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VH-EAP. Lockheed 1049G-82 Constellation. c/n 4680.
Was also registered as: N9723C.
This aircraft was built as a Lockheed L-1049G-82-153 Constellation for Qantas Airways - 1957 First flown - November 08, 1957 It was accepted by Qantas Airways at Burbank - November 19, 1957 Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-EAP - November 20, 1957 Registered to Qantas Empire Airways Ltd, Sydney Departed San Francisco on the proving flight New York - Gander - London (Heathrow) - return - November 23, 1957 Departed Burbank, California on the delivery flight to Australia - December 03, 1957 It arrived at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) on completion of the delivery flight - December 05, 1957 Delivery route: San Francisco - Honolulu - Sydney The aircraft was named 'Southern Zephyr' Entered Qantas service Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Hong Kong (Kai Tak) - December 30, 1957 Flew the inaugural round-the-world service via the 'Kangaroo' route - January 14, 1958 to January 20, 1958 Total flying time for this flight was 128 hours Operated its final revenue service Sydney - Johannesburg - Sydney - October 03, 1959 Sold to Lockheed Aircraft Corporation - October 23, 1959 Had flown 5,765 hours 16 minutes with 916 cycles to date Departed Sydney (Kingsford Smith) on the ferry flight to the United States - October 25, 1959 Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - November 05, 1959 Entered onto the United States 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California - May 1971 Participated in an unlimited air race meeting at San Diego, California - July 18, 1971 It was withdrawn from further pylon racing after this event and returned to storage at Burbank Prepared for a movie role and had a 'Concorde' like nose attached with 'Global' titles added - November 1971 Registered to Stereo Vision International Inc - October 02, 1972 Made several short flights in connection to the proposed movie, which was later abandoned - November 1972 Returned to California Airmotive - November 1972 Scrapped at Burbank - July 1974 Cancelled from the United States Aircraft Register - January 1975 |
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VH-EAP. Qantas - 'Southern Zephyr' in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, January 14, 1958. Preparing to depart on the 'Round-The-World' inaugural service. (Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1802-206.) |
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VH-EAP. Qantas - 'Southern Zephyr' in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, January 14, 1958. (Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1802-208.) |
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VH-EAP. Qantas - 'Southern Zephyr' in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, January 14, 1958. (Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1802-207.) |
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VH-EAP. Qantas - 'Southern Zephyr' in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, January 14, 1958. (Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1802-209.) |
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VH-EAP. Qantas - 'Southern Zephyr' in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, January 14, 1958. (Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1802-210.) |
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VH-EAP. Qantas - 'Southern Zephyr' in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, January 14, 1958. (Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1802-137.) |
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VH-EAP. Qantas - 'Southern Zephyr' in the standard livery at San Francisco Airport, date unknown. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1802-025.) |
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VH-EAP. Qantas - 'Southern Zephyr' - First Class cabin, circa 1959. (Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1802-138.) |
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VH-EAP. Qantas - 'Southern Zephyr' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, circa 1959. (Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1802-155.) |
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VH-EAP. Qantas - 'Southern Zephyr' in the standard livery at an unknown airport, date unknown. (Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1802-174.) |
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VH-EAP. Qantas - 'Southern Zephyr' in the standard livery at an unknown airport, date unknown. (Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1802-174A.) |
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N9723C. California Airmotive - in the standard livery with additional 'Red Baron' titles at an unknown airport, July 1971. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1802-030.) |