Dates

Event

Constructed as a L-188A.

13 February 1959

First flight.

Circa February 1959

Photographer: From the Ansett Collection

27 February 1959

To Ansett-ANA.

5 March 1959

Assigned civil registration: VH-RMA

From 7 March 1959 to 10 March 1959

Ferry flight.
Route: Burbank - Las Vegas - San Francisco - Honolulu - Canton Island - Nadi - Melbourne.

18 March 1959

First Lockheed 188 Electra passenger service operated outside the United States.

From 21 June 1959 to 27 June 1959

Withdrawn from use.
For Electra Refinement Program - During program engine mounts were modified under guidance of Lockheed Engineers.

25 April 1961

Withdrawn from use.
Ferried to the United States for LEAP modifications arriving Burbank -.

From 25 April 1961 to 26 April 1961

Ferry flight.
Melbourne (Essendon) - Nadi - Canton Island - Honolulu - Burbank.

26 April 1961

Entered LEAP program as LEAP # 134.

20 May 1961

Ferry flight.
Route: Burbank - San Francisco - Honolulu - Canton Island - Nadi - Melbourne.

Circa February 1963

Photographer: From the Ansett Collection
Notes: First Electra to undergo major heavy check.

21 January 1971

Photographer: Danny Tanner
Notes: At Adelaide International

28 April 1971

Withdrawn from use.
Stored at Melbourne (Essendon) Airport.

6 March 1972

Ferry flight.
Departed Melbourne for conversion to freighter with Lockheed - route: Melbourne - Port Moresby - Wake Island - Honolulu - Ontario (California).

From 8 March 1972 to 18 July 1972

Converted to a L-188AF.

From 22 July 1972 to 25 July 1972

Ferry flight.
Route: Ontario (CA.) - San Francisco - Honolulu - Wake Island - Port Moresby - Melbourne.

23 December 1983

Withdrawn from use.
Stored at Melbourne (Tullamarine) Airport pending sale.

29 June 1984

To Turbo Power International with new c/r VH-RMA.

8 October 1984

Assigned civil registration: N356Q

2 February 1988

Leased to Air Bridge Carriers.

20 February 1988

Photographer: Terry Fletcher
Notes: 1988 photo at East Midlands airport - whilst on lease to Air Bridge Carriers

23 November 1989

Civil registration revised.
Reregistered as N355WS to Air Bridge.

30 April 1990

Photographer: Reinhard Jost
Notes: With Air Bridge titles at London-Luton, UK

21 December 1990

Returned from lease.

21 December 1990

Assigned civil registration: N356Q

8 April 1992

To JBQ Aviation Corp keeping c/r N356Q.

29 December 1992

Leased to EL-AIR Exports.

30 April 1993

Returned from lease.

6 May 1993

Leased to Hunting Cargo Airlines.

6 May 1993

Returned from lease.

18 November 1996

To Amerer Air with new c/r OE-ILB (188A, 1039).

18 November 1996

Leased to Renown Aviation.

18 November 1996

To First Security Bank Na Owner Trustee, Salt Lake City, UT with new c/r N356Q.

15 May 1997

Photographer: Reinhard Jost
Notes: As N356Q for Austrian freight carrier Amerer Air before it became OE-ILB, at Linz-Hoersching, Austria

23 September 1998

Civil registration, N356Q, cancelled.
Exported to Austria.

7 August 2006

Photographer: Reinhard Jost
Notes: OE-ILB of Amerer Air with 10-years-of-Amerer-Air sticker at Linz-Hoersching, Austria

Circa October 2006

To Buffalo Airways, Yellowknife, NT with new c/r OE-ILB.

27 October 2006

Ferry flight.
Route: Linz - Coventry - Reykjavik - Keflav - Iqaluit - Red Deer (Alberta).

3 July 2007

To Buffalo Airways Ltd, Hay River, NT with new c/r C-FBAQ.

5 March 2012

Damaged.
The starboard main landing gear failed to lower on command during approach to Yellowknife. Successful landing was made on remaining wheels but when speed decreased aircraft left runway. Number 4 propeller and gearbox were torn off, Number 3 propeller badly but remained attached to engine.

Circa 2012

Repair started.

September 2012

Photographer: Nigel Hitchman
Notes: At Red Deer Airport, Alberta

By 2016

Operated as fire service #417.

18 May 2016

Photographer: John W. Olafson
Notes: C-FBAQ has been given a new life as Buffalo Airways second L-188 air tanker. This is the frame which was damaged in a landing in March 2012 when one main gear malfunctioned.