Lockheed L-188 Electra · The Encyclopedia of Aircraft David C. Eyre (2024)

Country of origin:

United States of America

Description:

Medium-range commercial airliner

Power Plant:

Four 2,797 kw (3,750 ehp) Allison 501-D13A turboprops

Specifications:

History:

The Lockheed Electra was the only major US-built airliner to use turboprop engines and, although 144 aircraft had been ordered by operators from the manufacturer at the time production commenced, only a further 26 orders were delivered, it being found that the development of the pure-jet transport had overtaken the development of turboprops for the medium to long-range haul market.

Development of the L-188 Electra began in 1954, the prototype flying for the first time on 6 December 1957. Designed to meet a specification issued by American Airlines, ie a need for a medium-range airliner carrying 74 passengers, but up to 99 if required, an immediate order was received from Eastern Airlines, and soon thereafter Ansett-ANA placed an order, this being the first non-US operator to purchase the type, later being followed by TAA and Qantas. By the time production commenced, the design had been modified to a 100-seat transport with a non-stop range of 3,700 km (2,300 miles) and the loaded weight had been set at 57,260 kg (113,000 lb). Type approval was obtained on 22 August 1958 and it entered airline service in January 1959.

The Electra suffered some problems just over a year after entering service with two major accidents, and a speed limitation of 510 km/h (317 mph) was placed on the aircraft, reducing to 417 km/h (260 mph) shortly thereafter, until investigations showed structural problems in the engine mountings, leading to Lockheed undertaking a structural modification programme. This lead to the Australian aircraft, which had been delivered, returning to the United States for modification. Subsequently one further Electra model was produced, this being the L-118C, which was developed for longer over-water routes, the aircraft having the fuel capacity increased to allow a range of 4,860 km (3,020 miles) and a higher gross weight.

The Electra saw extensive service in this region and was very popular with crews and passengers. On 3 October 1961 Qantas inaugurated services to Wellington, NZ when Electra VH-ECC flew the service, passengers on board including Sir Leonard Isitt, Chairman of TEAL, and Sir Hudson Fysh. The first Qantas service to Christchurch occurred the following day when VH-EDB flew the service, the first Melbourne to Auckland service occurring on 8 October with VH-ECB.

More than a dozen have appeared on the Australian register and those operated by Qantas included: VH-ECA (c/n 2002 – Pacific Electra) was delivered to Qantas on 8 November 1959 and sold to Air California (N359AC) on 5 June 1967. VH-ECB (c/n 2004 – Pacific Explorer) was delivered to Qantas on 7 November 1959 and sold to Air California (N358AC) on 21 August 1967. It crashed (as HC-AZJ) on 4 September 1989 landing at Taura Air Base, Ecuador. VH-ECC (c/n 2007 – Pacific Endeavour) was delivered to Qantas on 28 November 1959 and sold to TEAL as ZK-CLX Akaroa on 18 April 1965. Later it operated with Air New Zealand before being sold to California Air Motive Inc. VH-ECD (c/n 2008 – Pacific Enterprise) was delivered to Qantas on 3 December 1959. It was leased to TAA on 2 March 1960 as Charles Sturt but returned to Qantas on 7 September 1960. It was leased to Air New Zealand as ZK-TED in March 1970 and sold to Nomads Inc (N836E) on 23 April 1971.

Ansett-ANA, later Ansett, operated three from 1959, these being: VH-RMA (c/n 1039) which later became N356Q; VH-RMB (c/n 1047), which was exported and became N368Q, this aircraft (as N357Q) crashing at Kansas City during a snowstorm on 9 January 1986; and VH-RMC (c/n 1044) which later became N387Q. Another, VH-RMG (c/n 1123), was obtained second-hand to assist with the Company’s freight services in 1975, being sold in 1978 as N5538, this machine eventually ending up with the Argentine Navy (6-P-101). The Ansett Aircraft were retired and exported in September 1984, each having flown more than 50,000 hours and having made more than 45,000 landings and take-offs.

TAA operated three in its own right, these being: VH-TLA (c/n 1061 – John Eyre) which was exported as N188LA; VH-TLB (c/n 1069 – John Gilbert) which became N188LB in June 1972, and VH-TLC (c/n 1147 – Charles Sturt) which became N188LC in June 1972. These three aircraft operated from 1959 to 1972 when they were replaced by Douglas DC-9s.

The type, as noted, operated with TEAL, later Air New Zealand, five aircraft being obtained. New Zealand aircraft included: ZK-TEA Aotearoa (c/n 2005 – ex ZM-BMP ntu) exported to the US as N31231 in May 1972; ZK-CLX Akaroa (c/n 2007) exported to the US as N1968R in February 1968; and ZK-TEB Atarau (c/n 2010 – ex-ZK-BMQ ntu) exported to the US as N33506 in May 1972. This aircraft in October 1970 was noted with joint Air New Zealand – Qantas markings on the fuselage. ZK-TEC Akaroa (c/n 2011 – ex ZK-BMS ntu) was written off at Whenaupai on 27 March 1965 when crew training; and ZK-TED (c/n 2008 – ex VH-ECD) was exported to the US as N836E in February 1971. The L-188s were eventually replaced by Douglas DC-10s. The last Air New Zealand service was ZK-TEA on 31 May 1972, at this time flying with combined Air New Zealand – Qantas titles.

On 23 April 1996 Charrack Air, based at Cairns, took delivery of an L-188CF which was to become VH-CHD (c/n 1112 – ex N360Q, N129US, N777DP, PT-DZK, N8LG). It was expected a second aircraft (c/n 1109 – ex N230CF, TR-LRN, N172PS) would become VH-CHM; and two other aircraft (c/n 1113 ex N360Q, N129US, N777DP, PT-DZK, N8LG) or (c/n 1039, ex NB356Q, N355WS, N356Q, VH-RMA) would also be imported for freight services in Western Australia. The first aircraft was used for a period flying tuna from Honiara in the Solomon Islands to Cairns. However, the service only operated for a short time and neither a second nor further aircraft were imported. Another Electra owned by JBQ Aviation VH-IOB (c/n 1036 – ex N351Q) commenced operations with Indian Ocean Airlines from Perth, WA but also only lasted a short time before being exported.

In Australia the Electra flew all the important domestic routes, on its introduction breaking all existing speed records between the capital cities. They were withdrawn from service on the introduction of the Douglas DC-9 and Boeing 727, the Ansett aircraft being converted to freighter configuration, whereas TAA and Qantas sold their aircraft. Air New Zealand also sold its aircraft but in 2006 the co*ckpit section of ZK-TEA was obtained from the United Kingdom and delivered to the Ferrymead Aeronautical Society at Christchurch for display, this being the only part of an antipodean Electra that has survived in this region.

The last TAA service was by VH-TLB on 30 April 1971 from Sydney to Brisbane, the aircraft having logged a total of 33,865 hours. The TAA aircraft were exported to the United States and then continued to operate with Royal Air Lao in Vientiane, Laos, two becoming XW-PKA and XW-PKB. The third aircraft (ex VH-TLC) was converted to freighter configuration. During the fall of Laos these aircraft were ferried to the United States for conversion to freighter configuration but N188LA was broken up at Seletar airport. Of the eleven L-j188s operated by Qantas, Ansett and TAA, only two survived in 2005: VH-ECC in Canada as G-GHZI as a tanker with Air Spray Canada; and VH-TLC as XA-AEG as a freighter with Mex-Jet in South America.

It is interesting that ZK-CLX (c/n 2007) – noted above – had an extended life in the United States and, after spending some time with Reeve Aleutian Airlines in Alaska as N1968R, joined Air Spray and was used for forest work in 2001 as C-GHZI. It still survived in late 2014.