This aircraft was ordered new by the Australian Government for the Royal Australian Air Force

It was constructed by Hawker Siddeley Aviation Limited, Woodford, Manchester - 1968

It was allocated the production number '127'

First flown as 'A10-604' - November 07, 1968

Powered by Rolls Royce Dart 534 engines

Accepted by the Royal Australian Air Force at Woodford as 'A10-604' - December 1968

Departed England on the ferry flight to Australia - December 1968

Arrived RAAF East Sale on completion of the ferry flight - December 15, 1968

Ferry route: Woodford - Athens - ? - New Delhi - Bangkok - Singapore - Denpasar - Darwin - Alice Springs - East Sale

The aircraft was allocated to the School of Air Navigation, RAAF East Sale

Transferred to No 32 Squadron, RAAF East Sale - July 01, 1989

It was the first aircraft to be part of the GPS Installation Project (AIR5195) undertaken by Qantas - 1998

Whilst parked outside the aircraft was subjected to excessive winds causing the 'gust lock' to fail

The tailplane was subjected to high wind loads - the cause of the gust-lock failure was never found

As it had been decided around this time to phase out the HS-748s from RAAF service the GPS work was stopped

The aircraft was 'earmarked' for transfer to RAAF Amberley Fire School as a training aide

Withdrawn from use at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - March 1999

The aircraft had flown 18,048 hours with 16,405 cycles

Sold to International Air Parts Pty Limited - March 22, 1999

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-IMG - March 22, 1999

Registered to Horizon Airlines Pty Ltd, Sydney

Ferried Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Sydney (Bankstown) for storage - July 15, 1999

The aircraft was loaned to the Australian Aviation Museum, Bankstown Airport for static display

Horizon Airlines was placed in administration and finally ceased trading - October 14, 2003

The aircraft was scrapped at Sydney (Bankstown) - July 2004

The cockpit section was saved and returned to the Australian Aviation Museum, Bankstown

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - May 12, 2005

A10-604. Royal Australian Air Force - in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, May 01, 1988.

(G. Canciani Copyright Image 0748-116.)

VH-IMG. Horizon - in the basic RAAF low-viz grey livery at Sydney Bankstown Airport, circa 2001.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0748-094.)

VH-IMG. Horizon - in the basic RAAF low-viz grey livery at Sydney Bankstown Airport, August 2002.

(C. Laugier Copyright Image 0748-113.)