This aircraft was constructed as a cargo convertible freighter / passenger configuration

Rolled off the Douglas production line at Long Beach, California - 1978

First flown - October 13, 1978

Powered by General Electric CF6-50C2 engines

Entered onto the Dutch Aircraft Register as PH-MBT - December 20, 1978

Registered to Martinair Holland N.V., Schiphol Centre, Amsterdam

Accepted by Martinair at Long Beach - December 20, 1978

Departed Long Beach on the delivery flight to the Netherlands - December 20, 1978

Arrived Amsterdam on completion of the delivery flight - December 21, 1978

Operated its first revenue service - December 24, 1978

Leased to Garuda Indonesian Airways in the Martinair livery - October 01, 1979

Returned to Martinair Holland on termination of the lease - Novemer 1979

Leased to Garuda Indonesian Airways in the Martinair livery - September 1981

Returned to Martinair Holland on termination of the lease - October 1981

Wet-leased to Qantas Airways in the Martinair livery - December 21, 1987

Small 'On Lease To Qantas' decals were placed above the forward entrance doors

This aircraft was chartered to cover for a capacity shortfall during the 1987 Christmas holiday period

Operated its first Qantas revenue service Sydney - Brisbane - Singapore as QF843 - December 24, 1987

Operated its final Qantas revenue service Singapore - Brisbane - Sydney as QF842 - February 11, 1988

Returned to Martinair on termination of the lease - February 16, 1988

Sold to United Aviation Services - January 05, 1989

Registered to Global Leasing SpA, Curacao

Leased to Martinair Holland as the registered operator

Sub-leasded to KLM Royal Dutch Airlines - October 17, 1989

The aircraft was repainted into the standard K.L.M. livery

The aircraft was named 'George Gershwin'

Returned to Martinair Holland on termination of the lease - April 30, 1992

Sold to the Royal Netherlands Air Force - June 01, 1992

Leased to Martinair Holland as the registered operator

Sub-leased to World Airways - June 24, 1992

Ferried Amsterdam (Schiphol) - Frankfurt - Dhahran in the Martinair livery - June 25, 1992

Returned to Martinair on termination of the lease - July 08, 1992

Registered to State of the Netherlands, The Hague - February 04, 1993

Leased to Martinair Holland as the registered operator

Operated the final Martinair revenue service - September 12, 1994

Withdrawn from service at Amsterdam (Schiphol) - September 12, 1994

Returned to the Royal Netherlands Air Force - October 06, 1994

Cancelled from the Dutch Aircraft Register - October 06, 1994

It was observed at Amsterdam (Schiphol) as Royal Netherlands Air Force aircraft 'T-264' - June 30, 1995

It was observed at Amsterdam (Schiphol) in the standard Royal Nerherlands Air Force livery - September 1995

The aircraft had been converted to multi-role tanker/transport (Douglas KDC-10)

This conversion included the installation of an extendable refuelling boom and external lights,

a 'RARO' - 'Remote Air Refuelling Operating' station and a new 'glass cockpit'

The aircraft was assigned to No. 334 Squadron, Eindhoven Air Force Base, Netherlands

It was observed at Eindhoven Air Force Base in the old 'white' livery - April 18, 2004

It was observed at Eindhoven Air Force Base in the low-visibility grey livery

Current with the Royal Netherlands Air Force

PH-MBT. Martinair Holland - in the standard livery at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, February 1981.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1140-215.)

PH-MBT. Martinair Holland - in the standard livery with additional small 'QANTAS' titles above the front and second entrance doors at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, January 1988.

(G. Bennett Collection Copyright Image 1140-214.)

PH-MBT. Martinair Holland - in the standard livery at an unknown airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1140-216.)

PH-MBT. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines - in the standard livery at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, October 1991.

(N. Roozen Copyright Image 1140-219.)

T-264. Royal Netherland Air Force - in the standard livery at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1140-220.)