VH-TJN Douglas DC-9-31

VH-TJN. Douglas DC-9-31. c/n 47203-401.

Was also registered as: N907AX.

This aircraft was the second of three optioned DC-9s ordered by Australian National Airlines Commission for T.A.A.

The original order was placed for 3 DC-9-20s with 3 options - April 01, 1965

This order was subsequently changed to 3 DC-9-30s with 3 options - April 24, 1965

Contract signed with Douglas at Long Beach - November 10, 1965

Construction was complete at the Douglas Long Beach plant - October 1968

First flown as 'VH-TJN' at Long Beach - October 23, 1968

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-TJN - October 31, 1968

Registered to Australian National Airlines Commission, Melbourne

Accepted by Trans-Australia Airlines at Long Beach - October 31, 1968

Departed Long Beach on the delivery flight to Australia - November 01, 1968

It arrived at Melbourne (Essendon) on completion of the delivery flight - November 03, 1968

Delivery route: Long Beach - Honolulu - Pago Pago - Brisbane - Melbourne

The aircraft was named 'Paul Strezlecki'

Operated its first revenue service - November 07, 1968

It was rolled out in new TAA Trans-Australia Airlines livery at Melbourne (Essendon) - May 1971

Operated the last schedule passenger service to depart Melbourne (Essendon) Airport - June 19, 1971

This was the Melbourne (Essendon) - Adelaide (West Beach) service as TN514

Operated the inaugural Darwin - Port Headland DC-9 sevice as TN301 - November 17, 1977

Flight crew: Captains K. J. J. Barr, K. J. Purnell

Operated its final revenue service Hobart - Melbourne (Tullamarine) as TN500 - May 31, 1982

Withdrawn from use and prepared for sale

It had flown 35,577 hours with 38,911 cycles

Trans-Australia titles and logo were removed from the aircraft - June 09, 1982

Departed Melbourne (04:00 local) in the basic T.A.A. livery on the ferry flight to the United States - June 16, 1982

It arrived at Wilmington, Delaware on completion of the ferry flight - June 19, 1982

Sold to Airborne Express - June 19, 1982

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - July 09, 1982

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N907AX - July 1982

Registered to Airborne Express (U.S.A.)

It was converted to small parcel freighter configuration

Operated its first revenue service with Airborne Express - August 02, 1982

Airborne Express was renamed ABX Air - 1988

It was hushkitted with Pratt & Whitney JT8D-7B engines

Sold to D.H.L. Network Operations (U.S.A.) Incorp, Plantation, Florida - December 22, 2008

Registered to D.H.L. Network Operations (U.S.A.) Incorp - January 02, 2009

Registered to Stewart Industries LLC - August 07, 2009

Ferried to Roswell, New Mexico for storage - ?

Cancelled from the United States Aircraft Register - August 28, 2009

It was observed at Roswell - September 23, 2009

Scrapped at Roswell, New Mexico - ?

VH-TJN. TAA T-Jet - 'Paul Strezlecki' in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, August 1969.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-063.)

VH-TJN. TAA T-Jet - 'Paul Strezlecki' in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, January 1971.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-079.)

VH-TJN. TAA T-Jet - 'Paul Strezlecki' in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, April 1971.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-064.)

VH-TJN. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Paul Strezlecki' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 1978.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-304.)

VH-TJN. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Paul Strezlecki' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-305.)

VH-TJN. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Paul Strezlecki' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-065.)

VH-TJN. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Paul Strezlecki' in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, January 1980.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1135-034.)