VH-EBB Boeing 707-138

VH-EBB. Boeing 707-138. c/n 17697-39.

Was also registered as: N790SA; D-ADAP; TC-JBN; N790FA; N138SR.

This aircraft was ordered new by Qantas Airways - ?

The purchase price paid by Qantas was 2,185,000 pounds

Rolled off the Boeing production line at Seattle (Renton) as a Boeing 707-138 - April 01, 1959

First flown as 'N31219' - May 20, 1959

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-EBB - June 26, 1959

Registered to Qantas Empire Airways Ltd, Sydney

Accepted by John Mills for Qantas Airways at Seattle (Boeing Field) - June 26, 1959

It was the first Boeing 707 to be delivered to Qantas

Departed Seattle (Boeing Field - 05:00 local) on the delivery flight to Australia - June 30, 1959

It arrived at Sydney (Kingsford Smith - 13:48 local) on completion of the delivery flight at - July 02, 1959

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

Flight crew: Captains A. A. E. Yates, E. Robinson; F/E A. Rowe

Delivery flight time - 18 hours 49 minutes

The aircraft set a number of civil speed records on this delivery flight

San Francisco - Honolulu sector (it was the first Boeing 707 to land at Honolulu) - 4 hours 49 minutes

This flight broke the existing record held by a Pan American Douglas DC-7C of 6 hours 48 minutes

Honolulu - Nadi sector - 5 hours 34 minutes

Nadi - Sydney sector - 4 hours 47 minutes

It was planned to be named 'City of Sydney' but this was changed to 'City of Canberra' for delivery flight

Aircraft did not carry 'City of Canberra' name externally on the delivery flight

The aircraft was renamed 'City of Sydney' after its arrival as 'City of Canberra' was now carried by 'VH-EBC'

Flew training flight Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Melbourne (Essendon) in 56 minutes - July 06, 1959

Departed Sydney (Kingsford Snith) on a proving flight San Francisco - Vancouver - July 21, 1959

Whilst enroute San Francisco - Sydney it diverted to Brisbane due to an engine failure - August 16, 1959

This diversion meant that it was the first Boeing 707 to land at Brisbane

Departed Sydney on first revenue service to London via San Francisco - New York - September 09, 1959

Carried 'Round the World' commemorative airmail from London - Sydney via Kangaroo Route - November 19, 1960

This air mail originated in Winton, Queensland and marked the 40th anniversary of Qantas

The air mail had been carried Sydney - London via the Southern Cross Route by VH-EBD - November 16, 1960

Departed Sydney on returned to Boeing for conversion to 707-138B standard - September 11, 1961

It arrived at Seattle on completion of the ferry flight - September 12, 1961

Aircraft had flown a total of 6,350 hours 32 minutes to date

It was accepted by Qantas on the completion of this conversion - October 19, 1961

Departed Seattle (Boeing Field) on the ferry flight to Australia - October 23, 1961

It arrived at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) on completion of the ferry flight - October 24, 1961

Operated its final revenue service Sydney - London - Sydney via the Kangaroo Route - March 27, 1967

Withdrawn from use and stored at Sydney (Kingsford Smith)

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - April 27, 1967

The aircraft had flown 24,167 hours with 11,867 cycles

Sold to Seymour R. Gross, Chicago, U. S. A. - May 04, 1967

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N790SA - May 06, 1967

Registered to Seymour R. Gross, Chicago

Leased to Standard Airways, United States - May 06, 1967

Used in movie 'Lost Flight' in Standard livery with 'Transpacific Airlines' titles - August 1968

Sub-leased to El Al - August 1968

Impounded at Las Vegas when Standard ceased operations - August 1969

Sold to Air Commerz, Hamburg, Germany - January 31, 1971

Entered onto the German Aircraft Register as D-ADAP - January 31, 1971

It arrived at Hamburg on completion of the ferry flight - May 09, 1971

Wet leased to Merpati Nusantara Airlines - June - July 1971

Impounded at Dublin, Ireland by Aer Lingus before Air Commerz declared bankrupt - September 01, 1972

Sold to Frederick B. Ayer & Associates, Geneva, Switzerland - August 08, 1973

Flown to Marana, Arizona and stored - August 1973

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N790SA - August 08, 1973

Registered to F. B. Ayer & Associates, Switzerland

Registered to F. B. Ayer U.S.A. - October 31, 1975

Flown to Stansted for overhaul - March 28, 1976

Leased to Turk Hava Yollari - June 05, 1976

Entered onto the Turkish Aircraft Register as TC-JBN - June 18, 1976

Returned to lessor on termination of lease - December 18, 1977

Cancelled from the Turkish Aircraft Register - December 18, 1977

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N790FA - February 13, 1978

Registered to Pan Ayer

Sold to Israel Aircraft Industries / Bedek, Tel Aviv - February 15, 1978

Delivered to Israel Aircraft Industries at Tel Aviv - February 18, 1978

Delivered to Jet Aviation, Basel, Switzerland for conversion to executive configuration - September 28, 1978

Sold to Lowa Ltd and operated by Private Jet Services - June 1979

Withdrawn from use and stored at Basle, Switzerland, March 1985

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

Modified with hushkitted engines by Comtran - 1987

Registered to Exec Aire Inc, San Antonio, Texas - June 1988

Registered to Jetran Inc, San Antonio, Texas - December 1988

Transferred to Comtran International Inc - when Jetran was renamed - October 1989

Reregistered N138SR - November 1990

It was operated for the Republique du Congo - May 1994

It appeared with 'AK' tail titles at Bangkok - February 11, 1995

The aircraft had flown 40,881 hours - June 1996

It appeared with 'Kingdom Entertainment' titles and logo and used by Michael Jackson - September 25, 1996

It was damaged beyond repair at Port Harcourt, Nigeria - August 28, 1998

An arson attack had been carried out on the cockpit whilst aircraft was parked at Port Harcourt

The damage was discovered when the Comtran crew arrived to ferry the aircraft back to the U.S.A. - September 05, 1998

Noted at Port Harcourt, Nigeria as withdrawn from use - April 16, 2005

Current status - ?

VH-EBB. Qantas - the nose section being fabricated at Seattle, circa 1958.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4604-847.)

VH-EBB. Qantas - the completed fuselage on the production line at Seattle, circa 1958.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4604-848.)

VH-EBB. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - in the original livery at Seattle, June 30, 1959.

The official guests on the delivery flight included: Hudson Fysh (far right) and William Allen, Boeing President (second from right).

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4604-766.)

VH-EBB. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - in the original livery at Seattle, June 30, 1959.

The official guests on the delivery flight pose for the camera prior to boarding.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4604-767.)

VH-EBB. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - in the original livery at Seattle, June 30, 1959.

The official guests on the delivery flight pose for the camera prior to boarding.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4604-768.)

VH-EBB. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - in the original livery at Seattle, June 30, 1959.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4604-955.)

VH-EBB. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - in the original livery at Seattle, June 30, 1959.

Captain A. A. E. Yates observes the engine start above the 'City of Sydney Coat of Arms'.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4604-765.)

VH-EBB. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - in the original livery at Seattle, June 30, 1959.

The 'City of Sydney Coat of Arms'.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4604-768.)

VH-EBB. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - in the original livery on the delivery flight, June 30, 1959.

Left to Right: Captain Eric Robinson; Captain Bert Yates (PIC); Flight Engineer Arthur Rowe, unknown in co-pilots seat.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4604-849.)

VH-EBB. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - in the original livery on the delivery flight, July 1959.

L to R: Mr William Allen; Sir Howard Beale; Mr Hudson Fysh; Mrs Fysh; Mrs Allen.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4604-956.)

VH-EBB. Qantas Australia's Overseas Airline - in the original livery at on the delivery flight, July 1959.

One of the passengers tries out the self-serve water unit.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4605-331.)