VH-EBE Boeing 747-238B

VH-EBE. Boeing 747-238B. c/n 20534-195.

Was also registered as: N609PE; N10024; N614FF; N14024.

This aircraft was ordered new by Qantas Airways Ltd - June 1970

It was allocated the Boeing Block Number 'RB005'

Rolled off the Boeing production line at Everett (Paine Field) - July 06, 1972

First flown as VH-EBE - July 27, 1972

Accepted by K. Gould for Qantas Airways at Everett (Paine Field) - August 10, 1972

This was the 39th Boeing airliner delivered new to Qantas Airways

It was the 5th Boeing 747 delivered to Qantas

The aircraft was named 'City of Brisbane' at Everett (Paine Fied)

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-EBE - August 11, 1972

Registered to Qantas Airways Ltd, Sydney

Ferried Everett (Paine Field) - San Francisco as QF053D - August 12, 1972

Operated its first revenue service San Francisco - Sydney (Kingsford Smith) as QF531 - August 12, 1972

It arrived at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) on completion of the delivery flight - August 14, 1972

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

Renamed 'City of Smithfield' for one day to operate special a 'Smithmania' flight as QF140 - September 14, 1980

Chartered by Dick Smith and all passengers and crew were named 'Smith' - (Captain J. Smith)

Sold to Boeing Equipment Holdings Company - August 23, 1984

Leased to Qantas Airways as the registered operator - August 23, 1984

Operated its final revenue service Sydney - Auckland - Sydney as QF43/44 - December 31, 1985

Ferried Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Auckland for handover to Boeing as QF141 - January 04, 1986

Ferried Auckland - Sydney (Kingsford Smith) as QF144 - January 04, 1986

Entered heavy maintenance with Qantas Engineering in preparation for lease to People Express

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - January 08, 1986

The aircraft had flown 45,661 hours with 13,958 cycles

Rolled out in People Express livery at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) Airport - April 1986

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N609PE - ?

Departed Sydney (Kingsford Smith) on the ferry flight to the United States as BOE609 - April 18, 1986

Ferry route: Sydney - Honolulu - Wichita

Registered to Boeing Equipment Holding Company, Seattle - May 1986

Leased to People Express as the registered operator - May 01, 1986

Registered to Wilmington Trust Company - January 1987

It was absorbed into the Continental Airlines fleet when Peoplexpress Airlines merged - February 01, 1987

Repainted into the standard Continental livery - February 1987

Sold to First Security Bank of Utah - December 1989

Reregistered as N10024 - May 24, 1991

Sold to Whirpool Finance Corporation - May 01, 1993

It was observed stored at Kingman, Arizona in the basic Continental livery - June 19, 1993

It was observed stored at Kingman, Arizona in all-white livery - June 21, 1994

Registered to WPGP2 Incorporated, Boston Harbor, Michigan - July 1994

Leased to TowerAir as the registered operator - July 20, 1994

It was observed at New York (Kennedy Airport) in all-white livery with TowerAir titles - August 28, 1994

Reregistered as N614FF - October 1994

It was observed at Seattle (Boeing Field) with 'TCA' titles on forward fueselage and 'TCA' tail logo - February 29, 1996

This aircraft was used in the movie 'Turbulence' as the fictional airline 'Trans Continental Air'

Returned to WPGP2 Incorporated (Whirlpool Finance Corp) - November 1996

Leased to Continental Airlines as the registered operator - February 05, 1997

Sub-leased to Continental Micronesia - February 05, 1997

Reregistered N14024 - June 02, 1997

Sold to Wilmington Trust Company - January 13, 1998

Sold to Continental Airlines and sub-leased to Continental Micronesia - May 22, 1998

Returned to Continental Airlines - March 08, 1999

Ferried Los Angeles - Mojave for storage - ?

Sold to Continental Airlines Purchasing Services LP - November 30, 2001

Registered to Continental Airlines Purchasing Services LP - January 04, 2002

The aircraft was offered for immediate sale

The aircraft had flown 83,858 hours with 20,680 cycles - March 04, 2003

Cancelled from the United States Aircraft Register - June 23, 2003

It was observed stored at Mojave in the basic Continental livery with parts missing - December 24, 2007

Prior to scrapping this aircraft was used by the Discovery Channel T.V. program called 'Smash Lab'

A bomb was exploded in the cabin and the results filmed for the show - January 2008

It was observed stored in a very derelict condition at Mojave - May 2008

Scrapped on site

VH-EBE. Qantas Australia - 'City of Brisbane' in the 'ochre' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, October 1977.

(N. Louis Collection Copyright Image 4631-456.)

VH-EBE. Qantas Australia - 'City of Brisbane' in the 'ochre' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 06, 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4631-821.)

VH-EBE. Qantas Australia - 'City of Brisbane' in the 'ochre' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4630-307.)

VH-EBE. Qantas Australia - 'City of Brisbane' in the 'ochre' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4631-003.)

VH-EBE. Qantas Australia - 'City of Brisbane' in the 'ochre' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, April 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4630-308.)

VH-EBE. Qantas Australia - 'City of Brisbane' in the 'ochre' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, April 19, 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4631-822.)

VH-EBE. Qantas Australia - 'City of Brisbane' in the 'ochre' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 03, 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4631-820.)

VH-EBE. Qantas Australia - 'City of Brisbane' in the 'ochre' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, August 21, 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4630-401.)

VH-EBE. Qantas Australia - 'City of Brisbane' in the 'ochre' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, August 21, 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4631-811.)

VH-EBE. Qantas Australia - 'City of Brisbane' in the 'ochre' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, April 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4630-109.)

VH-EBE. Qantas Australia - 'City of Brisbane' in the 'ochre' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, April 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4630-402.)

VH-EBE. Qantas Australia - 'City Of Brisbane' in the 'ochre' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, April 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4630-403.)

VH-EBE. Qantas Australia - 'City of Brisbane' in the 'ochre' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, April 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4630-404.)

VH-EBE. Qantas Australia - 'City of Brisbane' in the 'ochre' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4630-947.)

VH-EBE. Qantas Australia - 'City of Brisbane' in the 'ochre' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4630-309.)

VH-EBE. Qantas Australia - 'City of Brisbane' in the 'ochre' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 17, 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4631-812.)

VH-EBE. Qantas Australia - 'City of Brisbane' in the 'ochre' livery with additional 'Official Carrier Commonwealth Games Brisbane 1982' titles at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, October 1981.

(N. Louis Collection Copyright Image 4631-455.)

VH-EBE. Qantas Australia - 'City of Brisbane' in the 'ochre' livery with additional 'Official Carrier Commonwealth Games Brisbane 1982' titles at Brisbane Airport, May 1982.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4630-571.)

VH-EBE. Qantas Australia - 'City of Brisbane' in the 'ochre' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, December 1984.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4630-369.)

VH-EBE. Qantas Australia - 'City of Brisbane' in the 'ochre' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, December 1984.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4630-370.)

N609PE. Peoplexpress - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, April 1986.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4630-373.)

N609PE. Peoplexpress - in the standard livery at an unknown airport, September 1986.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4631-369.)

N609PE. Continental - in the original livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, June 1987.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4631-011.)

N609PE. Continental - in the original livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, June 1987.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4631-047.)

N609PE. Continental - in the original livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, June 1987.

(J. Goldfinch Copyright Image 4630-245.)

N609PE. Continental - in the original livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, December 1987.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4631-046.)

N609PE. Continental - in the original livery at Los Angeles Airport, September 1989.

(B. Gore Copyright Image 4631-368.)

N609PE. Continental - in the original livery with additional 'Yellow Ribbon' logo at London Gatwick Airport, March 1991.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4630-371.)

N10024. Continental - in the original livery at Miami Airport, July 1992.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4630-183.)

N10024. TowerAir - in the all-white livery at an unknown airport, October 1994.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4630-080.)

N614FF. TCA - in the standard livery at an unknown airport, March 1996.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4630-372.)

N10024. Continental Micronesia - in the final livery at Miami Airport, August 23, 1997.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4631-605.)

N14024. Continental Micronesia - in the final livery at Tokyo Narita Airport, November 1998.