VH-TJT Douglas DC-9-31

VH-TJT. Douglas DC-9-31. c/n 47551-634.

Was also registered as: N945AX.

This was the fifth of 6 additional aircraft ordered by the Australian National Airlines Commission for T.A.A.

Construction complete at Douglas Long Beach plant - June 1971

First flown as VH-TJT at Long Beach - July 1971

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-TJT - July 26, 1971

Registered to Australian National Airlines Commission, Melbourne

Accepted by T.A.A. at Long Beach - July 26, 1971

Departed Long Beach on the delivery flight to Australia - July 28, 1971

It arrived at Melbourne (Tullamarine) on completion of the delivery flight - July 30, 1971

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

Flight crew: Captain Clarke

It was named 'Joseph Hawdon' during pre-service lay-up

Operated its first revenue service Melbourne (Tullamarine) - Canberra as TN410 - August 04, 1971

Utilised in publicity shoot at Sydney Airport to celebrate 25th Anniversary re-enactment - September 09, 1971

Operated last service in the old livery - May 11, 1981

Rolled out at Melbourne (Tullamarine) in the new Trans Australia 'camel-hump' livery - June 03, 1981

Returned to service - June 05, 1981

Trans Australia Airlines was renamed Australian Airlines - August 04, 1986

Registered to Australian Airlines Ltd - July 04, 1988

Operated its final revenue service Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Melbourne (Tullamarine) as TN533 - August 23, 1989

The aircraft had flown 45,979 hours with 49,293 cycles

Sold to Australian Aircraft Sales (A.A.S.) - October 02, 1989

The Trans Australia titles and logo were removed from the aircraft and A.A.S. logo applied - October 02, 1989

Departed Melbourne (Tullamarine) in basic TAA livery on the ferry flight to the United States - October 17, 1989

It arrived at Wilmington on completion of the ferry flight - October 20, 1989

Ferry route: Melbourne - Brisbane - Pago Pago - Hilo - Long Beach - Wilmington

The intended sale to Midway Airlines was not taken up

Sold to Airborne Express - October ?, 1989

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - October 24, 1989

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N945AX - October 24, 1989

Registered to ABX Air Inc

It was observed at Phoenix as 'N945AX' in the basic Trans Australia livery

Converted to freighter configuration to carry small parcels only

Aircraft hushkitted with Pratt & Whitney JT8D-7B engines

Certificate of Airworthiness issued by F.A.A. - November 09, 1992

It was observed stored on DHL ramp at Cincinnati Airport - November 17, 2005

It was observed stored at Peru (Grissom Air Force Base) Indiana - July 2006

It was officially withdrawn from service by ABX Air - November 2006

Cancelled from the United States Aircraft Register - October 23, 2009

It is to be preserved at the Grissom Air Museum, Peru, Indiana and is being restored for display

The aircraft currently resides on property owned by Dean Baldwin Paint Company, Peru, Indiana

Awaiting restoration to static display condition by Grissom AFB Museum, Peru, Indiana

VH-TJT. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Joseph Hawdon' in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, June 1977.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1135-589.)

VH-TJT. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Joseph Hawdon' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 1978.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-435.)

VH-TJT. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Joseph Hawdon' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, April 1978.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-436.)

VH-TJT. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Joseph Hawdon' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-294.)

VH-TJT. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Joseph Hawdon' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-437.)

VH-TJT. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Joseph Hawdon' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-438.)

VH-TJT. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Joseph Hawdon' in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, May 1980.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1135-590.)

VH-TJT. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Joseph Hawdon' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, September 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-439.)

VH-TJT. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Joseph Hawdon' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, September 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-440.)

VH-TJT. TAA Trans Australia - 'Joseph Hawdon' in the 'camel hump' livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, June 1981.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1135-623.)

VH-TJT. TAA Trans Australia - 'Joseph Hawdon' in the 'camel hump' livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, June 1981.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1135-624.)

VH-TJT. TAA Trans Australia - 'Joseph Hawdon' in the 'camel hump' livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, August 1981.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1135-625.)

VH-TJT. TAA Trans Australia - 'Joseph Hawdon' in the 'camel hump' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 1984.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-303.)

VH-TJT. TAA Trans Australia - 'Joseph Hawdon' in the 'camel hump' livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, January 1985.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-441.)

VH-TJT. TAA Trans Australia - 'Joseph Hawdon' in the 'camel hump' livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, September 1986.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1135-456.)

VH-TJT. TAA Trans Australia - 'Joseph Hawdon' in the 'camel hump' livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, February 1987.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1135-414.)

VH-TJT. TAA Trans Australia - 'Joseph Hawdon' in the 'camel hump' livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, September 1989.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1135-636.)

VH-TJT. TAA Trans Australia - 'Joseph Hawdon' in the 'camel hump' livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, September 1989.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1135-637.)

VH-TJT. TAA Trans Australia - 'Joseph Hawdon' in the 'camel hump' livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, September 1989.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1135-295.)

VH-TJT. A.A.S. Australian Aircraft Sales - in the basic TAA 'camel hump' livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, October 1989.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1135-280.)

VH-TJT. A.A.S. Australian Aircraft Sales - in the basic TAA 'camel hump' livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, October 1989.