This aircraft was ordered by United Airlines - 1967

Rolled off the Boeing production line at Seattle (Renton) - October 1968

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N7438U - October 1968

Registered to United Airlines, Chicago, Illinois

First flown as 'N7438U' - November 06, 1968

Powered by Pratt & Whitney JT8D-7 jet engines

Accepted by United Airlines as Seattle (Renton) - November 19, 1968

Operated its first revenue service - ?

Withdrawn from United Airlines service - 1981

Cancelled from the United States Aircraft Register - July 02, 1981

Sold to Boeing Equipment Holding Company - July 02, 1981

Sold to the New Zealand Government for use by the Royal New Zealand Air Force - July 14, 1981

It arrived at Christchurch on completion of the ferry flight from the United States - July 1981

The aircraft was oprerated by No 40 Squadron

Withdrawn from RNZAF service at Christchurch - August 25, 2003

The aircraft was ferried to Woodbourne, Blenheim - August 25, 2003

The airframe was then used for training purposes

It was observed at Woodbourne in the RNZAF livery minus the tail - February 2012

The aircraft was scrapped at Woodbourne - ?

It had flown 46,215 hours with 35,110 cycles

The nose section was retained by the Air Force Museum, Wigram, Christchurch

The port wing and fuselage are cuuently stored at Leeston, Canterbury

The centre engine and starboard wing are in Rolleston but plans are afoot to move them to Selwyn in 2021

NZ7272. Royal New Zealand Air Force - in the original livery at Auckland Whenuapai Airport, January 1989.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-977.)