Elvis Presley’s private jet is up for auction.
Singer’s 1962 Lockheed 1329 Jetstar has sat in an “aircraft graveyard” in Roswell, New Mexico for more than 35 years and features nine original red velvet seats, an entertainment center and a microwave.
Mecum Auctions states in its listing of the shabby craft: “Elvis and his influence on the music industry are known throughout the world and this opportunity for a new owner to acquire an extravagant piece of his aviation past is a significant opportunity with untold scope. for flights of rock’n’roll fantasy.”
The plane was first auctioned in 2017 for around $430,000, but is back under the hammer.
It is one of three planes Elvis owned when he bought it for $840,000 in 1976, a year before he died on August 16, 1997, aged 42, of heart failure after years of prescription drug abuse and binge eating.
The listing adds, “For decades, Lockheed’s JetStar has been the performance aircraft of choice for countless A-listers, high-profile dignitaries and star-studded celebrities, and this 1962 Lockheed 1329 JetStar is no exception, having once been owned by the King of Rock. ‘n’ roll: Elvis Presley. Presley acquired it from OMNI Aircraft Sales Inc on December 22, 1976 for the princely sum of $840,000.
“Lockheed introduced the popular model in September 1957 – the same month RCA released Elvis’ single ‘Jailhouse Rock.’ The craft was extremely capable and boasted four engines that were housed in two pods mounted in the rear of the hull.
“They allowed a top speed of around 565 mph and a range of over 2,500 miles, which is more than enough for active business jets. Inside, there was enough room for eight to 10 passengers to ride in style, along with a crew of three (two pilots and one flight attendant).
“When Elvis took ownership of this particular JetStar, registered to the FAA as an N-20TF, the entertainer was no stranger to luxury aviation acquisitions. He had already assembled a modest fleet that included his own Convair 880 named ‘Lisa Marie’, which had the call sign ‘Hound Dog 1’, along with a second JetStar identified by its call sign ‘Hound Dog 2’. .. this JetStar is one of several private jets owned by Elvis Presley, with two currently on display at Graceland.”
Inside the cabin is wood paneling and red velvet upholstery with a gold finish.
The in-flight entertainment system is tucked away in the multimedia cabinet and includes a television, RCA VCR player and audio cassette player, with headphone ports and audio controls on each seat.
The auction listing warns that the plane “will require disassembly” if it needs to be shipped to a buyer.
Two other planes owned by Elvis are now on display at his Graceland home in Memphis, Tennessee.
