Following an extensive 10,000 man hour annual inspection, Connie was rolled out Friday, 19th February, ready for her first flight in 6 months. Departing from HARS home base at Albion Park, NSW, Connie flew two successful sorties – both flawless – with the HARS engineering giving her the all thumbs up.
Connie is now the only flying Super Constellation in the world, a credit to the many dedicated HARS members who contribute to her maintenance and upkeep. With Wings Over Illawarra now just one week away (28th February) HARS members are now hard at work, cleaning and polishing.
Congratulations to the HARS Engineering and Flight Crews on her return to flight – well done!
12 Comments
Congrats to the entire team and a big thank you for all your efforts to keep the Connie flying. She is a beauty and will always be the most graceful of all airplanes. Since I won’t be able to visit her in person I do hope that you guys will take lots of videos of the girl inside and out and post it here.
Happy Flying and always three green.
Sunny
I get all choocked up when I see The Pictures of your Connie.
I am 70 years old and flew in US navys willy victors (Super Connies0
in Air early Warning Squadron VW11 out of Argenita NEwfoundland In 1959-61. We flew from Argentia to Ladges Airforce base in the
Azores and back again. 16 hour flights with double crews (27)
Filled up with 8500 gallon of aviv gas. 80 percent of our take offs
and landings ground contol . Had a 5500 ft runway. In Argentina
we were fogged in most of the time.Our squadron had 18 planes and
100 Men and Officers. Our plane captains (pilots were Lt Cmdr or
Above. So we were loaded with Brass. I flew as radioman.
Ilove the connies. One of our birds is at Air Force Museum in
Rantoul , Il. It is not flyabble , But a crew has had it repainted
and we had a reunion their of all Navey Squadrons that Flew
750 showed up in 2003
Wonderfull job. I am from Portugal but i’m passionate about all sort of old aircrafts and my dream is to participate in restorations. That dream probably will never be possible so I follow your Restoration Society and your website. Congratulations.
Nuno.
Guys,
I watched over the years all of the labour of love work that you did on restoring CONNIE and getting her back to OZ. I have never seen her fly but have continued to admire the pictures and updates of her on various websites. In 1955 as a 5 yo I flew with my father and sister on a Super Constellation from Ancon in Ecuador to the USA. Over the years (I am now 60 yo) I still fondly recall my flight back in 1955 on what in my mind is the most beautiful and graceful aeroplanes ever to take to the skies. I am now planning a visit down to Albion to hopefully see her once more grace the skies. Well done to all of you. A job well done. What I would give to go up in her once more.
Congratulation to the HARS organization for such a beautiful job on the Connie. As a boy in the 50s (I am 63 now) my folks took me to the airport in Kansas City, Missouri, to watch the airplanes land and take off. There were a lot of TWA Constellations in that traffic. It has been my favorite airplane since then. After growing up and spending a 20-year career in the U. S. Army flying Chinook helicopters, my constant involvement with aviation still leaves the Constellation, in my mind, as one of the most beautiful airplanes ever built, and it is still one of my most favorite. Thank you for keeping her alive.
This is really a day to put in all our calendars! Looking at the pictures (a bit late I should say) I have tears in my eyes. I never had the privilege to fly in a Connie but I have heard lots of stories – and good ones- of memories flying in a Connie. This is just WONDERFUL!!!!
This is really hard work and dedication. I wish I could be part of such a team of devoted people. But I still have hope that one day, my dreams would become reality and I will not only contribute to such a project bit also fly in a CONNIE!
Maybe one day, flying in a plane will get back to this!
Great job and Kudos to the wonderful team!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
William
I recall seeing Connie when she visited Coolangatta in the 90′s What a wonderful sight to see her approach and what seemd such a short landing. I paid my $s to go aboard, and was able to take many photos which are now cherished. Good work keep her flying she is a beauty.
I will be wearing the Southern Preservation Connie hat proudly at the 2010 Air Venture. The hat was given to me by the crew when Connie visited United Airlines in Oakland CA back in 1995. I’m so glad to see she is still flying.
My husband an i live in Dapto, and love it when we hear the Connie take off or land. Wow it must be a big rush to fly in her….she sounds tuff …really strong…..thing’s where built to last in her day.
I was sitting on the beach at Marcoola last week as Connie flew low over us as it approached the airstrip at nearby Sunshine Coast Airport. It was a fantastic sight to see such a beautiful plane.
Later in the day at sunset I heard its unmistakable sound and we were lucky to see it once again as it circled over our place before it landed again. I notice that someone took a brief video of it taking off for what must have been the sunset flight – it is on YouTube.
Congratulations for everyone involved in its restoration.
What a beautiful job you guys did. I made the first VW11 reunion in Rantul Ill. a few years ago. They flew in a Connie, I worked on it in 55-57, when we finally got the aircrafts. I was a plank owner. I am now 75. I was the only one there from that time frame. Sad. The plane in Rantul was visited by some people from Australia and they took a lot of the instruments. A lot of people were very unhappy.
As far as I know it is still there. I made a few milk runs back to Pax on the R7V. It went in right after I got out. Lost some good friends. I played with the Navy Band dance band in my off time in Argentia (all of the clubs on the base). I returned to active duty and retired out or VP94 New Orleans. Would like to make one more flight. Take care all.
Bob
wonderful work and seen the photos are a reminder of days past, when i flew from bogota to barranquilla, and saw her gracefully flew an airfrance flight from bogota to paris!! many thanks for those pictures.