This aircraft was ordered new by Ansett Transport Industries

First flown at Seattle - May 23, 1978

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-RML - June 08, 1978

Registered to Ansett Transport Industries (Operations) Pty Ltd, Melbourne

Departed Seattle (Boeing Field) on the delivery flight to Australia - June 08, 1978

It arrived at Melbourne (Tullamarine) on completion of the delivery flight - June 11, 1978

Delivery route: Seattle - San Francisco - Hilo - Pago Pago - Nadi - Melbourne

Flight crew: Captains N. Murdoch, M. Wheaton, B. Lethbridge; F/Es C. Short, J. Crago; Navigator W. C. Kennedy

Operated its irst revenue service Melbourne (Tullamarine) - Sydney (Kingsford Smith) as AN6 - June 16, 1978

Temporarily named 'Southern Connection' for the trial service Hobart - Christchurch - Hobart

Services operated under QF393/394 flight numbers

Inaugural service commanded by Captains A. James, W. Hanrahan - December 03, 1980

This service was operated by Ansett each Wednesday with T.A.A. operating it each Saturday

Operated the last service by an Ansett aircraft Christchurch - Hobart - March 03, 1982

Painted in the colorful 'Rainbow Fantasy' color scheme for Variety Club 'Dream Flights' - June 10, 1989

Artists contributing were: Rolf Harris, Clifton Pugh and David Rankin

Over 800 disadvantaged children experienced a flight over two days

Operated its final revenue service Adelaide (West Beach) - Melbourne (Tullamarine) (Captain N. Baker) - June 21, 1989

Withdrawn from use having flown 31,790 hours with 23,917 cycles

Departed Melbourne (Tullamarine) on the ferry flight to the United States as AN27 - July 23, 1989

Arrived Seattle on completion of the ferry flight - July 29, 1989

Ferry route: Melbourne - Nadi - Apia - Kailua/Kona - Oakland - Seattle (Paine Field)

Flight crew: Captains C. Bird, A. Tonks, M. Bishop; F/E J. Gillett; LAME R. Chapple

Support crew: Captain N. Day; Engineers C. Almond, Y. Almond, K. Hosking

Ferried Seattle - Dothan and handed over to Federal Express in the Ansett 'Rainbow' livery - July 30, 1989

Flight crew: Captains C. Bird, A. Tonks, M. Bishop; F/E J. Gillett; LAME R. Chapple

Sold to Federal Express - July 31, 1989

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N243FE - July 31, 1989

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - July 31, 1989

Converted to freighter configuration - December 1989 - January 1990

The aircraft was named 'Braden'

Withdrawn from service and stored at Victorville - February 19, 2009

It was observed stored at Victorville - November 07, 2011

Aircraft used as a source of spare parts

Cancelled from the United States Aircraft Register - April 25, 2013

It was observed in a derelict condition at Victorville - August 2014

VH-RML. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery near Seattle, July 1978.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-145.)

VH-RML. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-404.)

VH-RML. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-837.)

VH-RML. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-838.)

VH-RML. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, April 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-839.)

VH-RML. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, April 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-009.)

VH-RML. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, June 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-840.)

VH-RML. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-004.)

VH-RML. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, August 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-841.)

VH-RML. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery with additional 'Commonwealth Games Brisbane 1982' titles at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, December 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-842.)

VH-RML. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery with additional 'Commonwealth Games Brisbane 1982' titles at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, March 1981.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-700.)

VH-RML. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery with additional 'Commonwealth Games Brisbane 1982' titles at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, Janusary 1982.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-843.)

VH-RML. Ansett - in the 'Southern Cross' livery with additional 'Commonwealth Games Brisbane 1982' titles at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, August 1982.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-318.)

VH-RML. Ansett - in the 'Southern Cross' livery with additional '150Years Victoria' titles at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 1985.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-844.)

VH-RML. Ansett - in the 'Southern Cross' livery with additional '150 Years Birthday' titles at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, May 1986.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-941.)

VH-RML. Ansett - in the 'Southern Cross' livery with additional '150 Years Birthday' titles at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 1987.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-845.)

VH-RML. Ansett - in the 'Southern Cross' livery with additional 'Australian Bi-Centennial' titles at Brisbane Airport, January 1988.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-146.)

VH-RML. Ansett - in the 'Southern Cross' livery with additional 'Australian Bi-Centennial' titles at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, October 1988.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-787.)

VH-RML. Ansett - in the 'Southern Cross' livery with additional 'Rainbow Serpent' artwork at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, June 1989.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-323.)

VH-RML. Ansett - in the 'Southern Cross' livery with additional 'Rainbow Serpent' artwork at Brisbane Airport, June 1989.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-061.)

VH-RML. Ansett - in the 'Southern Cross' livery with additional 'Rainbow Serpent' artwork at an unknown airport, June 1989.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-341.)

VH-RML. Ansett - in the 'Southern Cross' livery with additional 'Rainbow Serpent' artwork at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, June 1989.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-565.)

N243FE. FedEx - in the standard livery at an unknown airport, February 2005.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-403.)