AIRLINERS TO BE EXCHANGED

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27501, 8 November 1954, Page 12

AIRLINERS TO BE EXCHANGED

British And American Companies MOVE TO STANDARDISE H*- FLEETS Lockheed Constellation airliners will be exchanged by the British Overseas Airways Corporation and Ci ital Airlines of America. The i .ve has been made to standardise the fleets of each airline: 8.0.A.C. will transfer its seven 49 Constellations to Capital in exchange for seven Constellation 749 A aircraft at present flying in American colours. Constellation 749 A airliners are also being acquired by 8.0.A.C. from Qantas Empire Airways. The corporation has already taken delivery of two, and another two should be transferred soon. 8.0.A.C. reports that a financial adjustment will be necessary in the exchange with Capital Airlines, but does

not say how large the adjustment will be. The exchange will be completed in June, 1955. - When these negotiations have been ■completed B.OAC. will have 16 Constellation 749 A airliners which will be used on the corporation’s first-class services on Eastern and African routes. Later it is planned to use only Stratow cruisers on 8.0.A.C.’s trans-Atlantic o services, including tourist services. At present North Atlantic tourist services are operated by Constellation 49 aircraft. The Constellation 49 was the first • version of the design. The _first of the mark was granted a certificate of airworthiness on December •44, 1945. It was built from components of C-(© military Constellations ■, .cancelled on V-J Day and modified for civil use. The design of the original model 49 •* .Constellation was begun in June, 1939, .to the requirements of Trans-World Airlines. Pan American Airways also ordered a number, but both airlines waived their rights when America entered the war. The first Constellation to fly—on January 9, 1943—was a military transport. M a The Constellation 749 A has a com- **• plicated history: it is an improved type 'Jqf the long-range version of the 649, which was the first Constellation built throughou as a commercial airliner. The next model after the 749 A was the Super Constellation 1049.