VH-EBW Boeing 707-338C

This aircraft was ordered new by Qantas Airways - July 1966

Rolled off the Boeing production line at Seattle - August 25, 1967

First flown at Renton as VH-EBW - September 27, 1967

It was accepted by B. Langevad for Qantas Airways at Seattle (Boeing Field) - October 10, 1967

It was the 23rd Boeing airliner delivered new to Qantas Airways

Its was the 23rd Boeing 707 delivered to Qantas

The aircraft was named 'City of Armidale'

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-EBW - October 11, 1967

Registered to Qantas Airways Ltd, Sydney

Departed Seattle on the delivery flight to Australia - October 11, 1967

It arrived at Sydney (Kingsford Smithat 16:30 local) on completion of the delivery flight - October 13, 1967

Operated its first revenue service Sydney - London (Heathrow) via Kangaroo Route - October 29, 1967

It underwent wing life modification work with Lufthansa in Hamburg - June - July 1969

Operated its final revenue service Christchurch - Sydney (Kingsford Smith) as QF885 - May 11, 1975

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - May 12, 1975

Entered onto the British Aircraft Register as G-BDEA (CofR G-BDEA/R1) - May 13, 1975

Registered to British Caledonian Airways, London

Departed Sydney (Kingsford Smith) on the ferry flight to the United Kingdom as QF071D - May 29, 1975

It arrived at London (Gatwick) on completion of the ferry flight - May 30, 1975

The aircraft was named 'City of Inverness' and later 'Loch Thom'

Withdrawn from service and stored at London (Gatwick) - October 1982

Sold to Anglo Airlines Ltd - January 04, 1984

Registered to Anglo Cargo Airlines (CofR G-BDEA/R2) - January 04, 1984

Leased to Transcorp for trans-Tasman freight services - March 16 to May 1987

The aircraft was renamed 'The Captain Keith Hooper'

Leased to Ansett Air Freight to cover maintenance on VH-RMX - January - February 1988

Leased to British Airways - October 28, 1988

Sold to Omega Air and ferried from London (Luton) to Shannon - July 31, 1992

Cancelled from the British Aircraft Register - August 26, 1992

Entered onto the Liberian Aircraft Register as EL-AKH - August 26, 1992

Registered to Omega Air

Leased to Transbrasil - December 01, 1992

Sold to Grumman Aerospace Corp for J-STARS conversion - February 04, 1994

Entered onto the United States Aircraft register as N6546L - February 04, 1994

Registered to Grumman Aerospace Corporation, Melbourne, Florida

Cancelled from the United States Aircraft Register - October 26, 1995

The aircraft had flown 65,300 hours with 18,818 cycles - 1997

Handed over to 93rd ACW, U.S.A.F. as Boeing E-8C P-4 - 1998

It was allocated the United States serial number '93-1097'

Current with the United States Air Force

VH-EBW. Qantas Australia - 'City of Armidale' in the 'V-Jet' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, circa 1969.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4605-161.)

TVH-EBW. Qantas Australia - 'City of Armidale' Coat of Arms.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 1950-171.)

VH-EBW. Qantas Australia - 'City of Armidale' in the 'V-Jet' livery at Jakarta Airport, June 1970.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4604-487.)

VH-EBW. Qantas Australia - 'City of Armidale' in the 'V-Jet' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, February 09, 1971.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4605-473.)

VH-EBW. Qantas Australia - 'City of Armidale' in the 'V-Jet' livery at an unknown airport, August 1971.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4605-384.)

VH-EBW. Qantas Australia - 'City of Armidale' in the 'V-Jet' livery at Mexico City Airport, November 1971.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4604-134.)

VH-EBW. Qantas Australia - 'City of Armidale' in the 'V-Jet' livery at Mexico City Airport, November 1971.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4604-968.)

VH-EBW. Qantas Australia - 'City of Armidale' in the 'ochre' livery at an unknown airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4604-488.)

G-BDEA. British Caledonian - 'County of Inverness' in the original livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 1975.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4604-325.)

G-BDEA. British Caledonian - 'County of Inverness' in the original livery at London Gatwick Airport, May 1978.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4604-457.)

G-BDEA. British Caledonian - 'County of Inverness' in the original livery at London Gatwick Airport, August 1978.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4605-395.)

G-BDEA. British Caledonian - 'County of Inverness' in the original livery at Paris Orly Airport, October 1978.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4604-459.)

G-BDEA. British Caledonian - 'County of Inverness' in the original livery at London Gatwick Airport, January 1979.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4604-197.)

G-BDEA. British Caledonian Cargo - 'Loch Thom' in the revised livery at London Gatwick Airport, March 1981.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4604-456.)

G-BDEA. British Caledonian Cargo - 'Loch Thom' in the modified livery at London Gatwick Airport, December 1981.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4604-458.)

G-BDEA. British Caledonian Cargo - 'Loch Thom' in the revised livery at London Gatwick Airport, May 28, 1982.

(E. Marmet Copyright Image 4605-373.)

G-BDEA. Anglo Cargo - in the standard livery at East Midlands Airport, February 1984.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4604-453.)

G-BDEA. Anglo Cargo - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, August 23, 1984.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4604-518.)

G-BDEA. Anglo Cargo - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, August 23, 1984.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4605-470.)

G-BDEA. Anglo Cargo - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, August 23, 1984.

(N. Louis Copyright Image 4605-420.)

G-BDEA. Anglo Cargo - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, August 23, 1984.

(N. Louis Copyright Image 4605-421.)

G-BDEA. Anglo Cargo - 'The Captain Keith Hooper' in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, January 1988.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 4604-531.)

G-BDEA. Anglo Cargo - 'The Captain Keith Hooper' in the standard livery at Basle Mulhouse Airport, September 1988.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4604-455.)

G-BDEA. Anglo Cargo - 'The Captain Keith Hooper' in the standard livery at Athens Airport, September 1989.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4604-983.)

G-BDEA. Anglo Cargo - 'The Captain Keith Hooper' in the standard livery at London Gatwick Airport, May 1990.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4605-317.)

G-BDEA. Anglo Cargo - 'The Captain Keith Hooper' in the standard livery at an unknown airport, September 1991.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4605-396.)

AF93-1097. U. S. Air Force - in the standard livery at Frankfurt Airport, November 1998.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4605-351.)

AF93-1097. U. S. Air Force - in the standard livery at an unknown airport, March 29, 2002.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4605-318.)

AF93-1097. U. S. Air Force - in the standard livery at an unknown airport, date unknown.