VH-EBB Boeing 747-238B

VH-EBB. Boeing 747-238B. c/n 20010-149.

Was also registered as: 4R-ULG; N706CK; N4051L.

This was the second of four aircraft ordered new by Qantas Airways Ltd - June 1969

It was allocated the Boeing Block Number 'RB002'

Rolled off the Boeing production line at Everett - June 22, 1971

First flown as VH-EBB - July 22, 1971

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-EBB - August 14, 1971

Registered to Qantas Airways Ltd, Sydney

Accepted by K. Gould for Qantas Airways at Everett (Paine Field) - August 14, 1971

This was the 36th Boeing airliner delivered new to Qantas Airways

It was the 2nd Boeing 747 delivered to Qantas

The aircraft was named 'City of Melbourne' at Everett

Departed Everett (Paine Field) on the delivery flight to Australia as QF053D - August 26, 1971

It arrived at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) on completion of the delivery flight - August 29, 1971

Flight crew: Captains A . R. Horne, E. Robinson

Delivery route: Seattle - San Francisco - Honolulu - Melbourne - Sydney

Operated its first revenue service Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Perth - Singapore as QF743 - November 11, 1971

Returned to Boeing (Everett) for wing modifications - September 09 - 25, 1972

Chartered by T.A.A. for Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Melbourne (Tullamarine) service - June 01, 1973

Ferried Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Darwin to assist in the Cyclone Tracy evacuation as QF007F - December 28, 1974

Operated Darwin - Sydney (Kingsford Smith) with Cyclone Tracy evacuees as QF007K - December 29, 1974

The aircraft uplifted 674 passengers and 23 crew which was a world record Boeing 747 uplift

Operated its last revenue service Sydney - Manila - Sydney as QF19/20 - July 19, 1981

Withdrawn from service and stored at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) in all-white livery, red tail and no titles

Aircraft had flown 34,224 hours with 13,969 cycles

Repainted into the Qantas 'ochre' livery and rolled out at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - February 19, 1982

Returned to service Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Auckland as QF57 - March 02, 1982

Sold to Guiness Peat Aviation Group Ltd, Ireland and leased back to Qantas Airways - July 07, 1984

Aircraft was un-named - May 09 - September 16, 1985

Operated its final revenue service Melbourne (Tullamarine) - Sydney (Kingsford Smith) as QF3 - September 16, 1985

Entered heavy maintenance with Qantas Engineering at Sydney - September 17, 1985

Rolled out in the standard Air Lanka livery at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - October 21, 1985

Ferried Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Hong Kong (Captain K. Davenport) on delivery as QF171P - October 22, 1985

The aircraft was named 'King Tissa'

The Qantas lease was terminated in Hong Kong - October 23, 1985

Entered onto the Sri Lankan Aircraft Register as 4R-ULG - October 23, 1985

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - October 25, 1985

The aircraft had flown 42,447 hours and 16,991 cycles

Sold to Lion Leasing - October 30, 1985

Ferried Hong Kong - Colombo on delivery to Air Lanka - October 30, 1985

Operated its first revenue service with Air Lanka - November 02, 1985

Operated its final Air Lanka revenue service Colombo - Rome - Frankfurt- Rome - Colombo - May 01, 1987

Ferried Colombo - Singapore in preparation for lease to Qantas Airways - June 20, 1987

Accepted by Qantas Airways at Singapore - July 03, 1987

It was officially leased to Qantas Airways by Aerospace Finance Limited - July 16, 1987

Ferried Singapore - Sydney (Kingsford Smith) by Captain C. Viertel as QF129D - July 21, 1987

Cancelled from the Sri Lankan Aircraft Register - July 21, 1987

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-EBB - July 21, 1987

Registered to Aerospace Finance Limited

Leased to Qantas Airways Ltd, Sydney as the registered operator

Entered maintenance with Qantas Engineering and rolled out in the standard Air Pacific livery - October 02, 1987

The aircraft was named 'Island of Viti Levu'

Returned to service Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Denpasar as QF129 - October 02, 1987

Aircraft was sub-leased to Air Pacific to operate their services

The sub-lease to Air Pacific was terminated - April 1988

Repainted into the standard Qantas livery and rolled out at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - April 26, 1988

Aircraft was named 'City of Newcastle' at Sydney - August 24, 1989

Operated final Qantas revenue service - April 01, 1991

Repainted in the standard Air Pacific livery and rolled out at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - April 23, 1991

Operated its first Air Pacific revenue service Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Nadi as FJ913 - April 28, 1991

Operated its final Air Pacific revenue service Nadi - Sydney (Kingsford Smith) as FJ914 - May 01, 1993

Departed Sydney for the United States for overhaul by Lucas Aviation as QF501D - June 22, 1993

Ferry route: Sydney - Santa Barbara direct

Ferried Santa Barbara - Marana for storage in an all-white livery as QF502D - August 03, 1993

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - May 24, 1994

The aircraft had now flown 63,859 hours with 21,970 cycles

Sold to American International Airlines - May 24, 1994

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N706CK - May 24, 1994

Converted to freighter configuration - September 1994

Observed stored at Oscoda, Michigan without engines - September 02, 1997

American International Airlines was renamed Kitty Hawk International - February 03, 1999

Aircraft remained stored at Oscoda, Michigan - August 20, 2000

Sold to Stewart Industries International - October 2000

Reregistered N4051L - August 29, 2003

Registered to Stewart Industries International

Cancelled from the United States Aircraft Register - February 10, 2006

The aircraft was permanently withdrawn from use at Oscoda, Michigan

VH-EBB. Qantas Australia - in the original livery at Everett Paine Field, August 1971.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4630-469.)

VH-EBB. Qantas Australia - 'City of Melbourne' in the original livery at Everett Paine Field, August 1971.

The following sequence of images captures the emergency escape slide certification.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4630-470.)

VH-EBB. Qantas Australia - 'City of Melbourne' in the original livery at Everett Paine Field, August 1971.

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VH-EBB. Qantas Australia - 'City of Melbourne' in the original livery at Everett Paine Field, August 1971.

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VH-EBB. Qantas Australia - 'City of Melbourne' in the original livery at Everett Paine Field, August 1971.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4630-473.)

VH-EBB. Qantas Australia - 'City of Melbourne' in the original livery at Everett Paine Field, August 1971.

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VH-EBB. Qantas Australia - 'City of Melbourne' in the original livery at Everett Paine Field, August 1971.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4630-475.)

VH-EBB. Qantas Australia - 'City of Melbourne' in the original livery at Everett Paine Field, August 1971.

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VH-EBB. Qantas Australia - 'City of Melbourne' in the original livery at Everett Paine Field, August 1971.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4630-477.)

VH-EBB. Qantas Australia - 'City of Melbourne' in the original livery at Everett Paine Field, August 1971.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4630-478.)

VH-EBB. Qantas Australia - 'City of Melbourne' in the original livery at Everett Paine Field, August 1971.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4630-479.)

VH-EBB. Qantas Australia - 'City of Melbourne' in the original livery at Everett Paine Field, August 1971.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4630-480.)

VH-EBB. Qantas Australia - 'City of Melbourne' in the original livery at Everett Paine Field, August 1971.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4630-481.)

VH-EBB. Qantas Australia - 'City of Melbourne' in the original livery at Everett Paine Field, August 1971.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4630-482.)

VH-EBB. Qantas Australia - 'City of Melbourne' in the original livery at Everett Paine Field, August 1971.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 4630-483.)