VH-TBM Boeing 727-276A

VH-TBM. Boeing 727-276A. c/n 21171-1232.

Was also registered as: XA-SLG.

This aircraft was ordered new by Trans-Australia Airlines - ?

Rolled out at Seattle (Boeimg Field) - October 14, 1976

First flown at Seattle (Boeing Field) - November 04, 1976

The allocated test registration 'N40124' was not used

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-TBM - November 18, 1976

Departed Seattle (Boeing Field) on the delivery flight to Australia - November 19, 1976

It arrived at Melbourne (Tullamarine) on completion of the delivery flight - November 21, 1976

Delivery route: Seattle - Honolulu - Pago Pago - Brisbane - Melbourne

The aircraft was named 'Albert Namatjira'

It operated its first revenue service - November 26, 1976

It operated its last service in the original livery - November 02, 1981

Rolled out at Melbourne (Tullamarine) in the 'camel-hump' livery - December 07, 1981

Returned to service - December 10, 1981

Trans-Australia Airlines changed its name to Australian Airlines - August 04, 1986

The aircraft was officially transferred to Australian Airlines - July 11, 1988

It operated its last service in the 'camel-hump' livery - December 14, 1988

The aircraft underwent heavy maintenance and repaint at Melbourne (Tullamarine) taking over 6 months to complete

It was rolled out in the 'Australian' livery - July 1989

Returned to service - July 17, 1989

It operated its final revenue service - December 20, 1992

Withdrawn from use and stored Melbourne (Tullamarine) having flown 44,927 hours with 34,600 cycles

All titles and airline logos were removed at Melbourne (Tullamarine) - August 01, 1993

Sold to Extex International - September 30, 1993

Departed Melbourne (Tullamarine) on the ferry flight to Fort Worth, Texas as TN6094 - September 30, 1993

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - October 05, 1993

Sold to Aeroexo - October 05, 1993

Entered onto the Mexican Aircraft Register as XA-SLG - ?

Leased to Aviacsa as the registered operator - December 1994 to March 1996

The aircraft was transferred to Aviacsa - 1997

The aircraft was fitted with winglets - ?

Withdrawn from service after operating the last Boeing 727 passenger service in Mexico - March 06, 2007

It was observed stored at Mexico City in good condition - January 28, 2008

Remains stored in derelict condition at Mexico City - 2014

Current status - ?

VH-TBM. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Albert Namatjira' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, April 1978.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-636.)

VH-TBM. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Albert Namatjira' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-637.)

VH-TBM. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Albert Namatjira' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-638.)

VH-TBM. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Albert Namatjira' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-639.)

VH-TBM. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Albert Namatjira' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-640.)

VH-TBM. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Albert Namatjira' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-600.)

VH-TBM. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Albert Namatjira' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-641.)

VH-TBM. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Albert Namatjira' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, September 06, 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-601.)

VH-TBM. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Albert Namatjira' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 1981.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-642.)

VH-TBM. TAA Trans Australia - 'Albert Namatjira' in the 'camel hump' livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, January 1982.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-955.)

VH-TBM. TAA Trans Australia - 'Albert Namatjira' in the 'camel hump' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, February 1982.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-954.)

VH-TBM. TAA Trans Australia - 'Albert Namatjira' in the 'camel hump' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, September 1985.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-602.)

VH-TBM. TAA Trans Australia - 'Albert Namatjira' in the 'camel hump' livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, December 1985.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-875.)

VH-TBM. TAA Trans Australia - 'Albert Namatjira' in the 'camel hump' livery at Brisbane Airport, November 1986.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-783.)

VH-TBM. TAA Trans Australia - 'Albert Namatjira' in the 'camel hump' livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, February 1988.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-632.)

VH-TBM. Australian - 'Albert Namatjira' in the standard livery at Brisbane Airport, September 1989.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-090.)

VH-TBM. Australian - 'Albert Namatjira' in the standard livery at Brisbane Airport, September 1989.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-091.)

VH-TBM. Australian - 'Albert Namatjira' in the basic livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, August 1993.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-603.)

XA-SLG. Aviacsa - in the non-standard livery at an unknown airport, date unknown.