Remarks: One of my personal highlights at RIAT 1998 was the MATS Connie, N494TW. Seen here during it's flying display. Picture scanned from paper-print.
Remarks: Sunset shot of the beautyful Constellation silhouette showing its classic triple tail design.This aircraft was delivered to the Air Force in 1948,it participated to the Berlin airlift operations,then used as a military VIP transport.In 1968 it was retired and flown to Davis-Monthan AFB for storage, at this time the aircraft had flown just about 15000 hours. In 1970,it was sold to auction,and converted into a "sprayer" by Christler Flying Service,spraying budworm killing products over infected forest,registered N9464.Then,in 1979 sold to Les Arrosages Castor/Beaver Air Spray Inc. who transfered it in 1980 to Conifair Aviation for the same purpose of spraying over the province of Quebec infected forests,and was registered C-GXKO.In 1984,Conifair sold it to actor John Travolta who bought it with the intention of restoring it,but instead sold it to the Constellation Group in 1987,Travolta registered it as N494TW,(TW for Travolta Wings).In 1991 The Constellation Group did a wonderful job restoring it to its original "Military Air Transport Service" livery,just like when delivered new.In 1992,it started touring the airshow circuit and in 1998 flew across the Atlantic to do a European airshow circuit.In 2005 it was sold to United Technologies (Pratt & Whitney Division) and donated to Korean Air for static display at their training facility at Jeju Island, South Korea and will most probably never fly again,wich in my opinion is pretty sad.
