VH-ECB  Lockheed L-188C Electra                          (c/n  2004)

                               

                                     The second of Qantas' Electras was delivered in October of 1959.  Here it is seen in this shot
                                     by Greg Banfield in June 1965 about to depart from the old International Terminal at Mascot.
                                     Like sister craft VH-ECA, -ECB was sold to Air California in 1967.      It was painted up for
                                     that airline in Australia as seen below in the photo by Neville Parnell, taken at Mascot before its
                                     departure.   At that time it still wore its Australian rego (see enlargement below).   I assume the
                                     kangaroo logo was taken off when it arrived in Orange County, after it became N385AC!
                                     C/n 2004 eventually wound up with Transportes Aereos Militares Ecuatorianas (TAME) a
                                     branch of the Ecuadorian Air Force, as HC-AZJ .   The image of it at the foot of the page at
                                     Quito Airport  is from the Peter Gates collection.  HZ-AZJ sustained extensive damage in a
                                     belly landing at Taura AFB, Ecuador in September 1989 following a malfunction of the under-
                                     carriage doors.  The aircraft was written off.