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Construction
began as type 649-84-12 for Eastern Airlines. |
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Allocated
to KNILM as type 649-79-22 later updated to 749-79-22. |
25SEP47
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Delivered
ex Lockheed to KLM as type 749-79-33. |
01OCT47
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Registered
PH-TET to KLM and named "Tilborg". |
07APR54
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Re-registered
to KLM as PH-LDT by which time it had been converted to
type 749A. |
11JUN57
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Noted
at London Heathrow operating an Air Ceylon flight. |
09MAR58
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Noted
at London Heathrow operating an Air Ceylon flight. |
SEP60
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Withdrawn
from service by KLM having accumulated just over 30,000
hours in KLM service. Later cocooned at Schiphol awaiting
sale. |
62
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Flown
to San Jose, Costa Rica for the fitment of a large forward
cargo door by Servicio Aeromantenimiento de Latina America
(SALA) |
16MAR64
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Registration
PH-LDT was cancelled. |
01APR64
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Sold
to Donald G. Gilbertson. |
15APR64
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Re-registered
as TI-1045P. The Costa Rican registration was to facilitate
a ferry flight to the US as the Dutch Certificate of Airworthiness
had lapsed. |
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Ferried
from San Jose to Burbank, California by Donald G. Gilbertson
for modifications including the fitment of weather radar. |
06MAY64
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Arrived
at Fairbanks from Burbank via Seattle. |
06MAY64
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CAB
files state that Wien Alaska acquired the aircraft from
Minor Spelhaug (Donald Gilbertson's father-in-law) on this
date. |
27JUL64
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Registered
N7777G to Donald G. Gilbertson and leased to Wien Alaska
Airlines and named "Arctic Liner Arlis". The aircraft
had been acquired because it had the necessary range to
service a U.S. Navy contract to re-supply a floating ice
station "Arlis II" which was drifting in the Arctic
Ocean. Having determined that it would be unwise to land
the aircraft on the ice, it was fitted with a roller bed
air delivery system but only one flight was made before
the U.S. Navy took over the operation. This limited the
usefulness of the Connie but it continued to be operated
on Wien routes, often fitted with a ventral Speedpak. |
30SEP64
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Wien
Alaska Airlines purchased the aircraft. |
JAN66
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The
airline traded as Wien Air Alaska from this date. |
66
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Believed
withdrawn from service at the end of summer 1966 and stored
at Fairbanks. |
01APR68
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Ownership
transferred to Wien Consolidated Airlines on the merger
of Wien and Northern Consolidated Airlines but the aircraft
remained in storage until sold. |
24SEP68
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Sold
to Tex-Hou Inc. of Houston. |
27SEP68
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Sold
to Sky Leasing Inc.of New Orleans. |
06OCT68
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Ferried
Fairbanks-Seattle-Houston. |
69
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During
March to May 1969 leased to lingerie firm Pennyrich. |
23JUN69
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Sold
back to Tex-Hou Inc. of Houston. |
05DEC69
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Sold
to CHS Leasing Inc.of Houston. |
29DEC70
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Sold
to CJS Air Cargo Inc of Houston. |
07MAR72
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Sold
to Unum Inc. (a Lance Dreyer company) |
MAY72
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Noted
at Miami having been repainted in the familiar red and yellow
colour scheme but devoid of registration or other markings. |
13AUG72
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Leased
to Fun Leasing Inc. for a flight from Miami to Kenai, Alaska
via New Orleans and Seattle. |
SEP72
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By
this time the aircraft had returned to Miami from where
it operated to various destinations regularly crewed by
Captain Jim Carlin, First Officer Brooks Moore and Flight
Engineer Leroy Stewart. |
NOV72
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From
November to December 1972 several long distance flights
were made to destinations including Lima, La Paz, Managua
and Guatemala City. The aircraft continued to carry multiple
unserviceabilities while also attracting the attention of
the FAA. |
12DEC72
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Registration
N173X applied for but not taken up. |
02JAN73
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Sold
to Air Cargo International Inc. (a Lance Dreyer company) |
02FEB73
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Operated
a flight from Houston to Miami. Owner shown as Transnational
Cargo Inc. (a Lance Dreyer company) |
FEB73
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Leased
to Sunday Promotions of Houston to carry lighting and sound
gear for the Rolling Stones rock group's Far East Tour. |
06FEB73
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Departed
Long Beach for Honolulu with Rolling Stones stage gear.
Complete itinerary. |
24MAR73
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Returned
to Los Angeles on completion of the Rolling Stones tour. |
06NOV73
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A
lease/purchase agreement was signed between Air Cargo International
and Lanzair (Channel Islands) Ltd. |
05DEC73
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Departed
Miami for Amsterdam with a load of produce. The aircraft
was subsequently grounded at Amsterdam with engine problems. |
18FEB74
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Departed
Amsterdam for Coventry, UK where further repairs were carried
out. |
07MAR74
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Positioned
to Dublin to operate a livestock charter to Tripoli for
Livestock International. |
08MAR74
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Departed
Dublin for Tripoli. |
10MAR74
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Returned
to Dublin empty. The aircraft was grounded at Dublin pending
inspection by the FAA. |
MAY74
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The
aircraft was to be used on oil-related charters from Southend
but this never eventuated because of a legal dispute over
the ownership of the aircraft. |
06MAY74
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Ownership
transferred to Unum Inc. |
26JUL74
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Lanzair
began High Court proceedings in Dublin seeking a lien on
the aircraft to protect Lanzair's investment in repairs. |
22SEP75
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The
FAA placed a lien on the aircraft for multiple violations
on 19SEP72, 21NOV72 and 05FEB73 to 04APR73. The latter period
includes the Rolling Stones tour and, it is believed, subsequent
drug flights. |
77
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In
late 1977 ownership was transferred to Air Cargo International
Inc. |
DEC77
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As
Lanzair had lost all interest in the aircraft, the High
Court in Dublin lifted the injunction on N7777G. This enabled
the aircraft to leave Dublin but it was still subject to
the FAA lien. |
MAY80
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The
aircraft was inspected by Clyden Airways who found three
engines to be unserviceable. |
MAR82
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Sold
to Aces High Limited who intended to use the aircraft for
film work. |
12MAY82
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Re-registered
G-CONI. The registration was never painted on the aircraft
and restoration was abandoned when film work did not eventuate. |
JUN83
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Sold
to the London Science Museum for £45,000. |
22AUG83
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The
dismantled aircraft arrived at the Science Museum facility
at Wroughton having been transported from Dublin by road
and sea. |
09SEP84
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The
restored aircraft was made available for viewing at Wroughton.
The aeroplane carries sixties period Trans World Airlines
livery but retains the registration N7777G. |