VH-EBA Boeing 707-138

VH-EBA. Boeing 707-138. c/n 17696-29.

Was also registered as: CF-PWV; C-FPWV; N138TA; N220AM; N138MJ; HZ-123; VH-XBA.

This was the first of seven Boeing 707-138s ordered new by Qantas Empire Airways Lyd - 1958

Rolled off the Boeing production line as Renton, Washington - March 04, 1959

First flown as 'N31239' - March 20, 1959

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-EBA - June 07, 1959

Registered to Qantas Empire Airways Ltd, Sydney

Accepted by L. Leishman for Qantas Empire Airways at Seattle - July 16, 1959

This was the 1st Boeing airliner ordered by Qantas Airways

It was the 3rd Boeing 707 delivered to Qantas

Departed Seattle (Renton) on the delivery flight to Australia - July 17, 1959

It arrived at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) on completion of the delivery flight - July 20, 1959

Ferry route: Seattle - San Francisco - Honolulu - Nadi - Sydney

Flight crew: Capts K. G. Jackson, A .E. Yates, I. Ralfe, F. Fox

The elapsed flight time was 18 hours 34 minutes

Was planned to name this aircraft 'City of Canberra' but the name was changed to 'City of Melbourne' before delivery

Departed Sydney on a proving flight to San Francisco - New York as EM774P/775P-005 - August 19, 1959

Operated its first revenue service Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - San Francisco as EM774-008 - August 29, 1959

Operated the inaugural Sydney - Nadi - Honolulu - San Francisco - New York - London service - September 05, 1959

Operated the inaugural Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Vancouver jet service - September 11, 1959

The aircraft was returned to Boeing for conversion to 707-138B standard - August 01, 1961

Fitted with new Pratt & Whitney JT3D-1 engines with 17,500 pounds thrust

Returned to Qantas on completion of the conversion - September 12, 1961

Repainted in Sydney (Kingsford Smith) with new 'V-Jet' livery - September 16, 1961

Operated the inaugural 707-138B Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Vancouver service - September 29, 1961

Operated the inaugural 707-138B Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Tokyo service - December 05, 1961

Operated the inaugural 707-138B Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Hong Kong service - February 24, 1963

Operated the inaugural 707-138B Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Singapore service - November 22, 1963

Flew Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Melbourne (Essendon) in 38 minutes 25 seconds to commemorate the

50th Anniversary of the first Australian Air Mail flight - July 18, 1964

Operated the inaugural Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Christchurch Boeing 707 service - April 16, 1965

Operated the inaugural Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Auckland Boeing 707 service - November 24, 1965

Operated its final revenue service Sydney - Auckland - Sydney - August 25, 1967

Test flown Sydney - Sydney after Block A overhaul in preparation for sale - September 27, 1967

Sold to Pacific Western Airlines - October 1967

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - October 31, 1967

The aircraft had flown 25,373 hours to date

Entered onto the Canadian Aircraft Register as CF-PWV - November 01, 1967

Departed Sydney (Kingsford Smith) on the ferry flight to Canada - November 03, 1967

The aircraft was registered as C-FPWV - January 01, 1974

Withdrawn from use and stored at Vancouver - September 1978

Sold to Tiger Air - October 19, 1978

Cancelled from the Canadian Aircraft Register - ?

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N138TA - October 25, 1978

The aircraft was converted to an executive configuration

Sold to Airmark Corporation - October 16, 1983

It was reregistered as N220AM - September 1984

Registered to Community Transport Inc, San Antonio, Texas - January 1986

Registered as N138MJ - October 1986

Sold to Royal Saudi Air Force - September 17, 1987

Cancelled from the United States Aircraft Register - ?

Entered onto the Saudi Arabian Aircraft Register as HZ-123 - September 1987

It was used by the Saudi Ambassador to the United States, Prince Bandar

It was observed at London (Heathrow) with '17696' on the tail in place of Saudi registration marks - October 27, 1990

It was observed at London (Heathrow) with the standard Saudi registration on the tail - October 31, 1990

The aircraft was transferred to the Saudi Ministry of Defence and Aviation - July 06, 1993

It was placed in open storage at Southend, England - September 30, 1999

Rolled out at Southend in an all-white livery with the Saudi flag on the tail - October 29, 2000

Purchased by the Qantas Founderation Memorial Ltd - June 28, 2006

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-XBA - July 7, 2006

Registered to Qantas Foundation Memorial, Longreach, Queensland

It carried out a 3 hour test flight from Southend following restoration by volunteer group - December 02, 2006

Departed Southend on the ferry flight to Australia - December 08, 2006

It arrived at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) on completion of the ferry flight - December 16, 2006

Ferry route: Southend - Dublin - Tennerife - Bermuda - Orlando - Los Angeles - Honolulu - Nadi - Sydney

Flight crew: Captains M. Warfield, R. Walter, B. Phoebe: Flight Engineers H. Hermans, J. Plemenuk

Cabin Supervisor: K. Glass

Departed Sydney on the ferry flight to the Qantas Founders Outback Museum, Longreach - June 10, 2007

This was its final flight and on landing it had flown 61,909 hours 04 minutes and completed 23,618 cycles

Deccommissioned at Longreach - June 18, 2007

This aircraft is now on public display at the Qantas Founders Outback Museum

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - March 22, 2019

VH-EBA. Qantas - the first fuselage section is fabricated on the Boeing Production Line at Renton - 1958.

John Millls (pointing finger) is watched by Tom Gaunt, John Coop, Chris van de Water and Dave Warbrick.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4604-822.)

VH-EBA. Qantas - the centre fuselage barrel awaiting mating with the wing centre section at the Boeing Plant, Renton, 1958.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4605-109.)

VH-EBA. Qantas - the nose section in the assembly jig at the Boeing Plant, Renton, 1958.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4605-228.)

VH-EBA. Qantas - construction of the wing centre section at the Boeing Plant, Renton, 1958.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4605-229.)

VH-EBA. Qantas - construction of the wing centre section at the Boeing Plant, Renton, 1958.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4605-230.)

VH-EBA. Qantas - construction of the wing leading edge at the Boeing Plant, Renton, 1958.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4605-168.)

VH-EBA. Qantas - construction of the port wing at the Boeing Plant, Renton, 1958.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4605-110.)

VH-EBA. Qantas - construction of the wings and the centre section wing box at the Boeing Plant, Renton, 1958.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4605-111.)

VH-EBA. Qantas - the forward fuselage barrel being inspected before it is joined to the nose section at the Boeing Plant, Renton, 1958.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4604-819.)

VH-EBA. Qantas - the forward fuselage barrel has been mated to the nose section at the Boeing Plant, Renton, 1958.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4605-112.)

VH-EBA. Qantas - the centre fuselage barrel mated to the wing centre section box at the Boeing Plant, Renton, 1958.

L to R: Colin Porter, John Mills and Sir Hudson Fysh.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4604-824.)

VH-EBA. Qantas - the centre fuselage barrel mated to the wing centre section box at the Boeing Plant, Renton, 1958.

L to R: John Mills; Tom Gaunt; Hudson Fysh; Collin Porter; Dave Warbrick.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4604-825.)

VH-EBA. Qantas - inspecting construction progress at the Boeing Plant, Renton, 1958.

L to R: Mr Kent (Boeing Factory Manager); George Sanborn (Boeing Director Sales & Contracts); Hudson Fysh; Collin Porter; John Mills.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4604-826.)

VH-EBA. Qantas - the forward fuselage is lined up and joined to the centre fuselage barrel at the Boeing Plant, Renton, 1958.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4604-827.)

VH-EBA. Qantas - the completed fuselage on the production line at the Boeing Plant, Renton, 1958.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4604-828.)

VH-EBA. Qantas - the completed fuselage on the production line at the Boeing Plant, Renton, 1958.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4604-829.)

VH-EBA. Qantas - the cockpit slowly comes together at the Boeing Plant, Renton, 1958.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4605-114.)

VH-EBA. Qantas - the cockpit slowly comes together at the Boeing Plant, Renton, 1958.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4605-169.)

VH-EBA. Qantas - inspecting the wing structure at the Boeing Plant, Renton, 1958.

L to R: Brian van de Water (Qantas Assistant Resident Engineer); William Nielson (Qantas Commercial Manager); Mrs Nielson; Unknown Boeing representative.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4604-820.)

VH-EBA. Qantas - nearing completion on the production line at the Boeing Plant, Renton, 1958.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4605-115.)

VH-EBA. Qantas - nearing completion on the production line at the Boeing Plant, Renton, 1958.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4605-170.)