Dates

Event

20 January 1929

Constructed as a Vega 1.

12 May 1930

To Montana Development and Air Transport Co., Inc, Kalispell, MT with new c/r NC199E.

16 March 1931

To Lockheed keeping c/r NC199E.
Aircraft was repossessed.

19 June 1931

To MacMillan Arctic Exploration Co, Ltd, Los Angeles, CA keeping c/r NC199E.
Purchased without engine.

1931

Remodeled as a 2-seat Vega Special, with Pratt and Whitney Wasp replacing the original Wright Whirlwind. Mounted on floats and used for air survey work in Labrador and Greenland.

1931

Assigned civil registration: NR199E

Markings Applied: The Viking
White and orange.

16 November 1932

To Paul S. Grade, Los Angeles, CA with new c/r N199E.
Purchased without engine.

Circa November 1932

Converted to a Vega 2D.
Installed 300 hp Pratt and Whitney Wasp.

After November 1932

Assigned civil registration: NC199E

To unknown owner with c/r NC199E.
Went through four more owners.

7 June 1934

To George Thomas Westinghouse, Tucson, AZ keeping c/r NC199E.
Flown with both wheel and floats.

1935

Photographer: Tim Kalina
Notes: At Burbank, California

Markings Applied: Elizabeth Lind
Painted blue-grey.

1940

To Aubrey Westinghouse keeping c/r NC199E.

27 July 1953

To Lana Robert Kurtzer, Seattle, WA keeping c/r NC199E.

28 July 1956

To Paul Mantz Air Services, Santa Ana, CA with new c/r N199E.
Used in movie work and static display.

1962

To Paul Mantz with new c/r N965Y {2}.

1962

Call sign which Amelia Earhart used on her record-setting Vega in the 1930s. Was registered in anticipation of making a movie about Earhart. Was painted to match her plane.

September 1962

Photographer: William T Larkins
Notes: Tallmantz Vega N199E repainted with Amelia Earharts N Number and colours at Oakland Airport in September 1962 as part of the program for the dedication of the new Terminal.

1964

Markings Applied: Continental Airlines
Painted in red and white livery of Varney Air Transport. Went on national publicity tour.

June 1965

Photographer: William T Larkins
Notes: Tallmantz Vega, NC199E, painted with Earharts Vega registration and Continental Airlines markings. At Merced, CA, in June 1965.

May 1968

Placed on display with Henry Ford Museum, Dearborn, Detroit, MI.
Tallmantz aviation dissolved when Mantz died making Flight of the Phoenix. Their aircraft were all sold. Ford Museum acquired the plane in 1968.
View the Location Dossier

22 May 1981

To Edison Institute, Dearborn, MI keeping c/r N965Y {2}.

21 June 1991

Photographer: Glenn Chatfield
Notes: Henry Ford Museum

1 June 2006

Civil registration, N965Y {2}, cancelled.