History : Fred Niven Pages > Convairs & ASA
Convair CV-240s
Regn Type MSN Airline Start Service End Service Previous ID New ID Name
VH-TAO Convair
CV-240 -5
32 Guinea 00/00/00 00/00/00   N9313R
N18M
N2008
N331G
N278E 
John Fawkner
Notes:
Registered VH-TAO to the A.N.A.C. (t/a TAA) 24/03/48 - 40 seats. Completed 21/12/48. Delivered to Trans-Australia Airlines 30/12/48. It departed San Diego 30/12/48, on its ferry to Tulsa, Chicago-Montréal, Goose Bay, Narssaq, Keflavik to London, on its way to Australia, but didn't arrive Australia until 03/07/49, after it slid & its undercarriage collapsed on landing at Keflavik 10/01/49, during the ferry flight. Rebuilt at Keflavik. Named 'George Bass', later 'Abel Tasman', 'John Fawkner' & 'John Batman'.

Wet-leased to Guinea Airways, for a few days, dates unknown, to cover maintenance on VH-TAR & operated in full TAA colors.

Returned to TAA.

It was withdrawn from service by TAA 10/07/59.

Sold to Beldex Corp., MO, USA, 25/11/59, via Remmert Werner & registered N9313R. It departed Melbourne 25/11/59, via Alice Springs, Darwin, Djakarta, Bangkok, Calcutta (Kolkata), Karachi, Bahrain, Khartoum, Fort Lamy, Accra, Ascension Island, Natal, Belem, Port of Spain, Kingston, Miami to Pompano Beach, arriving 06/12/59.

Struck-Off-Register 07/12/59.

Leased to Whitney Fairbanks, as N18M.
To Remmert Werner.
Bought by Monsanto Chemical Co. 06/62 & reregistered N2008.

Sold to General Dynamics 01/65 & converted to CV-600 standard in 1966; delivered 20/01/67.

To Thunderbird Airways (t/a Flying T), 02/02/67, as N331G.

To East Coast Leasing Co. 10/67, as N278E.
It was damaged beyond repair 22/08/68, at Martinsburg, WV, as a result of arson.
Purchased by Ross S. Lipscomb, Leesburg, VA, 09/68.

Scrapped at Dupage County Airport, IL, 09/68.

VH-TAR Convair CV-240-5 92 Guinea  28/07/58
31/07/59
  N9314R
N2007
N240R
N123SC
CX-BUL
John Roe
Notes:
Registered VH-TAR to the A.N.A.C. (t/a TAA) 24/03/48 - 40 seats. Completed 21/09/48.
Delivered to Trans-Australia Airlines 08/10/48, as VH-TAR 'Thomas Mitchell'.
Renamed 'William Dampier' & later 'John Roe'.

It was wet-leased from TAA, by Guinea Airways, 21/07/58, operating in TAA colors, with 'GUINEA AIRWAYS LIMITED' painted above cabin windows.

It was used to compete with Butler Air Transport on the Adelaide-Broken Hill route.

It was withdrawn from service by Guinea Airways 31/07/59 & returned to TAA 01/08/59 (3/08/59?). Withdrawn from service by TAA.

Struck-Off-Register 07/12/59.

Sold 07/12/59 to the Beldex Corp., U.S.A. & reregistered N9314R.

It was purchased by Monsanto Chemical Co. 07/12/59 & reregistered N2007.

To General Dynamics 01/65 & reregistered N240R.

It was converted to CV-600 standard in 1965.

Purchased by the Stromberg-Carlson Corp. 07/12/70 & reregistered N123SC.

Purchased by the Aviation Office of Alabama 30/01/75.

Operated by the Aviation Office of America, Beaumont, TX, USA.

To National Aero Associates, Inc. 30/01/75.
Sold to Miami Aviation Corp. 12/04/76.

Sold to Aérolíneas Colonia, Uruguay, 12/04/76 & reregistered CX-BJL.
Stored at Laguna de Los Patos, Colonia, Uruguay, 11/86.
It was reportedly a hulk in 2002.


Convair CV-340s
Regn Type MSN Airline Start Service End Service Previous ID New ID Name
VH-BZD Convair
CV-340-32
110 ANS
A-ANA
B.A.T.
04/10/54
21/10/57
03/10/58
20/10/57
02/10/58
00/02/59
(N3430)

N440W
N1846
N1846D
N5803
N900WC
(N771PR)
-
Notes:
Originally ordered by Braniff Airways, Inc. The order was cancelled & registration N3430 was NTU. Completed 26/08/53. Stored 26/10/53.

Ordered by Ansett Airways in May 1954 & purchased 10/06/54, for £400,000, including spares, after receiving Federal Government approval.

Registered VH-BZD to Ansett Airways Pty. Ltd. 21/06/54 - reportedly originally 44 passengers, but later converted to 52 passengers; although other reports state that it entered service as a 52-seater. The Ansett crew undertook conversion training with Braniff Airways, before taking delivery. The aircraft was used for local training (including take-offs & landings, night flying & instrument procedures) 06-18/07/54 at Dallas, before being flown Dallas-San Diego 21/07/54. It was flown locally at San Diego 25/07/54. It departed San Diego 05/08/54, routing via Kansas City, New York Idlewild (07/08/54), Gander, Shannon (08/08/54), London (09/08/54), Roma (10/08/54), Beirut & Bahrain (11/08/54), Karachi & New Delhi (12/08/54), Calcutta (Kolkata) & Singapore (13/08/54), Jakarta & Darwin (15/08/54), Brisbane, Sydney, arriving Essendon 16/08/54 (Captains Roy Sealey,
Alan 'Dusty' Lane, Arthur C. Thomson, George L. Brown & Navigator E.W. 'Pat' Adams). R.M. Ansett joined the aircraft for the Brisbane-Melbourne leg).

Its 1st service was Essendon-Sydney-Brisbane 04/10/54. At some stage, it was upgraded to have CV-440-type engine exhausts; but other features were never upgraded to
CV-440 standard by Ansett.

It was leased to Butler Air Transport, with the 1st Butler Air Transport service being 03/10/58, Sydney-Casino. It was withdrawn from service by Butler 02/59.

Sold to the Beldex Corp.0 1/03/59, via Remmert Werner, Inc.; departing Essendon-Nadi-Canton Is.-Honolulu-San Francisco the same day (Capts. Ken Ashmead, Bob Haxton & E.W. 'Pat' Adams, Navigator W.C. 'Bill' Kennedy& Engineer S McLean).
Struck-Off-Register 16/03/59.
On arrival in the U.S., it was reregistered N440W, converted to CV-440 standard & fitted with an executive interior, for Schenley Industries.

Reregistered N1846 to the Southern Ohio Railroad Co., 31/10/62.

To Mead Corp., Ohio.

To Air Transport Leasing Corp. & reregistered N1846D.

Purchased by Allegheny Airlines, Inc. 04/01/65.

Converted to CV-580 standard, by Pacific Airmotive Corp, Burbank, CA, beginning 06/01/65. Completed& reregistered N5803 08/04/65.

Sold to Sunny South Aircraft Service, Inc. 25/07/78.

Leased to Charter Air Corp. (t/a Charter Airlines) 25/07/78 & reregistered N900WC.
Used for Florida intrastate commuter services.
http://www.sunshineskies.net/charter.html

Leased to Mackey International Airlines, Inc., in which Charter Airlines had a controlling interest, 05/79, after the two airlines merged.
http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/664439.html

Leased to Puerto Rico International Airlines (t/a Prinair) 08/08/81, with registration N771PR NTU (N771PR was used for the ex-VH-BZG).

Purchased by Prinair 03/11/83.

Registered to Executive Car & Truck Leasing, West Palm Beach, FL, 13/02/86, after Prinair ceased operations.
It was stored at Gainesville, FL.

Purchased by Kelowna Flightcraft 03/90; for use as a source of spares.

During the early 1990s, it was scrapped.

It was officially Struck-Off-Register 05/99, as 'scrapped'.

Some of the parts were used on the prototype CV-5800, C-FKFS.

VH-BZE Convair
CV-340 -51A
171 ANS
A-ANA
B.A.T.
24/04/55
21/10/57
05/08/58
20/10/57
04/08/58
01/03/59
(XB-TUQ)

N5511K
 
Notes:
Originally ordered by Jorge Pasquel, as a CV-340-51.

Registration XB-TUQ was allocated, but was NTU, due to the death of the purchaser.
It was built as a CV-340-51A, completed 02/04/54 & stored.

It was later purchased by Ansett Airways.

Registered VH-BZE to Ansett Airways Pty. Ltd. 04/02/55 - reportedly originally 44 passengers, but later converted to 52 passengers; although other reports state that it entered service as a 52-seater..

Handed over to Ansett Airways at San Diego, CA, 24/02/55. It departed San Diego 03/03/55 San Francisco- Honolulu-Canton Island-Nadi, Noumea, Essendon; arriving Essendon 09/03/55 (Capts. Roy Sealey, John Woodgate & Navigator E.W. 'Pat' Adams).

It entered service 24/04/55.

At some stage, it was upgraded to have CV-440-type engine exhausts; but other features were never upgraded to CV-440 standard by Ansett.

It was leased to Butler Air Transport 05/08/58, to replace Ambassadors & operated in the full Butler sky-blue colorscheme.

Sold to Remmert Warner 02/59.
Resold 20/04/59 to Hawaiian Airlines Finance, Inc. It departed Essendon 26/04/59, ferrying via Nadi, Canton Island & Honolulu, arriving San Francisco 27/04/59
(Capts. Ken Ashmead, Wally Bugg & E.W. 'Pat' Adams, Navigator W.C. 'Bill' Kennedy & Engineer R. Smith).

Struck-Off-Register 280/4/59.

Reregistered N5511K to Hawaiian Airlines, Inc. 27/06/59 & given Fleet Number 30.

Converted to CV-440 standard.
Converted to Convair CV-640 standard, with Rolls Royce Dart turboprops, 27/06/66.

Leased to School Bus Airlines, Inc. 21/12/71, but repossessed by Hawaiian Airlines Finance 14/06/72.

Leased to Zantop Air Transport, Inc. Detroit, MI, 07/72, as a freighter.
Purchased by the Chase Manhattan Bank 12/12/74, but its lease to Zantop continued.

In 01/75, it was damaged in a landing accident at Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport.
The undercarriage retracted on landing; resulting in the aircraft coming to rest on its belly on the runway. The plots did not issue an emergency call prior to landing; indicating that they were unaware of the situation. It was repaired & returned to service.

It was converted to CV-640F standard in 1975.

Purchased by Zantop Air Transport 25/03/83.

Stored at Detroit Willow Run, MI, 05/95, after Zantop began converting to L-188s.

Struck-Off the U.S. Register 03/08/00, as it had been scrapped at Detroit 06/00.

VH-BZG Convair
CV-340 -36
33 ANS 16/11/56 26/06/57 N5507K N5507K
N5120?
N5100
N5127
N5127H
HR-SAY
XA-IAG
N5599J
N771PR
-
Notes:
Completed 2/12/52.
Delivered to Hawaiian Airlines, Inc., 17/12/52, as N5507K (Fleet Number '25').

Registered VH-BZG to Hawaiian Airlines (op'd by Ansett Airways Pty. Ltd.) 01/05/56 to 04/07/57.

Leased by Ansett Airways from Hawaiian 16/11/56, to handle the peak traffic for the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. It departed Honolulu 11/11/56, routing via Canton Is., Nadi & Noumea, arriving Essendon 14/11/56 (Capt. Alan 'Dusty' Lane of Ansett Airways, Capt. Bud Murray of Hawaiian Airlines & Navigator E.W. 'Pat' Adams).

It was operated, from 16/11/56, in full Hawaiian colors, with VH-BZG replacing N5507K on the tail.
It mainly operated holiday flights to Coolangatta.

It was withdrawn from service by Ansett 26/06/57.

Returned to Hawaiian Airlines, departing Essendon 27/06/57 (Capts. Alan 'Dusty' Lane & Syd Johannsen& Navigator E.W. 'Pat' Adams).

Reregistered N5507K to Hawaiian Airlines 24/07/57.
Sold to General Motors Corp (Allison Div.) 31/01/59 & reportedly reregistered N5120(?) & later N5100.
Reregistered N5127 by General Motors Corp. 01/01/59.

Converted to the CV-580 prototype, with Allison 501-D13 turboprops by Pacific Airmotive & first-flown as such
19/01/60.

To the General Motors Air Transportation Section 02/09/61.
Reregistered N5127H to General Motors Corp.11/09/70.

Sold to Servicio Aéreos Honduras SA (SAHSA) 19/05/71 & reregistered HR-SAY.

To Líneas Aéreas Unidas SA, Mexico, 02/78.
Reregistered XA-IAG 31/05/79.
http://www.airlinefan.com/airline-photos/2142946/Aerolineas-Unidos-SA/Convair/CV-580/XA-IAG/#
It was badly damaged at Puerto Escondita, Oaxaca, Mexico, 09/03/79 & sold.

To Jay Dee Aircraft Supply Co. 19/02/80 & reregistered N5599J.
Leased to Sin-Asia Air Services (Singapore) Pte. 24/06/80.
Sold to Pemberthy Lumber Company, Los Angeles, CA, 10/10/80; registered to them 17/10/80.
Leased to Pacific National Airways, Inc., Burbank, CA, in 1981, but was returned to the lessor when they ceased
operations.

Leased to Prinair, Puerto Rico, 06/82, as N5599J.
Reregistered N771PR to Prinair 08/83.
Repossessed by Pemberthy Lumber Company 06/85.
Stored at Gainesville, FL, USA 10/08/86.

Sold to Kelowna Flightcraft Air Charter in 1990, but remained stored at Gainesville, FL.
It was never placed on the Canadian Civil Register, as considerable corrosion was found.

During the early-1990s, as with the ex-VH-BZD, it was converted to parts & scrapped.

Some of the parts were used on the prototype CV-5800, C-FKFS, which was certificated late-1993; but was later scrapped.
 
     
VH-BZD – Ansett Airways (via Geoff Wilkes. Original is probably ex Ansett)  VH-BZD – Ansett Airways (Eric Allen)  VH-BZE – Ansett Airways (via Dave Ryder, photographer unknown by FN)
     
VH-BZE – Ansett-ANA (Eric Allen) VH-BZE – in early Butler Air Transport Convair scheme (source unknown). Not a great copy, but the only one I've ever seen. The real blue was light-medium. VH-BZG in Hawaiian Airlines colors (Source unknown).
 
Convair CV-440s 
Regn Type MSN Airline Start Service End Service Previous ID New ID Name
VH-BZF 1 Convair
CV-440 -97
Metropolitan
431 ANS
A-ANA
B.A.T.
ANSW
A-ANA
ANSW
A.S.A.
AASA
24/06/57
21/10/57
00/03/59
19/12/59
12/07/60
03/07/61
14/05/62
01/11/68
20/10/57 00/03/59
18/12/59
11/07/60
02/07/61
00/05/62
31/10/68
12/02/72
-






N102KA
-
Notes:
Bought new by Ansett Airways, for $US750,000. Construction was completed 15/5/57. Registered VH-BZF to Ansett Airways Pty. Ltd. 9/5/57 - 52 passengers. Handed-over & departed San Diego, CA, 31/5/57, ferrying via San Francisco, Honolulu, Canton Is., Nadi & Noumea, arriving Essendon 8/6/57 (Captain Roy Sealey &, as First Officer, Captain Alex McNaughton & Navigator E.W. ‘Pat’ Adams). Its 1st service was 24/6/57. Forced-landed at Dubbo 16/1/60, whilst operating a Sydney-Dubbo-Parkes service, when its N° 2 engine suffered a runaway propeller (Capt. Frank McClelland & F/O Ken Holden). Repaired at Dubbo & continued operate without problems.

To Butler Air Transport 3/59, in ANSETT-ANA colors, to replace CV-340s. Repainted in Butler titling. It flew Sydney-Broken Hill 11/7/60 & was handed over to an Ansett crew, for a flight to Melbourne.

Returned to ANSETT-ANA 12/7/60-2/7/61.

Returned to Airlines of N.S.W. 3/7/61.

Registered to Airlines of South Australia 14/5/62.
To Ansett Airlines of South Australia 1/11/68, but never painted in its 'Delta' livery. Registered to Ansett Transport Industries (Operations) Pty. Ltd. 25/11/69. On 25/3/71, it suffered a bird-strike on take-off from West Beach, Adelaide, damaging an engine cowling.

After the delivery of F.27 VH-FNV 7/2/72, it was retired 12/2/72, ferried Adelaide-Essendon 15/2/72 & Struck-Off-Register 27/4/73.

Sold 5/73 to Jack M. Garfinkle (t/a South East Asia Air Transport), in Bangkok. Registered N102KA to Jack M. Garfinkle (t/a South East Asia Air Transport), 4/5/73. (See also VH-INJ & VH-INL).

Leased to Khmer Akas (Cambodian Air Services- formed by Jack Garfinkle & C. E. Wrotten) 5/73, as N102KA.

A letter from Jack Garfinkle to the FAA, dated 28/4/80, advised that ATL98 N33AC (ex-VH-INJ), DC-4 N32AC (ex-VH-INL) & Convair CV-440 N102KA had been abandoned & presumed destroyed, at Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 4/75 & requested that the 3 aircraft be deregistered. However, N102KA obviously somehow escaped the Khmer Rouge at Phnom Penh & later mysteriously appeared at Bangkok Don Muang International Airport, where it sat, derelict, for many years. It was reportedly officially withdrawn from service at Bangkok Don Muang International Airport, Thailand, 2/2/78 (still in basic A.S.A. colors). It was struck off the U.S. Register 5/8/80.

It was seen, derelict, at Bangkok Don Muang International Airport 8/80. One report stated that it was broken-up at Bangkok 6/81. However, it was preserved in the gardens of the Siam Park City theme & amusement park, located in Minburi, a suburb in eastern Bangkok, as a concert stage. It was seen there at various times from 8/94 until at least 2003.

One report advised that it was seen there, minus its starboard tailplane 8/08. However, another report suggested that it was no longer at that site in 2009.

VH-BZH Convair
CV-440 -61
Metropolitan
458 ANS
A-ANA
B.A.T.
ANSW
A.S.A.
00/09/57
21/10/57
00/03/59
19/12/59
18/01/60
20/10/57
00/03/59
18/12/59
12/01/60
01/05/62
-



N8421H
N5829
N583PL
N537SA
(OO-VGB)
OO-DHB
EC-830
EC-GBF
ZS-SKL
-
-
-
-
Col William Light

Notes:
Bought new, for $US750,000. Completed 21/8/57.
Registered VH-BZH to Ansett Airways Pty. Ltd. 23/7/57 - 52 passengers.

It was delivered to Ansett Airways at San Diego, CA, 17/9/57.
Ferried the same day, but had to return to San Francisco, due to radio problems. It then ferried San Francisco-Honolulu-Canton Island-Nadi-Essendon; arriving Essendon 24/9/57 (Captains A. ‘Dusty’ Lane & John McRobbie, Navigator E.W. ‘Pat’ Adams, Engineers B. Davies & G. Stewart).

Leased to Butler Air Transport 3/59, to replace CV-340s.

To Airlines of South Australia 1/60 & named ‘Col. William Light’. Registered to Airlines of South Australia 14/2/61. It was withdrawn from service by A.S.A. 14/5/62 & ferried to Essendon.



Sold 18/05/62 to Allegheny Airlines, Inc. for $US400,000.
It departed Essendon 18/05/62, ferrying via Nadi-Canton Is.-Honolulu-San Francisco, arriving 19/05/62 (Captains Ken Cooper & J. Campbell, Navigator W.C. 'Bill' Kennedy & Engineer L. Merity). For the ferry flight, the aircraft was fitted with canvas auxiliary fuel tanks, strapped in the cabin & fuel was pumped to the main tanks.
Struck-Off-Register 21/05/62.

Reregistered N8421H 28/05/62.
http://www.pbase.com/zortek/image/95152755
http://www.abpic.co.uk/photo/1036159/

Converted to CV-580 standard by Pacific Airmotive Corp, Burbank, CA, starting 17/05/67 (MSN 111).

Delivered to Allegheny Airlines, Inc. 23/08/67 & reregistered N5829 30/08/67.

Sold to the National Bank of Detroit 29/11/76.
Leased to Evergreen International Airlines 13/5/77, as N5829 ‘Jane’.
Sold to Plymouth Leasing Co. 1/79, as N5829 ‘Jane’.

Leased to US Airways (t/a Emery Express) 6/79.
US Airways became Interstate Airlines, Inc. (t/a Emery Express) in 1979.

Reregistered N583PL to Interstate Airlines 24/6/81.
Sold to Air Traffic Service Corp. 11/6/82.
Leased to Summit Airlines, Inc. 11/83.
Sold to Corporate Air, Inc. 16/11/85, but the lease to Summit Airlines continued.

Reregistered N537SA 3/86.
http://www.airlinefan.com/airline-photos/1492058/Summit/Convair/CV-580/N537SA/

Leased to European Air Transport 17/9/87 & delivered 22/9/87.
Registration OO-VGB was NTU.
It was reregistered OO-DHB 9/87, entering service 24/9/87.

Sub-leased to DHL Worldwide Express Courier Service 1/10/87.
Purchased by DHL Worldwide Express Courier Service 1/4/88.
Sold to SwiftAir, Madrid, 6/3/95, as EC-830.
Reregistered EC-GBF 6/6/95 & operated as a freighter.

As SwiftAir was replacing their Convair freighters with ATRs, it was advertised for sale mid-2004, via Aviation Marketing International LLC, Las Vegas, NV, for delivery from Madrid (58,180 hours).

It was reportedly withdrawn from service by SwiftAir during 1/05 & parked alongside other the Convairs in their fleet.
It was seen at Madrid 4/05, parked with 4 other CV-440s.

Ferried to South Africa 6/05 & registered ZS-SKL to Skyhaul (Pty.) Ltd.

It was photographed at Cape Town 7/10/08, in an all-white livery; apparently operated by CHC Helicopters.

See: http://jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=6393985&nseq=0
http://jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=6393985&nseq=1
http://jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=6723416&nseq=1

It was believed to be still active with CHC Helicopters in 2010, as ZS-SKL.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hetebrij/5449308816/
It was seen near the Lanseria Airport dump, looking rather derelict, 12/10.
http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/558208
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hetebrij/5449308816/

However, it later returned to service.

Registered ZS-SKL to Helilogistics (Pty) Ltd. 20/12/10.
http://www.avdex.co.za/saregister/photos/ZS-SKLP.jpg

Operated by Titan Helicopter Group (THG Helicopters):
http://planepics.org/spotterbrowser/imgview.php?id=9721
http://www.airliners.net/photo/THG---Titan/Convair- 580(F)/2115787/&sid=5f576e42923427eebab26b38d2af52f5

VH-BZI 1 Convair
CV-440 -61
Metropolitan
459 ANS
A-ANA
B.A.T.
ANSW
A-ANA
00/10/57
21/10/57
00/08/59
19/12/59
15/07/60
20/10/57
00/08/59
18/12/59
14/07/60
04/05/62
-



N8420H
N5811
C-GGWF
(OO-VGI)
OO-DHL
EC-HMS
N589X
XA-???
-
-
-
-
-
Notes:
Ordered new by Ansett Airways, for $US750,000.

Registered VH-BZI to Ansett Airways Pty. Ltd. 23/7/57 - 52 passengers.

Completed 23/8/57.
It was delivered to ANSETT-ANA at San Diego 5/10/57.
It was ferried via San Francisco-Honolulu-Canton Is & Nadi, arriving Essendon 15/10/57 (Capts. Jason Hassard & Alex McNaughton, Navigator E.W. ‘Pat’ Adams).

It entered Ansett service later in 10/57.

To Butler Air Transport 8/59, to replace a CV-340. It operated the last Airlines of N.S.W. Convair service 14/7/60, Sydney-Coffs Harbour-Casino-Oakey & return.

To ANSETT-ANA 15/7/60.
On 23/3/61, it flew Reg Ansett to Whenuapai, NZ, to view SPANZ operations.
It was withdrawn from service by ANSETT-ANA 4/5/62.

Sold to Allegheny Airlines, Inc. 5/5/62, for $US400,000.
It departed Essendon 5/5/62 & ferried via Nadi-Canto Island & Honolulu, arriving San Francisco 7/5/62, using canvas auxiliary fuselage tanks (Capts. A. ‘Dusty’ Lane. Alan James & Billy Hill, Navigator W.C. ‘Bill’ Kennedy).

Struck-Off-Register 9/5/62.

On arrival in the U.S. it was reregistered N8420H to Allegheny Airlines, Inc. It was handed over 14/5/62.

Converted to CV-580 standard by Pacific Airmotive Corp., Burbank, CA, beginning 7/2/66.

Redelivered/reregistered to Allegheny Airlines as N5811 28/4/66.

Purchased by Commuter Airlines, Inc., Binghampton, NY, 20/6/78.

Transferred to Freedom Airlines, Inc., Cleveland, OH, 7/9/82.

Sold & delivered to Air Ontario, London, Ontario, 16/10/84, as C-GGWF (Fleet Number 511).

Converted to a freighter (CV-580F).

Sold to European Air Transport 1/88 & delivered to them 22/1/88.

Registration OO-VGI was NTU & it was instead reregistered OO-DHL.

Sold to DHL Worldwide Courier 1/2/88, as OO-DHL.
Leased to SwiftAir 5/00 & reregistered EC-HMS.
Operated, as a freighter, in full DHL colors (56,957 hours/54,559 cycles mid-2003).
As SwiftAir was replacing their Convair freighters with ATRs, it was advertised for sale mid-2004, via Aviation Marketing International LLC, Las Vegas, NV, for delivery from Madrid. Unlike the other members of SwiftAir’s Convair fleet, it was reported as still being in operation 2/05. From 21/4/05, it was based at Athens, operating daily freight flights from Athens-Thessalonika, using Spanish registration & was still in operation in 10/05.

In 11/05, it was reportedly on order for Skyhaul (Pty) Ltd., which had won the South African Post Office mail contract & would join ZS-SKL (the ex-VH-BZH), carrying mail. However, it was sold to Spanaway 17/8/06, for operation by Air Tahoma, Inc., a U.S. Part 121 carrier; based at Columbus, OH.

Reregistered N589X 22/08/06 to N589X, Inc., 26117 34th Ave E, Spanaway, WA, on Temporary Certificate T066204, which expired 21/09/06; but the registration was only painted on the aircraft at Madrid 13/09/06 & it was ferried to the USA still in DHL colors.

It was reportedly grounded by the FAA & was struck off the U.S. Register 21/10/08; shown as 'Exported to Mexico'; possibly as spares, as the author has been unable to locate any information on any XA- registration having been allocated for it & it was not included in various lists of surviving Convair twins.

Parted?


Regn Type MSN Airline Start Service End Service Previous ID New ID Name
VH-BZM 1 Convair
CV-440-61
Metropolitan
465 ANS
A-ANA
Q.A.L.
A-ANA
00/11/57
21/10/57
00/03/60
00/03/60
20/10/57

00/03/60
00/03/60
01/06/62
-


N8422H
N5835
C-GGWH
ZK-JDQ
C-FZQS
C-FKFL(2)
-
-
-
-

Notes:
Bought new by Ansett Airways, for $US750,000.
Completed 16/9/57.

Registered VH-BZM to Ansett Airways Pty. Ltd. 23/7/57 - 52 passengers.

Delivered to ANSETT-ANA at San Diego 24/10/57.
It departed San Diego 25/10/57, ferrying via San Francisco-Honolulu-Canton Is. & Tontouta, arriving Essendon 30/10/57 (Capt. A. ‘Dusty’ Lane, Reg Adkins & Bert Heath, Navigator W.C. ‘Bill’ Kennedy & Engineers N. Gethings & A. Sutherland).
Chartered by Butler Air Transport for some services during 1958. Chartered by Queensland Airlines, on an ad-hoc basis, 1/9/59-12/59.
It was leased by Queensland Airlines from ANSETT-ANA during 3/60, to cover the late delivery of F.27 VH-FNE.

Returned to ANSETT-ANA 3/60.
Withdrawn from service by ANSETT-ANA 5/62.

Sold to Allegheny Airlines, Inc. 6/62, for $US400,000. It departed Essendon 1/6/62, ferrying via Nadi, Canton Island & Honolulu to San Francisco (Capt. Roy Sealey, Bart Chapman & Eddie Maskell, Navigator W.C. ‘Bill’ Kennedy & Engineer R. Johnstone, plus I. Perry of the D.C.A.). It was reregistered N8422H 5/6/62 & was struck off the Australian Register the same day. It was converted to CV-580 standard from 20/10/67, by Pacific Airmotive Corp., Burbank, CA. Completed & delivered to Allegheny 20/1/68. Reregistered N5835 7/2/68.

Sold to Commuter Airlines, Inc., Binghampton, NY, 28/7/78.

Transferred to Freedom Airlines, Inc., Cleveland, OH, 7/9/82.
Delivered to Air Ontario, London, Ontario, 14/10/84 & reregistered C-GGWH (Fleet Number 535).
http://www.pbase.com/zortek/image/95387930

Leased to Air Toronto (Commuter Express) 17/4/88-16/5/88.
Registered to Soundair Corp. 16/5/88.

Leased/sold to CanAir Cargo Ltd. 11/91.
Returned to Air Ontario 12/93.

Sold to Kelowna Flightcraft Air Charter 1/94.
Fitted with extra fuel tanks for ferry to N.Z.
Leased & delivered to Fieldair/Air Freight N.Z. 2/2/94.
Reregistered ZK-JDQ.

Struck off the Canadian Register 8/3/94.
Whilst in New Zealand, it operated as a freighter, for Parceline.
It was returned to Kelowna Flightcraft Air Charter 24/12/96, as a trade-in from Fieldair.
Reregistered C-FKFL to Kelowna Flightcraft Air Charter 21/3/97.

Leased to Air Monarch Cargo, Mexico City, 11/97 & named ‘Suka’.
Returned to Kelowna Flightcraft 6/00 & placed in storage at Kelowna’s Ellison Field Airport.
Kelowna Flightcraft planned to either convert it to a full freighter with a 120" cargo door, or convert it into a Convair
Water Bomber for Canadian Forestry Protection.

Struck off the Canadian Register 29/11/02.

Leased to Conair Group, Inc., Canada 12/02.
Re-instated to the Canadian Register 5/12/02, registered to the Conair Group, Inc.
Conair operate it as ‘Tanker 52’, with a side cargo door.

Still active with Conair, as C-FKFL.

VH-BZN 1 Convair
CV-440 -97
Metropolitan
449 A-ANA
ANSW
A.S.A.

AASA
00/12/57
19/12/59
13/03/60

01/01/68
18/12/59
25/02/60
30/12/67

14/02/72
N8445H



N103KA
-
-
City of Adelaide
-
Notes:
Originally built in anticipation of an S.A.S. reorder (as a CV-440-75), which did not materialise. Completed 7/9/57.
To General Dynamics Corp., as N8445H.

Purchased by ANSETT-ANA for $US750,000. Delivered to ANSETT-ANA 19/11/57. It departed San Diego 21/11/57, routing via San Francisco-Honolulu, Nadi & Noumea, arriving Essendon 26/11/57 (Capt. Roy Sealey, Mal Wheaton & Navigator W.C. ‘Bill’ Kennedy).

Registered VH-BZN to Ansett Airways Pty. Ltd. 6/12/57 - 52 passengers. It was chartered by Queensland Airlines, on an ad-hoc basis, 9/59-3/12/59.

To Airlines of N.S.W. 19/12/59.

To Airlines of South Australia 2/60; entering service 13/3/60. Registered to Airlines of South Australia 14/2/61. It inaugurated A.S.A.’s Adelaide-Kingscote, Kangaroo Island Convair services 13/12/60; landing on the newly-extended runway. It may have operated ad-hoc ANSETT-ANA services, in A.S.A. colors, 1964-65. To Ansett Airlines of S.A. 1/11/68, but never painted in its 'Delta' livery. It flew Woomera-Adelaide with its nose-wheel locked down 27/1/72 (Capt. C. Shortland, F/O Jim Evans). After the delivery of F.27 VH-FNV 7/2/72, it was withdrawn from service 11/2/72 & ferried Adelaide-Essendon 14/2/72 (Capts. Alan Crabb & Arnold Deed & F/O Jim Evans). It had flown nearly 13,000 hours with A.S.A.

Sold to Jack M. Garfinkle (t/a South East Asia Air Transport), as N103KA.

Struck-Off-Register 27/4/73.

Leased (purchased?) by Khmer Akas/Air Cambodge 30/4/73 & named ‘Debbie’.

Reregistered N103KA 04/05/73 to Jack M. Garfinkle, Tarzana, CA.

It was badly damaged during a flight to Phnom Penh 17/1/75.

Withdrawn from service at Bangkok &, during the late-1970s it was seen in a derelict condition at Bangkok.

Struck off the U.S. Register 05/05/80.

Scrapped at Bangkok 1981.

VH-BZO Convair
CV-440 -97
Metropolitan
450 A-ANA
B.A.T
Q.A.L
00/12/57
00/00/59
00/09/59
00/00/59
00/09/59
00/11/59
N8446H
(N4923E?)
N6666C
MM61901
SM-22
31-22
-
-
Notes:
Originally built in anticipation of a reorder by S.A.S. (as a CV-440-75), as for VH-BZN. Completed 24/7/57. To General Dynamics Corp. as N8446H.

Purchased by ANSETT-ANA for $US750,000. It undertook acceptance flights & was accepted by ANSETT-ANA 5/12/57. It departed San Diego 6/12/57, via San Francisco, Honolulu, Canton Is.-Tontouta, arriving Essendon 13/12/57 (known crew - Capt. John Woodgate, Navigator W.C. ‘Bill’ Kennedy). Registered VH-BZO to Ansett Airways Pty. Ltd. 20/12/57 - 52 passengers.

It was reportedly chartered by Butler Air Transport during 1959. Returned to ANSETT-ANA?

Operated by Queensland Airlines 9/59-11/59, in the ANSETT-ANA color-scheme.

Withdrawn from service by Queensland Airlines & delivered to ANSETT-ANA 11/59 for sale.

Registration N4923E was allocated 11/59 for The Beldex Corp., Perryville, MO, but NTU.

Sold 01/11/59 to Remmert Werner, Perryville, MO, which immediately sold it to the Coca Cola Co.

It departed Essendon 20/11/59, routing via Nadi (where it was sighted 20/11/59), Honolulu & San Francisco to St
Louis (Capt. Russ Stapleton, Roy Sealey, B. Britton, Navigator W.C. 'Bill' Kennedy & Engineer Melvold).

Reregistered N6666C 22/11/59 & struck-off the Australian Register 24/11/59.
Named 'The Wind Ship' by Coca-Cola.

To the Aeronautica Militare Italia (Italian Air Force) 01/01/64, as MM61901/SM-22 in 01/64.
Its serial was changed to 31-22 in 1976.

Derelict at Roma-Ciampino 02/78-11/82.
It was officially retired at Roma 12/11/82.

Scrapped 26/11/87, at Roma.
 
     
VH-BZF – Airlines of N.S.W. (Poor shot, but rare). (Source unknown)  VH-BZF – Airlines of N.S.W. (Another poor shot, but, again, rare). (Source unknown) VH-BZF of Ansett-ANA, at Dubbo, N.S.W. (Capt. F. McClelland, via Gil White)
     
VH-BZF – Airlines of South Australia (Essendon Airport, Melbourne 2/72) (Clive Dyball & Ray Rowe)  VH-BZH of Ansett Airways (Peter Gates) VH-BZI in very early Airlines of N.S.W. colors (Source unknown)
     
VH-BZI of Ansett-ANA (Peter Gates) VH-BZM of Ansett-ANA (Essendon) (John Wilson) VH-BZN – Ansett-ANA (Peter Gates)
 
Ansett's History DVD Convairs & ASA DC-5 Train Meets Plane