"Connie, I'd like to say: Do your best by appearing so beautiful as you are to get you in the air again…."  Peter J. Marson, Lockheed historican
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Some more photo's of the HARS Connie: click here

ISBN 0-9750061-0-X
by Gary R Squire
Gary Squire's long-awaited story of the HARS Connie is now available. Gary has been intimately involved in the project from the beginning, so he is the ideal person to write this compelling story.
Appendices include reproductions of the various official documents which facilitated Connie's historic flight to Australia. There are also technical specifications and a listing of all Connies currently flying worldwide. If you are interested in Connies, this book will not disappoint. "Bringing Connie Home" is highly recommended.
For more info: see adastron
 

Visit the site of Adastron for ordering a superb poster of the HARS-Connie
Adastron

Active Australian Queen of the Skies!

Australia, 2005- The Avalon International Airshow is held every two years at Avalon Airport, near Geelong, Victoria Australia. This year’s show was held just prior to Easter and once again, the H.A.R.S owned and operated C121C/L1049F Super Constellation, VH-EAG, was one of the more popular attractions.

Resplendent in its Qantas prop era livery, “Connie” as she is know down under, attracted large crowds when on the ground and not many eyes were turned away from her when she was in the air.

Organizers of the Avalon Airshow stage a spectacular night show at the event and the sight of “Connie” in flight, blue engine exhaust flares streaming out behind into the night, was something to behold.  John Dow (Thanks, John!)made an interesting video with spectacular night shots (size is app. 4,5 Mb).

VH-EAG is still a “young airplane”, having flown just 15,000 hours in USAF service and some 500 additional hours since her arrival down under. The biggest problem that HARS now faces to keep VH-EAG airborne in the future, is the lack of Australian Government licenced ground engineers with Super Connie certification, who can sign her off as airworthy. All those with the relevant certification and knowledge, are in their senior years and once they are gone, then her flying days will come to an end.

Text and photo's by David Wood.
 

On the web

Qantas owned a lot of Connies of the type L-749 and L-1049 and flew many long distance-routes with the Queen of the Skies.  In 1947 the first Australian Connie came in service and Qantas was one of the first Speedpak operators. In December 1947 the Kangaroo Route  started: it was the longest scheduled airline service in the world without a change of aircraft. Australia's Overseas Airline was also Royal Mail Carrier. In May, 1963 the last flight with a Qantas Super Connie was made. In the 16 years Qantas operated the Connies, never a fatal accident took place.

Visit the Australian Connie pages of Adastron.com for many details and beautiful pictures.

Picture: Paul Piko 2001

Any suggestions for making this place better? © Frank Sangers 2005, 
The Netherlands
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Considered obsolete and of no further use, storage maintenance ceased in 1981 and as a result was designated of scrap value only. In addition most of the engine accessories and instruments had been cannibalised. Failure to re-seal the aircraft after an inspection permitted access to legions of birds to nest and foul the interior over many years. This in turn discouraged the scrap metal merchants from bidding on the aircraft due to the infestation of guano and the subsequent imperfections that it would cause in the smelting of the aluminium.

In November 1991, HARS started  restoration and delivery to Australia. Relying solely on volunteer labour and aiming at a high standard of restoration and serviceability, the project was to take five years.

The restoration work commenced in May, 1992 at Pima Air & Space Museum and in September, 1994 the Super Constellation took to the air after nearly eighteen years on the ground. Another solid year of work was required to prepare the aircraft for the Pacific crossing and in late 1995 final flight training was undertaken.

February 1996 the Super Constellation VH-EAG arrived in Sydney after an incident free crossing of 39.5 hours flying time. Stops on the delivery flight to Australia were made at Oakland, Honolulu, Pago Pago and Nadi.

(Thanks to HARS).

Visit the site of HARS: Historical Aircraft Restoration Society, the owner of the Australian Connie. Contains a lot of information!




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