1965

Cancelled from Australian Aircraft Register - April 18, 1965

Entered onto New Zealand Aircraft Register as ZK-CLX - April 18, 1965

Registered to Tasman Empire Airways Limited, Auckland, New Zealand

Continued to operate Trans-Tasman services in the basic Qantas livery during April 1965

The aircraft was named 'Akaroa'

Sold to California Airmotive Corp - February 16, 1968

Departed Auckland on the ferry flight to the United States - February 16, 1968

Cancelled from New Zealand Aircraft Register - February 19, 1968

Sold to Reeve Aleutian Airways - February 22, 1968

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N1968R - February 1968

Leased to Northwest Territorial Airways, Canada - November 1968

Returned to Reeve on termination of the lease - ?

Involved in a controlled crash landing at Anchorage, Alaska - June 08, 1983

This was caused by the #4 propeller separating from the aircraft and striking the fuselage

as the aircraft climbed through 10,000 feet

The decompression resulted in partial collapse of the cabin floor jamming some control cables

Deprived of hydraulic braking and nosewheel steering the aircraft departed the runway on landing

It remained on its undercarriage, damage to main gear and brakes by fire was extinguished quickly

Flight crew: Captain J. Gibson; F/O G. Lintner; S/O G. Laurin

The 5 crew members and 10 passengers escaped unharmed

Flight crew awarded ALPA (American Airline Pilots Association) Superior Airmanship Award

Repaired and returned to service

Reeve Aleutian Airlines ceased operations - December 06, 2000

Sold to Air Spray, Canada following the bankruptcy of Reeve Aleutian - January 2001

Entered onto Canadian Aircraft Register as C-GHZI - ?

Reregistered to Air Spray 1967 Ltd, Edmonton, Alberta

The aircraft was stored at Red Deer, Alberta pending conversion to a water bomber - June 2001 to 2003

Converted to water bomber configuration at Chico, California

Ferried Chico - Calgary - Red Deer after conversion in the basic Reeve livery - May 12 - 13, 2004

Current with Air Spray

VH-ECC. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - 'Pacific Endeavour' in the original livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, October 03, 1961.

This was the inaugural Sydney - Wellington service. On the steps, left to right, Sir Hudson Fysh and Mr S. C. Johnston (New Zealand High Commissioner).

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1808-860.)

VH-ECC. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - 'Pacific Endeavour' in the original livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, October 03, 1961.

Captain Jock Ross boards the aircraft.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1808-871.)

VH-ECC. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - 'Pacific Endeavour' in the original livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, October 03, 1961.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1808-917.)

VH-ECC. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - 'Pacific Endeavour' in the original livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, October 03, 1961.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1808-918.)

VH-ECC. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - 'Pacific Endeavour' in the original livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, October 03, 1961.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1808-861.)

VH-ECC. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - 'Pacific Endeavour' in the original livery with the '40th Anniversay' tail logo at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, date unknown.

(E. D. Daw Collection Copyright Image 1808-343.)

ZK-CLX. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - 'Pacific Endeavour' in the original livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, April 1965.

(E. D. Daw Collection Copyright Image 1808-656.)

ZK-CLX. Air New Zealand - in the basic Qantas livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, April 1965.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1808-033.)

ZK-CLX. Air New Zealand - in the basic Qantas livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, April 1965.

(E. D. Daw Copyright Image 1808-326.)

ZK-CLX. TEAL Air New Zealand - 'Akaroa' in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, July 1965.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1808-548.)

ZK-CLX. TEAL Air New Zealand - 'Akaroa' in the standard livery at Auckland Airport, November 1965.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1808-969.)

N1968R. Reeve Aleutian - in the standard livery at Anchorage Airport, October 1974.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1808-037.)

N1968R. Reeve Aleutian - in the standard livery at Anchorage Airport, September 1976.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1808-979.)

N1968R. Reeve Aleutian - in the standard livery at Anchorage Airport, July 1982.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1808-036.)

N1968R. Reeve Aleutian - in the standard livery at Anchorage Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1808-606.)

N1968R. Reeve Aleutian - in the standard livery at Anchorage Airport, July 1990.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1808-882.)

N1968R. Reeve Aleutian - in the standard livery at Anchorage Airport, July 1991.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1808-747.)

N1968R. Reeve Aleutian - in the standard livery at Red Deer Airport, November 2001.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1808-755.)

C-GHZI. Reeve Aleutian - in the standard livery at an unknown airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1808-512.)

C-GHZI. Air Spray - in the basic Reeve Aeletian livery at an unknown airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1808-515.)

C-GHZI. Air Spray - in the basic Reeve Aeletian livery at Red Deer Airport, September 18, 2004.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1808-801.)

C-GHZI. Air Spray - in the standard livery at Red Deer Airport, June 2009.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1808-915.)