VH-RME Boeing 727-77

VH-RME. Boeing 727-77. c/n 18743-78.

Was also registered as: XA-MEG; PT-TCE; N8140V; TC-AJT; N143CA; HK-3551X; XA-SDH;

HH-JEC; XA-SIR.

This aircraft was the first of two aircraft ordered new by Ansett-ANA - February 1963

First flown - September 21, 1964

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-RME - September 01, 1964

Departed Seattle on the delivery flight to Australia - October 13, 1964

It arrived at Melbourne (Essendon) on completion of the delivery flight - October 16, 1964

Delivery route: Seattle - San Francisco - Honolulu - Canton Island - Nadi - Melbourne

Ansett Flight crew: Captains A. Lovell, J. McRobbie, A. McNaughton; Navigator W. C. Kennedy;

F/Es M. Perry and A. Williams; Boeing Flight crew: Captains S. L. Wallick, B. Allsop and E. Hartz

This flight was the first tri-motor aircraft to cross the Pacific Ocean since Charles Kingsford-Smith and

Charles Ulm's flight in the Fokker 'Southern Cross'

Operated its first revenue service Melbourne (Essendon) - Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - November 02, 1964

Registered to Ansett Transport Industries (Operations) Pty Ltd - November 25, 1969

Operated its final revenue service Brisbane - Melbourne (Tullamarine) as AN55 - September 12, 1978

Withdrawn from use and stored at Melbourne (Tullamarine) having flown 43,110 hours

Sold to International Air Leases - January 1979

Departed Melbourne (Tullamarine) on the ferry flight to the United States - January 18, 1979

Ferry route: Melbourne - Tontouta - Pago Pago - Hilo - Los Angeles - Miami

It arrived at Miami on completion of the ferry flight - January 20, 1979

Flight crew: Captains M. Wheaton, E. Mackay; F/E J. Crago; Navigator B. S. McEwen

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - January 25, 1979

Entered onto the Mexican Aircraft Register as XA-MEG - June 06, 1979

Leased to Compania Mexicana de Aviacion SA (Mexicana) - June 06, 1979

Returned to International Air Leases - November 06, 1981

Leased to Transbrasil SA Linhas Aereas - December 20, 1981

Entered onto the Brasilian Aircraft Register as PT-TCE - December 20, 1981

Sold to Transbrasil - April 01, 1986

Sold to Corsair Inc - May 16, 1989

Cancelled from the Brasilian Aircraft Register - May 16, 1989

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N8140V - May 16, 1989

Leased to Toros Airways, Turkey (Torosair) - May 30, 1989

Entered onto the Turkish Aircraft Register as TC-AJT - June 1989

The aircraft was named 'Imre Hong'

Returned to Corsair when Torosair ceased operations - January 1990

Cancelled from the Turkish Aircraft Register - June 1990

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N143CA - June 1990

Ownership was transferred to Avengair (sister company of Corsair) - June 1990

Leased to Aerolineas Centrales de Colombia SA (t/a ACES Colombia) - May 01, 1991

Entered onto the Colombian Aircraft Register as HK-3651X - May 1991

Returned to Avengair on termination of lease - April 1992

The intended sale to Hanair, Haiti as 'HH-JEC' did not eventuate - April 1992

The aircraft had been fully painted into the Hanair livery at Miami but it was not delivered

Leased to Servicios Aereos Rutas Oriente SA (t/a SARO) - July 17, 1992

Entered onto the Mexican Aircraft Register as XA-SDH - July 17, 1992

Returned to Avengair at the end of the lease - July 1993

Leased to Quassar de Mexico SA as the registered operator - August 18, 1993

Reregistered as XA-SIR - August 18, 1993

Operated its final revenue service with Quassar - October 15, 1994

Returned to Avengair at the end of the lease at Miami and withdrawn from service - October 22, 1994

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N8140V - ?

Stored at Opa Locka, Florida - October 1994

Sold to Florida National Air Sales & Services - May 26, 1995

It was observed at Opa Locka with parts missing - July 1995

Scrapped at Opa Locka, Florida - 1995

VH-RME. Ansett-ANA - in the standard livery over Washington State, September 1964.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-173.)

VH-RME. Ansett-ANA - in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, October 16, 1964.

(B. Colledge Copyright Image 4610-157.)

VH-RME. Ansett-ANA - in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, October 16, 1964.

(L. Wise Copyright Image 4610-295.)

VH-RME. Ansett-ANA - in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, October 1964.

(L. Wise Copyright Image 4610-296.)

VH-RME. Ansett-ANA - in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, October 1964.

(L. Wise Copyright Image 4610-297.)

VH-RME. Ansett-ANA - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, December 1964.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-298.)

VH-RME. Ansett-ANA - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 1966.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-385.)

VH-RME. Ansett-ANA - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, August 1966.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-386.)

VH-RME. Ansett-ANA - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, December 29, 1966.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-387.)

VH-RME. Ansett-ANA - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, December 29, 1966.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-388.)

VH-RME. Ansett-ANA - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, December 29, 1966.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-784.)

VH-RME. Ansett-ANA - in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, June 1967.

(J. Hopton Copyright Image 4610-131.)

VH-RME. Ansett-ANA - in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, April 1968.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-299.)

VH-RME. Ansett-ANA - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 1968.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-300.)

VH-RME. Ansett-ANA - in the standard livery at Perth Airport, date unknown.

(E. D. Daw Copyright Image 4610-132.)

VH-RME. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, January 1973.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-058.)

VH-RME. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, January 1973.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-144.)

VH-RME. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, May 1977.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-301.)

VH-RME. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, October 1977.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-302.)

VH-RME. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery with additional 'Goodbye VH-RME 1964-1979' titles at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, September 1978.

From L to R: Navigator Bill Kennedy; Captain John McRobbie; Hostess Kim Olver; Snr Flight Engineer Mark Perry; Flight Engineer Allan Williams; Hostess Fran Kelly; Captain Alex McNaughton; Captain Arthur Lovell.

(E. D. Daw Collection Copyright Image 4610-133.)