VH-TAG Boeing 737-376

VH-TAG. Boeing 737-376. c/n 23478-1251.

Was also registered as: ZK-JNG; VH-XMB.

This was the second of twelve aircraft ordered new by Australian Airlines (T.A.A.) - May 27, 1985

Rolled off the Boeing production line at Renton - June 16, 1986

First flown as VH-TAG at Renton - July 03, 1986

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-TAG - July 25, 1986

Registered to Australian National Airlines Commission, Melbourne

Trans-Australia Airlines (T.A.A.) was renamed Australian Airlines - August 04, 1986

Departed Seattle (Boeing Field) on the delivery flight to Australia - August 06, 1986

It arrived at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) on completion of the delivery flight - August 08, 1986

Ferry route: Seattle - Oakland - Hilo - Pago Pago -Noumea - Sydney

This was the first Boeing 737 delivered to Australian Airlines

Was originally to be named 'Friendship' but it was renamed 'Advance'

Ferried Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Melbourne (Tullamarine) - August 16, 1986

Operated its first revenue service Melbourne (Tullamarine) - Sydney (Kingsford Smith) as TN472 - August 20, 1986

Australian Airlines was sold to Qantas Airways - September 14, 1992

Australian Airlines was merged with Qantas Airways - October 31, 1993

Ownership was transferred to Qantas Airways Ltd - December 08, 1993

Operated its final revenue service Adelaide (West Beach) - Melbourne (Tullamarine) as QF680 - February 09, 2003

Transferred to Qantas Jetconnect, New Zealand

To follow the Qantas Jetconnect lineage please click 'HERE'

Ferried Melbourne (Tullamarine) - Christcurch as QF6011 - February 10, 2003

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - February 11, 2003

Entered onto the New Zealand Aircraft Register as ZK-JNG - February 12, 2003

Registered to Jetconnect Ltd, New Zealand

Test flown at Christchurch after maintenance as QF6171 - May 02, 2003

Operated its first Jetconnect revenue service Christchurch - Auckland as QF4150 - May 04, 2003

Operated the inaugrual Jetconnect Wellington - Melbourne (Tullamarine) service as QF138 - September 01, 2003

Operated the inaugural Jetconnect Melbourne (Tullamarine) - Christchurch service as QF035 - September 01, 2003

Operated its final Jetconnect service Auckland - Christchurch as QF4161 - December 15, 2006

Ferried Christchurch - Melbourne (Tullamarine) as QF6171 - December 20, 2006

Cancelled from the New Zealand Aircraft Register - December 20, 2006

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-XMB - December 21, 2006

Registered to Qantas Airways Ltd, Sydney

Leased to Australian Air Express as the registered operator

It was converted into a full freighter configuration at Melbourne (Avalon) by Qantas Engineering

Ferried in all-metal livery Melbourne (Tullamarine) - Melbourne (Avalon) - May 05, 2007

Rolled out at Melbourne (Avalon) in the Australian Air Express livery following conversion - September 28, 2007

The aircraft is now classified as a Boeing 737-376(SF)

Operated its first Australian Air Express service Melbourne (Tullamarine) - Brisbane as QF7331 - October 01, 2007

Registered to Qantas Airways Ltd, Mascot, Sydney - December ?, 2012

Leased to Express Freighters Australia Pty Ltd, Mascot, Sydney as the registered operator - May 27, 2013

Ferried Perth - Singapore (Seletar) for maintenance and repaint into new Qantas livery - January 24, 2014

Test flown at Singapore (Seletar) in the standard Qantas Freight livery as QF7301 - April 06, 2014

Ferried Singapore (Seletar) - Perth - Melbourne (Tullamarine) as QF7302 - April 07, 2014

Returned to service Melbourne (Tullamarine) - Brisbane as QF7342 - April 08, 2014

Ferried Perth - Singapore (Seletar) for maintenance and repainting as QF7301 - May 20, 2016

Ferried Singapore (Seletar) - Perth in the revised livery - August 08, 2016

Returned to service - ?

Operated for Qantas Freight by Express Freighters Australia

Operated its final service with Express Freighters Melbourne (Tullamarine) - Brisbane as QF7350 - July 19, 2022

Test flown Brisbane - Brisbane as QF7300 - August 12, 2022

Ferried Brisbane - Alice Springs as QF7300 - August 19, 2022

Broken up at Alice Springs

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - September 02, 2022

VH-TAG. Australian - 'Advance' in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, August 1986.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4623-418.)

VH-TAG. Australian - 'Advance' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, July 08, 1987.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4620-487.)

VH-TAG. Australian - 'Advance' in the standard livery with additional 'Sydney 2000 Olympic Games' logo at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, October 1993.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4620-264.)

VH-TAG. Qantas The Australian Airline - 'Advance' in the standard livery with additional '75 Years' logo at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, July 1995.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4620-214.)

VH-TAG. Qantas The Spirit Of Australia - 'Advance' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, March 21, 2002.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4620-225.)

VH-TAG. Qantas The Spirit Of Australia - 'Advance' in the standard livery at Brisbane Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4621-617.)

ZK-JNG. Qantas - in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, December 2003.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4622-304.)

ZK-JNG. Qantas - in the standard livery at Christchurch Airport, December 11, 2004.

(Z. Rae Copyright Image 4623-004.)

ZK-JNG. Qantas - in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, December 29, 2004.

(G. Canciani Copyright Image 4623-005.)

ZK-JNG. Qantas - in the standard livery at Brisbane Airport, April 2006.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4620-400.)

VH-XMB. Australian Air Express - in the standard livery at Hobart Airport, January 2008.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4620-577.)

VH-XMB. Qantas Freight - in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, July 09, 2014.

(G. Canciani Copyright Image 4621-017.)

VH-XMB. Qantas Freight - in the standard livery at Adelaide West Beach Airport, July 22, 2014.

(T. Haynes Copyright Image 4620-875.)

VH-XMB. Qantas Freight - in the standard livery at Adelaide West Beach Airport, July 22, 2014.

(T. Haynes Copyright Image 4620-876.)

VH-XMB. Qantas Freight - in the standard livery at Adelaide West Beach Airport, July 22, 2014.

(T. Haynes Copyright Image 4620-877.)

VH-XMB. Qantas Freight - in the standard livery with additional 'Australia Post Startrack' titles at Perth Airport, August 08, 2016.

(J. A. Fox Copyright Image 4621-604.)

VH-XMB. Qantas Freight - in the standard livery with additional 'Australia Post Startrack' titles at Hobart Airport, April 2017.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4622-440.)

VH-XMB. Qantas Freight - in the standard livery with additional 'Australia Post Startrack' titles at Adelaide West Beach Airport, October 09, 2018.

(T. Haynes Copyright Image 4622-404.)

VH-XMB. Qantas Freight - in the standard livery with additional 'Australia Post Startrack' titles at Adelaide West Beach Airport, December 12, 2018.

(T. Haynes Copyright Image 4622-511.)

VH-XMB. Qantas Freight - in the 'Silver Roo' livery at Adelaide West Beach Airport, August 25, 2020.