Sydney/Melbourne/Asia
1988 Route
The earlier route would be Sydney, Cunnamulla, Mt Isa and
Darwin; as per the The 1939
map of Australian D/F bases and air route map. (please note this contains a
181 gif image).
The first Constellation Qantas used to London was the L.749
model, not the later model Super Connie L1049. The first Sydney to London
Service with the Lockheed L749 was 16Q1 VH-EAD on 1st December 1947. The route
was; Sydney, Darwin, Tengal at Singapore, Dum Dum at Calcutta, Karachi, Al Masa
at Cairo, London. [Banfield 1998 P30]
After the introduction of the long range B707 aircraft the
need for the refuelling stop at Darwin passed.
Long Range Jet Route
The new B707 route became; Sydney, Katoomba, Parkes, Alice
Springs, Curtin, Singapore. Curtin VOR is near the township of Derby WA. This
route, used by B747-400 aircraft, was still in use Feb 1998.
1984 London Route
July 31 1984, QF 2 operated by B747-238B VH-EBP, took off
from London, refuelled at Bahrain, overflew Bombay and Madras and landed at
Singapore than Sydney. [Wixted P.210]
