VH-TJJ Douglas DC-9-31

VH-TJJ. Douglas DC-9-31. c/n 47007-087.

Was also registered as: N938ML; YV-7214C.

First of three DC-9s ordered by Australian National Airlines Commission for Trans-Australia Airlines

The order was originally for 3 DC-9-20s with 3 options - April 01, 1965

The order was later changed to 3 DC-9-30s with 3 options - April 24, 1965

The contract was signed with Douglas at Long Beach - November 10, 1965

Construction was completed at the Douglas Long Beach plant - December 22, 1966

First flown at Long Beach as VH-TJJ - March 12, 1967

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-TJJ - March 18, 1967

Registered to Australian National Airlines Commission, Melbourne

The aircraft was named 'Edmund Kennedy'

Accepted by Trans-Australia Airlines at Long Beach - March 18, 1967

Departed Long Beach on the delivery flight to Australia - April 11, 1967

It arrived at Melbourne (Essendon) on completion of the delivery flight - April 13, 1967

Ferry route: Long Beach - Honolulu - Canton Island - Nadi - Melbourne

Known flight crew: LAME E. Kean

Operated its first revenue service - April 16, 1967

Operated the inaugural Adelaide (West Beach) - Perth DC-9 service as TN512 - December 15, 1967

The original silver tail was repainted in the revised white 'T-tail' livery - July 15, 1968

It was rolled out at Melbourne (Essendon) in the revised T.A.A. livery - September 21, 1969

Involved in an attempted hijacking enroute Coolangatta - Brisbane (Captain G. Mackelmann) - June 08, 1979

Seaman Philllip Sillery entered the cockpit armed with a sawn-off shotgun

The armed passenger was overpowered and later sentenced to life imprisonment later reduced to ten years

Captain G. Mackelmann and Hostess E. Qazim received the award 'Star of Courage' for their roles in the incident

For further information on the event please click 'HERE'

Operated 'last' revenue service Melbourne (Tullamarine) - Canberra - Melbourne (Tullamarine) - February 15, 1982

Withdrawn from use and stored at Melbourne (Tullamarine)

The aircraft had flown 38,029 hours with 40,975 cycles

Was involved in a collision with F.27 VH-TQR whilst being towed at Melbourne (Tullamarine) - May 16, 1982

Returned to service after repairs - July 09, 1982

Sold to Australian Aircraft Sales and leased back - January 21, 1983

Rolled out Melbourne (Tullamarine) in the new 'camel-hump' livery - February 09, 1983

Returned to service - February 10, 1983

Renamed Hamilton Hume' - April 4, 1984

It was transferred to Australian Airlines following the company's name change - August 04, 1986

Operated its final revenue service Brisbane - Melbourne (Tullamarine) as TN455 - January 18, 1987

Withdrawn from service at Melbourne (Tullamarine)

The aircraft had flown 48,683 hours with 52,174 cycles

The 'Trans-Australia' titles were removed at Melbourne (Tullamarine) - January 20, 1987

Long range bladder tanks installed in the cabin for ferry flight during post lease maintenance

Returned to Australian Aircraft Sales at the end of the lease - January 27, 1987

Departed Melbourne (0850 hrs local) on the ferry flight to the United States as TN1398 - January 27, 1987

It arrived at Miami on completion of the ferry flight - January 29, 1987

Ferry route: Melbourne - Nadi - Honolulu - Long Beach - Miami

Flight crew: Captain B. Rhodes; F/O N. Dickson; Navigator T. Aitkem; Service Engineer N. Dures; Sales J. Wren

Sold to Midway Airlines - January 29, 1987

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - February 02, 1987

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N938ML - February 02, 1987

Registered to Midway Airlines

The aircraft was named 'City of Omaha'

Withdrawn from service and stored - November 13, 1991

Sold to M W A Holdings Inc, Chicago, Il - March 20, 1992

Registered to MWA Holdings Inc - June 1992

Leased to Aerolineas Regional del Centro t/a Aserca Airlines - July 1992

The aircraft was named 'El Pilar'

Accepted by ASERCA - July 22, 1992

Cancelled from the United States Aircraft Register - August 06, 1992

Entered onto Venezuelan Aircraft Register as YV-714C - August 06, 1992

Departed Miami on the delivery flight to Aserca - July 22, 1992

It was configured to seat 80 economy class passengers

It was observed at Caracas International (Maiquetia) Airport stored and without engines - July 15, 2003

Aircraft is reported to have been scrapped at Caracas International Airport - ?

VH-TJJ. TAA T-Jet - 'Edmund Kennedy' in the original livery at an unknown location, March 1967.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1135-045.)

VH-TJJ. TAA T-Jet - 'Edmund Kennedy' in the original livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, April 13, 1967.

(G. Bennett Collection Copyright Image 1135-473.)

VH-TJJ. TAA T-Jet - 'Edmund Kennedy' in the original livery at an unknown location, April 1967.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1135-019.)

VH-TJJ. TAA T-Jet - 'Edmund Kennedy' in the original livery at an unknown location, April 1967.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1135-020.)

VH-TJJ. TAA T-Jet - 'Edmund Kennedy' in the original livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, April 1967.

(R. Wallace Copyright Image 1135-475.)

VH-TJJ. TAA T-Jet - 'Edmund Kennedy' in the original livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, April 1967.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-181.)

VH-TJJ. TAA T-Jet - 'Edmund Kennedy' in the modified original livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 1967.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1135-052.)

VH-TJJ. TAA T-Jet - 'Edmund Kennedy' in the modified original livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 1967.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1135-001.)

VH-TJJ. TAA T-Jet - 'Edmund Kennedy' in the modified original livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, May 07, 1967.

(G. Bennett Collection Copyright Image 1135-469.)

VH-TJJ. TAA T-Jet - 'Edmund Kennedy' in the modified original livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, May 07, 1967.

(F. Nivan Copyright Image 1135-474.)

VH-TJJ. TAA T-Jet - 'Edmund Kennedy' in the modified original livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, August 1967.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1135-007.)

VH-TJJ. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Edmund Kennedy' in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, May 1977.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1135-476.)

VH-TJJ. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Edmund Kennedy' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, December 1977.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-182.)

VH-TJJ. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Edmund Kennedy' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 1978.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-183.)

VH-TJJ. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Edmund Kennedy' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, April 1978.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-184.)

VH-TJJ. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Edmund Kennedy' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-110.)

VH-TJJ. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Edmund Kennedy' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-185.)

VH-TJJ. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Edmund Kennedy' in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, January 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-186.)

VH-TJJ. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Edmund Kennedy' in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, April 1980.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1135-477.)

VH-TJJ. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Edmund Kennedy' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-187.)

VH-TJJ. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Edmund Kennedy' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, September 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-191.)

VH-TJJ. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Edmund Kennedy' in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, October 1980.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1135-478.)

VH-TJJ. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Edmund Kennedy' in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, October 1980.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1135-479.)

VH-TJJ. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Edmund Kennedy' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, December 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-188.)

VH-TJJ. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Edmund Kennedy' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 1981.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-078.)

VH-TJJ. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Edmund Kennedy' in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, August 1981.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1135-480.)

VH-TJJ. TAA Trans Australia - 'Edmund Kennedy' in the 'camel hump' livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, March 1983.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1135-595.)

VH-TJJ. TAA Trans Australia - 'Hamilton Hume' in the standard 'camel hump' livery at Brisbane Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1135-190.)

VH-TJJ. TAA Trans Australia - 'Hamilton Hume' in the standard 'camel hump' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 1985.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-189.)

VH-TJJ. AAS Australian Aircraft Sales - in the basic Trans Australia 'camel hump' livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, January 1987.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1135-626.)

VH-TJJ. AAS Australian Aircraft Sales - in the basic Trans Australia 'camel hump' livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, January 1987.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1135-627.)

VH-TJJ. AAS Australian Aircraft Sales - in the basic Trans Australia 'camel hump' livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, January 27, 1987.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1135-628.)

VH-TJJ. AAS Australian Aircraft Sales - in the basic Trans Australia 'camel hump' livery at Miami Airport, February 1987.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1135-298.)

N938ML. Aserca - in the original livery at Chicago Midway Airport, August 1992.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1135-112.)

YV-714C. Aserca - in the original livery at an unknown airport, January 1995.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1135-554.)

YV-714C. Aserca Airlines - in the original livery at Simon Bolivar Airport, April 1996.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1135-120.)

YV-714C. Aserca Airlines Venezuela - in the final livery at Simon Bolivar Airport, February 2000.