Facts about VH-EBA.
Boeing 707-138.
CN 17696-29
This aircraft has also been registered as:
This aircraft has a huge past.
This was the first of seven Boeing 707-138s ordered new by Qantas Empire Airways Ltd.
It rolled off the Boeing production line in Renton, Washington on the 11th February 1959.
It First flew as 'N31239' on the 20th March 1959.
It was powered by four Pratt & Whitney JT3C-6 engines.
CF-PWV; C-FPWV; N138TA; N220AM; N138MJ; HZ-123; VH-XBA.
This aircraft has a huge past.
This was the first of seven Boeing 707-138s ordered new by Qantas Empire Airways Ltd.
It rolled off the Boeing production line in Renton, Washington on the 11th February 1959.
It First flew as 'N31239' on the 20th March 1959.
It was powered by four Pratt & Whitney JT3C-6 engines.
The aircraft entered onto the Australian aircraft register as VH-EBA on the 7th June 1959.
The aircraft departed Seattle on its delivery flight to Australia on the 17th July.
It arrived in Sydney (Kingsford Smith) on the 20th July.
The aircraft was originally planned to be name 'City of Canberra' but the name was changed to 'City of Melbourne' before delivery.
EBA operated its first revenue service Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - San Francisco as EM 774-008 on the 29th August 1959.
It operated the inaugural Sydney - Nadi - Honolulu - San Francisco - New York - London service on the 5th September 1959.
The aircraft was returned to Boeing for conversion to 707-138B standard on the 1st August 1961.
It was fitted with new Pratt & Whitney JT3D-1 engines with 17,500 pounds thrust.
It was repainted in Sydney with the new 'V-Jet' livery on the 16th September 1961.
It flew from Sydney - Melbourne (Essendon) in 38 minutes 25 seconds to commemorate the
50th Anniversary of the first Australian Air Mail flight on the 18th July 1964.
Operated its final revenue service Sydney - Auckland - Sydney on the 25th August 1967.
Test flown in preparation for sale on the 27th September.
Sold to Pacific Western Airlines in October 1967.
Departed Sydney on a ferry flight to Canada on the 3rd November 1967.
The aircraft was registered as C-FPWV on the 1st January 1974.
It was withdrawn from use and stored at Vancouver in September 1978.
Sold to Tiger Air in October 1978.
Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N138TA on the 25th October 1978.
The aircraft was converted to an executive configuration.
Sold to Airmark Corporation in October 1983.
It was re-registered as N220AM in September 1984.
Registered again to Community Transport Inc, San Antonio, Texas - January 1986 as N138MJ - October 1986.
Sold to Royal Saudi Air Force on the 17th September 1987.
Cancelled from the United States Aircraft Register in September 1987.
Entered onto the Saudi Arabian Aircraft Register as HZ-123 also in September 1987.
It was used by the Saudi Ambassador to the United States, Prince Bandar.
It was seen at London (Heathrow) with the standard Saudi registration on the tail on the 31st October 1990.
The aircraft was transferred to the Saudi Ministry of Defence and Aviation on the 6th July 1993.
It was placed in storage at Southend England in September 1999.
Rolled out at Southend in an all-white livery with the Saudi flag on the tail on the 29th October 2000.
EBA was purchased by the Qantas Foundation Memorial Ltd in June 2006.
It entered onto the Australian aircraft register as VH-XBA on the 7th July 2006.
Registered to Qantas Foundation Memorial, Longreach, Queensland.
It carried out test flights from Southend following restoration by volunteer group on the 2nd December 2006.
Departed Southend on the ferry flight to Australia on the 8th December 2006.
Arrived Sydney on completion of the ferry flight on the 16th December.
Departed Sydney for the Qantas Founders Outback Museum in Longreach on the 10th June 2007.
This was its final flight and on landing it had flown 61,909 hours 4 minutes and completed 23,618 cycles
It arrived in Sydney (Kingsford Smith) on the 20th July.
The aircraft was originally planned to be name 'City of Canberra' but the name was changed to 'City of Melbourne' before delivery.
EBA operated its first revenue service Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - San Francisco as EM 774-008 on the 29th August 1959.
It operated the inaugural Sydney - Nadi - Honolulu - San Francisco - New York - London service on the 5th September 1959.
The aircraft was returned to Boeing for conversion to 707-138B standard on the 1st August 1961.
It was fitted with new Pratt & Whitney JT3D-1 engines with 17,500 pounds thrust.
It was repainted in Sydney with the new 'V-Jet' livery on the 16th September 1961.
It flew from Sydney - Melbourne (Essendon) in 38 minutes 25 seconds to commemorate the
50th Anniversary of the first Australian Air Mail flight on the 18th July 1964.
Operated its final revenue service Sydney - Auckland - Sydney on the 25th August 1967.
Test flown in preparation for sale on the 27th September.
Sold to Pacific Western Airlines in October 1967.
Departed Sydney on a ferry flight to Canada on the 3rd November 1967.
The aircraft was registered as C-FPWV on the 1st January 1974.
It was withdrawn from use and stored at Vancouver in September 1978.
Sold to Tiger Air in October 1978.
Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N138TA on the 25th October 1978.
The aircraft was converted to an executive configuration.
Sold to Airmark Corporation in October 1983.
It was re-registered as N220AM in September 1984.
Registered again to Community Transport Inc, San Antonio, Texas - January 1986 as N138MJ - October 1986.
Sold to Royal Saudi Air Force on the 17th September 1987.
Cancelled from the United States Aircraft Register in September 1987.
Entered onto the Saudi Arabian Aircraft Register as HZ-123 also in September 1987.
It was used by the Saudi Ambassador to the United States, Prince Bandar.
It was seen at London (Heathrow) with the standard Saudi registration on the tail on the 31st October 1990.
The aircraft was transferred to the Saudi Ministry of Defence and Aviation on the 6th July 1993.
It was placed in storage at Southend England in September 1999.
Rolled out at Southend in an all-white livery with the Saudi flag on the tail on the 29th October 2000.
EBA was purchased by the Qantas Foundation Memorial Ltd in June 2006.
It entered onto the Australian aircraft register as VH-XBA on the 7th July 2006.
Registered to Qantas Foundation Memorial, Longreach, Queensland.
It carried out test flights from Southend following restoration by volunteer group on the 2nd December 2006.
Departed Southend on the ferry flight to Australia on the 8th December 2006.
Arrived Sydney on completion of the ferry flight on the 16th December.
Departed Sydney for the Qantas Founders Outback Museum in Longreach on the 10th June 2007.
This was its final flight and on landing it had flown 61,909 hours 4 minutes and completed 23,618 cycles
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