VH-ECB Boeing 747-238B

VH-ECB. Boeing 747-238B-SCD. c/n 21977-409.

This aircraft was ordered new by Qantas Airways Ltd - February 1978

It was the first Qantas Airways Boeing 747 powered by Rolls-Royce engines

It was allocated the Boeing Block Number 'RD532'

Rolled off the Boeing production line at Everett (Paine Field) - October 04, 1979

First flown - October 25, 1979

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-ECB - November 14, 1979

Registered to Qantas Airways Ltd, Sydney

Accepted by H. McCarroll for Qantas Airways at Everett (Paine Field) - November 14, 1979

This was the 52nd Boeing airliner delivered new to Qantas Airways

It was the 18th Boeing 747 delivered to Qantas Airways

It was named 'City of Swan Hill' by Mayor of Swan Hill at Everett (Paine Field) - November 15, 1979

Ferried Seattle - San Francisco as QF501D - November 15, 1979

It operated its first revenue service San Francisco - Sydney (Kingsford Smith) as QF4 - November 15, 1979

It arrived at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) on completion of the delivery flight - November 17, 1979

Delivery route: Seattle - San Francisco - Honolulu - Sydney

Operated inaugural Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Los Angeles service (Captain G. Molloy) as QF11 - August 01, 1980

This aircraft was utilised to transport 6 koalas from Australia to a Japanese zoo - October 1984

This service was dubbed 'The Koala Express' and operated Sydney - Brisbane - Tokyo as QF21 - October 24, 1984

Commemorative nose art was applied to the aircraft to mark the occasion

Converted to full passenger configuration from Combi configuration (passengers + 7 pallets) - 1995

It operated its final revenue service Tokyo - Sydney (Kingsford Smith) as QF20 - April 21, 2002

Withdrawn from use at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) and prepared for storage - April 22, 2002

The aircraft had flown 93,021 hours and 19,876 cycles

Qantas titles and logos were removed at Sydney (Kingsford Smith)

Ferried Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Honolulu as QF7571 - April 30, 2002

Ferried Honolulu - Arizona (Marana) as QF6019 - April 30, 2002

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - May 24, 2002

It was observed in a delelict condition on its belly and minus undercarriage, engine, cockpit at Pinal Air Park, Marana

Scrapped at Pinal Air Park, Marana, Arizona - December 03, 2002

VH-ECB. Qantas Australia - in the all-metal livery with additional '1st RR Powered 747 For Qantas' titles at Everett, 1979.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4630-607.)

VH-ECB. Qantas Australia - in the all-metal livery on the Boeing Production Line at Everett, 1979.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4630-608.)

VH-ECB. Qantas Australia - in the all-metal livery on the Boeing Production Line at Everett, 1979.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4630-609.)

VH-ECB. Qantas Australia - in the all-metal livery on the Boeing Production Line at Everett, 1979.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4630-610.)

VH-ECB. Qantas Australia - in the all-metal livery on the Boeing Production Line at Everett, 1979.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4630-611.)

VH-ECB. Qantas Australia - in the all-metal livery on the Boeing Production Line at Everett, 1979.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4630-612.)

VH-ECB. Qantas Australia - in the all-metal livery on the Boeing Production Line at Everett, 1979.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4630-613.)

VH-ECB. Qantas Australia - in the all-metal livery on the Boeing Production Line at Everett, 1979.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4630-614.)

VH-ECB. Qantas Australia - in the all-metal livery on the Boeing Production Line at Everett, 1979.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4630-615.)

VH-ECB. Qantas Australia - in the all-metal livery on the Boeing Production Line at Everett, 1979.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4630-616.)

VH-ECB. Qantas Australia - 'City of Swan Hill' in the 'ochre' livery at Everett Paine Field, November 1979.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4630-618.)

VH-ECB. Qantas Australia - 'City of Swan Hill' in the 'ochre' livery at Everett Paine Field, November 1979.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4630-617.)

VH-ECB. Qantas Australia - 'City of Swan Hill' in the 'ochre' livery at Everett Paine Field, November 1979.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4630-619.)