N11SR the L1049 with a story to tell

The Story of Constellation L1049 N11SR

The Lockheed L1049 Constellation, one of, if not the, most iconic and beautiful aircraft of all time.

Commissioned by the legendary Howard Hughes, for his airline TWA to meet the need for long-haul worldwide operations.

The design evolved in the late 1940s and 1950s, notably its ‘Dolphin’ fuselage that curves upward at the rear to raise the triple tail (chosen to fit in hangars of the day) out of the prop wash, and slightly downward at the front, and with those long spindly gear legs, needed for ground clearance due to the large propellers, resulted in one of the best performing and beautiful aircraft of the time.

N11SR was manufactured by Lockheed in 1955 for Qantas Empire Airways, it was registered as VH-EAB and given the name ‘Southern Horizon’ by Qantas. Up until 1963, VH-EAB operated passenger and freight services throughout the world for Qantas. During this time with Qantas VH-EAB carried the Olympic Flame from Athens to Darwin for the 1956 Melbourne Games and later that same year brought Hungarian refugees to Australia following the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. VH-EAB was eventually retired by Qantas and sold into the USA, being ferried to Miami in March of 1963.

The year 1963 started a somewhat colourful period for the aircraft, being operated by a succession of US operators and several N registrations. At one period in 1968, it was painted in bogus markings and flown to Africa for use in the Biafran Airlift. Finally, during 1970 the aircraft was registered as N11SR and in 1974 the aircraft was bought by PM Leasing, given the name ‘Janet’ and used for long-haul freight operations.

During March 1975 N11SR started a connection with Jersey, being ferried, Fort Lauderdale-Brussels-Jersey, and being leased to Lanzair (Channel Islands). Lanzair started a period of interesting worldwide freight operations, however, N11SR spent most of its time on the ground at various airfields, awaiting the next charter, the word charter being used liberally as it was believed Lanzair employed the ‘One dollar contract’ wheeze, where the aircraft was sold to the charterer for one dollar, the aircraft and flight now became a private flight, being sold back to Lanzair after the charter for one dollar. Somewhat unorthodox, but most likely just legal, and possibly the only way considering the aircraft, to get the business done, and as far as known, Lanzair operated the aircraft in a proper and safe way.

During 1975, whilst in Shannon, N11SR was fitted with tip tanks, and by coincidence, the tanks fitted had originally been fitted to another Qantas Constellation and retained the Qantas tip tank colour.

  

Several ‘exciting’ episodes occurred during this time, and in June 1975 N11SR arrived in Athens on three engines (the Constellation had the name the best tri-motor aircraft) as engines failed regularly, the cargo was off-loaded in Athens and a three-engine ferry to Nimes for an engine change was completed. On return to Athens to pick up the cargo, the authorities deemed the cargo to have been imported illegally and confiscated the cargo. N11SR was ferried empty back to Jersey.

One incident bought Lanzair into the UK press, the aircraft was arranged to give a flypast at the 1976 Biggin Hill Air show, Captain Baker had completed three passes at low level over Biggin, but on the fourth pass the port outer engine failed in spectacular fashion, spraying engine oil and bits of the engine along the runway, that was the end of the Biggin display until the debris was cleared, and N11SR returned to Jersey on three engines (for another engine change).

  

Late 1976 and N11SR positioned empty Jersey-Athens and then on to Bahrain with cargo, this was to be the aircraft's last flight. On departure from Athens, it suffered a nosewheel failure, this for whatever reason, resulted in N11SR diverting to land at Kuwait, during a sandstorm. The authorities alleged irregularities with the flight and there was unproven speculation that bottles of whisky had been found in the tip tanks and they imposed a heavy fine on Lanzair, as a result, the aircraft was abandoned in Kuwait.

N11SR remained in the sandpit that is Kuwait for the next 15 years slowly deteriorating, until in 1991 the airfield was bombed in the 1991 Gulf War, destroying the aircraft.

However. this was not the end of the storey, for in 2007 a gift of the aircraft remains was made to the Australian Historical Aircraft Restoration Society from the Kuwait Ministry of Defence. As the aircraft had significance to Qantas, the intention of the HARS was to recover what was possible of VH-EAB ‘Southern Horizon’ and return them to Australia.

This has started, HARS and the Qantas Founders Museum volunteers with the assistance of the Defence Force, Qantas, Kuwait Embassy etc have recovered artefacts to be transported to Longreach airfield in Queensland, for display at the Qantas Founders Museum, with the exception of the wingtip tanks fuselage section and entry door which will be displayed temporarily at the Qantas headquarters in Sydney.

A small piece of Jersey aviation history to be seen in Australia.

Acknowledgement to the Stephen Piercey collection, Aussie Airliners and The Qantas Heritage Collection for the use of photographs.