VH-DHE. Boeing 727-2J4A. c/n 22080-1598.

Was also registered as: OY-SBF; N729DH; HS-SCK.

 

This aircraft was ordered new by Sterling Airways A/S - ?

First flown as 'N7278V' - March 19, 1980

Powered by Pratt & Whitney JT8D-17 engines

Delivered to Sterling Airways A/S - March 26, 1980

Entered onto the Danish Aircraft Register as OY-SBF - ?

Sterling Airways A/S ceased operations - September 22, 1993

It was transferred to Sterling European (a revamped Sterling Airways) - March 1994

Sold to First Security Bank of Utah NA Trustee - January 05, 1995

Cancelled from the Danish Aircraft Register - January 05, 1995

Leased to DHL Worldwide - January 05, 1995

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N729DH - January 05, 1995

It was observed at Miami in Sterling European livery as 'N729DH' - January 11, 1995

Converted to freighter configuration - May 1995

Sold to European Air Transport - May 1995

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-DHE - May 22, 1995

Registered to DHL International (Aust) Pty Ltd

Leased to Premier Airlines as the registered operator

Cancelled from the United States Aircraft Register - May 03, 1995

Arrived Sydney (Kingsford Smith) on completion of the ferry flight from the United States - June 03, 1995

Ferry route: Miami - Los Angeles - Apia - Auckland - Sydney

Premier Airlines was renamed Asian Express Airlines - November 22, 1996

Leased to Asian Express Airlines Pty Ltd as the registered operator - November 29, 1996

It was operated by Asian Express Airlines in the standard DHL livery

Leased by Ansett Air Freight - December 1996 to June 1997

Utilised on trans-Tasman air freight services - Sydney - Auckland - Sydney

Ferried Auckland - Sydney - Brisbane - Darwin - Tainan for maintenance with Air Asia - December 24 - 25, 1999

It was modified to comply with Stage 3 noise requirements and fitted with TCAS during C-Check

Ferried Tainan - Darwin - Brisbane - January 24 - 25, 2000

Returned to service Brisbane - Auckland as HJ92 - January 25, 2000

Ferried Auckland - San Jose (Costa Rica) for maintenance and repaint into the new DHL livery - December 23, 2002

Arrived Auckland in new red / yellow DHL livery after maintenance - February 19, 2003

Registered to European Air Transport, Brussels - January 31, 2005

Leased to Asian Express Airlines as the registered operator

It was observed undergoing maintenance with ANZES at Christchurch - March 24, 2005

Test flown at Christchurch after maintenance - June 22, 2005

Ferried Christchurch - Auckland as HJ4 - June 22, 2005

Returned to service Auckland - Christchurch - Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Brisbane as HJ91 - June 26, 2005

Registered to European Air Transport, Brussels - January 31, 2006

Leased to Asian Express Airlines as the registered operator

Ferried Auckland - Subang (Malaysia) for maintenance - February 17, 2008

Ferried Subang - Darwin - Brisbane - Auckland after maintenance as AXF/HJ96 - May 08 - 09, 2008

Asian Express Airlines was renamed Tasman Cargo Airlines - October 01, 2008

Ferried Melbourne (Tullamarine) - Darwin - Denpasar - Subang for maintenance as TMN6 - December 30, 2009

Ferried Subang - Darwin - Brisbane - Auckland after maintenance - March 05 - 06, 2010

Operated its final revenue service Auckland - Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Auckland as HJ2 - August 31, 2010

Departed Auckland on the ferry flight to Thailand - February 25, 2011

Arrived Bangkok (Don Muang) on completion of the ferry flight - February 26, 2011

Ferry route: Auckland - Cairns - Denpasar - Bangkok (Don Muang)

It was observed at Bangkok (Don Muang) as 'VH-DHE' in full DHL red / yellow livery - March 3, 2011

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - March 09, 2011

It was observed at Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi) as 'HS-SCK' with DHL titles - March 09, 2011

Entered onto the Thai Aircraft Register as HS-SCK - March 11, 2011

Leased to K-Mile Air Co. Ltd, Thailand as the registered operator

Operated in red / yellow DHL livery with K-Mile titles

Withdrawn from service and ferried to U-Tapao for storage - January 2013

Returned to service with K-Mile - March 2013

It was observed at Hong Kong in a hybrid DHL livery - March 27, 2013

Ferried to U-Tapao for storage - July 10, 2013

Ferried U-Tapao - Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi) for return to service with K-Mile - August 26, 2013

It was observed at U-Tapao in service with K-Mile - January 10, 2015

It was observed withdrawn from service and stored at U-Tapao - March 2015

The aircraft remains stored in good condition at U-Tapao - 2017

 

 

OY-SBF. Sterling - in the standard livery at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, October 1981.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-259.)

OY-SBF. Sterling - in the standard livery with additional 'Skybus' titles at an unknown airport, December 1984.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-260.)

VH-DHE. DHL Worldwide Express - in the standard livery at Auckland Airport, August 1995.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-780.)

VH-DHE. DHL Worldwide Express - in the standard livery at Brisbane Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-025.)

VH-DHE. DHL Worldwide Express - in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, October 1997.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-530.)

VH-DHE. DHL - in the revised livery with additional 'Surf Life Saving' promotional aids at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 10, 2003.

(S. Chui Copyright Image 4610-727.)

VH-DHE. DHL - in the revised livery with additional 'Surf Life Saving' promotional aids at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 10, 2003.

(S. Chui Copyright Image 4610-728.)

VH-DHE. DHL - in the revised livery at Brisbane Airport, June 2005.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-190.)

VH-DHE. DHL - in the revised livery at Brisbane Airport, June 2006.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-247.)

VH-DHE. DHL - in the revised livery at Brisbane Airport, June 2006.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-248.)

HS-SCK. K-Mile DHL - in the standard DHL livery at Bangkok Airport, April 2012.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-357.)