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| At Toronto on August 8, 1961 while in service with TCA (Photo by Nelson Hare via Stephen Miller) | Both the Toronto Aerospace Museum and the Museum of Flight want CF-RNR (Andrew Semon) | Disassembly complete on February 27, 2006 with ultimate ownership still unclear (Joseph Galati) |
- Final registration - CF-RNR
- Delivered to Trans-Canada Airlines May 1954 as L1049C CF-TGE
- Converted to L1049E and later L1049G configuration
- To Radio Industries October 1963 as N8742R but never left Canada
- To Montreal Air Services August 1964 and leased to World Wide Airways September 1964
- To World Wide Airways March 1965
- World Wide Airways license revoked on August 15, 1965 and aircraft impounded at Montreal, where it was undergoing repair of a cracked wing spar
- Nordair stripped engines, electronics and other usable spare parts 1965-66
- Stored Montreal 1965-68
- Cancelled from Canadian register 29 August 1967
- To M. Ferrand who disassembled and moved aircraft 100 miles by road to St-Marc des Carrieres, Quebec in December 1968
- Owner unable to get necessary permits to install it on the roof of his bar/restaurant and aircraft stored disassembled
- To Bertrand Camirand June 1985 for C$15,000 and moved 110 miles by road to St-Jean Port Joli, Quebec on July 2 and July 4, 1985
- Assembled July 9 thru July 12, 1985 and opened for display at Mr. Camirand's Musee Les Retrouvailles in June 1987
- In poor condition and party repainted in Trans Canada Air Lines colors by October 1992
- To Philip Yull may 1996
- Moved 600 miles by road to L.B. Pearson International Airport, Toronto on June 6 thru 9, 1996 for restoration
- Moved to the Regal Constellation Hotel in Toronto on August 5, 1996 for use as a conference facility
- Assembly completed by August 10th with grand opening on August 22, 1996
- Conference facility failed but operated as a cocktail lounge and lunch delicatessen until August 1997
- Advertised for sale in October 18, 1997 issue of the Globe and Mail newspaper for C$600,000.
- Philip Yull found new investors and aircraft moved to a new site at the north end of L.B. Pearson International Airport the third week of August 1998
- Opened October 15, 1998 as a fine dining restaurant
- Closed January 2002 and advertised for sale
- A number of museums, including the Toronto Aerospace Museum and the Museum of Flight in Seattle were interested in acquiring the aircraft for their collection.
- In early 2004 the Greater Toronto Airport Authority (GTAA) announced within the aviation community that it was going to seize the aircraft for several years back rent.
- GTAA entered into discussions with the Toronto museum to transfer aircraft
- Offered for sale July 21, 2004 on ebay $200,000
- Purchased Spring 2005 by Seattle's Museum of Flight (MOF)
- Disassembly began January 2006 and by February 27th was complete
- By March 8th aircraft removed from site and stored in Cargo Star's yard less than a mile from its former home
- Even though MOF claims clear title to the aircraft on page 8 of its January/February 2006 newsletter, on May 26, 2006 the Department of Canadian Heritage denied the museum a permit to export it to the United States. Permit was denied after it was determined that the Super Connie was “of significant cultural and historic importance to Canada”. (see the Constellation News page of this website for additional details)
- MOF appealed the decision and the appeal was denied in September 2006
- A fair market value of $329K was established and Canadian museums were given the opportunity to purchase the aircraft from the MOF
- No offers were forthcoming and on March 8, 2007 the coveted export permit was issued
- Transported from Toronto to the former Griffis AFB in Rome, NY on June 7, 2007 where it will be reassembled, inspected, repaired, painted in TCA colors and transported to Seattle for display at the MOF. This effort is being performed by the Empire Aero Center expected to take upwards of 12 months to complete
- Rolled out of Empire Aero Center hangar on November 12, 2008 in full 1950's era Trans Canada Air Lines Colors with a few finishing touches needing completion
- Disassembled in August and shipped by road to MOF at Seattle's Boeing Field 24 August thru 4 September 2009
- Reassembled at Boeing's Plant II and rolled inside hangar on September 15, 2009.
- Engines and props will be installed and aircraft will remain in hangar until permanent display arrangements can be made
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