Air Ceylon was formed by the Ceylonese government in 1947, and in the same year two L-749 were ordered for use on an international route to London. The order was canceled and DC-4's leased from Australian National Airways operated the route from 1949 until 1953. Boac Comet's and TWA Connies' had lead to a severe drop in traffic.
Air Ceylon restarted its weekly Colombo to London service in February 1956 with a L-749A leased from KLM. The aircraft carried PH- registration but was fully painted in Air Ceylon's attractive livery. The L-749A was replaced by a (KLM) L-1049G in November 1958. The former PH- registration was replaced by a 4R- Ceylonese registration later that year. The Super Connie was in use until November 1960 when a leased KLM L-188 replaced it.

    c/n 2638 PH-LDP L-749A

c/n 4553 4R-ACH L-1049G

c/n 4553 4R-ACH L-1049G

November 1958 - November 1960

Former PH-LKA of KLM seen here at Singapore on 15.3.1959

"Somadevi" seen at LHR on a beautiful day in September 1959.

One of the nicest shots of one of the smartest Connies in the collection 








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