|
|
|
|
|
|
VH-TAQ. Convair 240-5. c/n 64. Was also registered as: N9853F; G-AOFC; JA-5048; LN-IUA; N556R; N3338N; N295M. |
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 Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-TAQ - March 24, 1948 Registered to Australian National Airlines Commission, Melbourne Construction completed at the San Diego plant - August 21, 1948 Accepted by Trans-Australia Airlines at San Diego - August 25, 1948 Departed San Diego on the delivery flight to Australia - August 26, 1948 It arrived at Melbourne (Essendon) on completion of the delivery flight - September 07, 1948 Delivery route: Tulsa - Chicago - Montreal - Goose Bay - Bluie West One - Keflavik - London - Rome - Cyprus - Basra - Karachi - Delhi - Calcutta - Rangoon - Singapore - Makasar - Darwin - Alice Springs - Melbourne The aircraft was named 'John Forrest' Operated its first revenue service Melbourne (Essendon) - Brisbane - October 18, 1948 Fitted out with a V.I.P. interior for the Royal Tour - 1954 Operated its final revenue service - August 05, 1956 Withdrawn from service and stored at Melbourne (Essendon) pending its sale Sold to Trans Arabia Airlines - August 16, 1956 Entered onto the United States Aircraft register as N9853F - ? Departed Melbourne (Essendon) on the ferry flight to Lebanon - August 16, 1956 It arrived at Beruit on completion of the ferry flight - August 21, 1956 Ferry route: Melbourne - Alice Springs - Darwin - Sourabaya - Singapore - Bangkok - Calcutta -Delhi - Karachi - Sharjar - Bahrain - Beruit Flown to Zurich for overhaul with Swissair Sold to Wm C. Wold Associates - September 06, 1956 Entered onto the British Aircraft Register as G-AOFC (CofR R5682/1) - September 12, 1956 Registered to His Excellency Sheikh Abdulla al Mubarak al Subah, Kuwait The aircraft was named 'Kuwait Emirate Special' Sold to Sheikh al Subah t/a Trans Arabia Airways - September 28, 1956 Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - September 28, 1956 Cancelled from the British Aircraft Register - July 08, 1958 Sold to Japan Arabian Oil Company - August 09, 1958 Entered onto the Japanese Aircraft Register as JA-5048 - August 09, 1958 Sold to the International Drilling Company - December 25, 1958 Cancelled from the Japanese Aircraft Register - ? Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N5550A - ? Sold immediately to Norronafly, Norway - December 1958 Entered onto the Norwegian Aircraft Register as LN-IUA - ? Sold to Beldex Corporation - June 15, 1960 Cancelled from the Norwegian Aircraft Register - ? Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N556R - ? It was reregistered N3338N - July 27, 1961 Sold to R. O. Naegele trading as Nagley Advertising - July 28, 1961 Sold to Rialto Company, San Francisco - December 26, 1962 Sold to Magnavox Company - November 18, 1963 It was reregistered as N295M - ? Sold to AirResearch Aviation Co - May 14, 1971 Sold to Carolina Aircraft Corporation - May 28, 1971 Leased to Diversified Marketing Inc - September 20, 1971 Sold to LAX Electronics, Cartaret, NJ - August 24, 1973 Sold to Wilgren Electronics Corporation, Cartaret, NJ - November 18, 1974 Sold to National Equipment Rental Ltd, New York - March 27, 1975 Sold to Aviation International Resources Inc, Stratford, Connecticut - May 02, 1977 Sold to the Airplane Store then resold same day to Providence Air Charter - October 14, 1981 Sold to T.W. Hunt, Guildford, Connecticut - April 15, 1983 Operated by Combs Freightair - June 1983 Sold to Air Safaris Inc, San Jose, California - January 23, 1986 Sold to M.B.M. Aircraft Leasing & Sales Inc, Miami, Florida - August 1991 Sold to Bahama Air Ferries Inc, Daytona Beach, Florida - April 17, 1995 Leased to Trans Florida Airlines Inc - April 1995 The aircraft was now used as a freighter Operated its final revenue service - September 12, 1999 It had flown 30,552 hrs 49 min Withdrawn from service and placed in storage at Daytona Beach Broken up for scrap at Daytona Beach, Florida - 2003 |
 |
VH-TAQ. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - 'John Forrest' in the original livery at San Diego Airport, date unknown. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1029-131.) |
 |
VH-TAQ. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - 'John Forrest' in the original livery over New Zealand, date unknown. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1029-018.) |
 |
VH-TAQ. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - 'John Forrest' in the original livery over New Zealand, date unknown. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1029-235.) |
 |
VH-TAQ. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - 'John Forrest' in the revised livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, date unknown. (B. Colledge Copyright Image 1029-075.) |
 |
VH-TAQ. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - 'John Forrest' in the revised livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, date unknown. (B. Colledge Copyright Image 1029-092.) |
 |
N295M. Magnavox - in the standard livery at Indianapolis Airport, May 30, 1968. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1029-203.) |
 |
N295M. Bill's Playpen - in the standard livery at an unknown airport, January 1975. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1029-202.) |
 |
N295M. Air Safaris - in the standard livery at San Jose Airport, March 1990. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1029-082.) |
 |
N295M. Air Safaris - in the standard livery at San Jose Airport, November 1992. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1029-058.) |
 |
N295M. Air Safaris - in the standard livery at Miami Airport, February 1995. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1029-266.) |