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090. G-ALAL 1 Lockheed L749A Constellation ACE Freighters LPL 15JUN66

Replacing an earlier scanned slide with a better version 14-Mar-15, plus Topaz DeNoise AI 30-Mar-23.

 

During the 1966 UK Seaman's Strike (or was it a dock strike, can't remember!), this Connie was doing 3 rotations a day bringing cigarettes from Belfast. It was usually parked in this area, just look at the amount of oil on the ramp! In the background, a Hibernian C-47 and an Aer Turas Bristol Freighter, also hauling cargo from Belfast.

 

Originally ordered by Transcontinental & Western Air as N86535, an L749 Constellation, the order was cancelled and the aircraft was delivered to Aerlinte Eireann (Irish International Airlines) in Aug-47 as EI-ACS.

 

It didn't operate with them for long and was withdrawn from service and stored at Dublin in Feb-48. It was sold to BOAC British Overseas Airways Corporation as G-ALAL in Jun-48 and converted to L749A standard.

 

It was leased to Skyways of London in Jul-59 and they bought it in Jun-62. It was transferred to Euravia (London) Ltd in Sep-62. Euravia was renamed Britannia Airways in Aug-64 and the aircraft was stored at Luton, UK.

 

It was sold to ACE Freighters in Feb-65 and was stored at Coventry Airport, UK when ACE ceased trading in Sep-66. It was sold to a 'W W Tilton' in Apr-67.

 

It was due to be sold to COPISA Peru as OB-R-899 but the sale fell through and it was stored at Miami in 1968. It then went through a couple of 'private owners' in 1971/72 and was seized by the US Authorities for 'illegal operations' in Oct-72. It was broken up in 1974.

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Uploaded on March 1, 2025
Taken on June 15, 1966