Ordered new by Qantas Airways - June 1980

Rolled off the Boeing production line at Everett - July 1981

First flown as N1791B - August 3, 1981

Powered by Rolls Royce RB211-524-B2 engines

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-EAB - August 31, 1981

Registered to Winton Leasing Ltd and leased to Qantas Airways Ltd, Sydney

Accepted by Qantas at Everett - August 31, 1981

Ferried Everett-Vancouver-Everett as QF521/522 lease purposes (Capts L.W. Clark, A.E. Bones)

Named 'City of Winton' at Everett - September 1, 1981

Departed Seattle as QF501D on delivery flight - September 1, 1981

Arrived Sydney at conclusion of delivery flight (Capts L.W. Clark, A.E. Bones) - September 2, 1981

Delivery route: Seattle-Honolulu-Sydney

Operated first revenue service Sydney-Wellington as QF55 - September 11, 1981

Carried 'Official Carrier Brisbane 1982' Commonwealth Games titles - September 1, 1981

Refitted with Rolls Royce RB211-524-D2 engines - 1982

Repainted into 'Spirit of Australia' livery - November 1986

Operated first service in new livery Sydney-Perth-Sydney as QF7/15 - November 3, 1986

Ferried Sydney-Perth as QF161 for special charter - November 30, 1986

Flew Vatican Papal charter for Pope John II as QF161 with official 'Papal Coat of Arms' - December 1, 1986

Route: Perth-Seychelles-Rome (Ciampino)

Flight crew: Capts J.K. Davenport, R.J. Carmichael

Ferried Rome (Ciampino)-London (Heathrow) as QF161 - December 2, 1986

Returned to service on London-Bombay-Sydney service - December 3 - 5, 1986

Listed by Qantas as being for sale but continued normal operations - March 1, 1990

Renamed 'City of Traralgon' at Sydney - January 22, 1991

Carried 'Sydney 2000' Olympic sticker to promote Sydney's bid for 2000 Olympic Games - November 1993

Leased to Australia Asia Airlines - April 18, 1994 to June 30, 1996

Operated last Australia Asia revenue service Sydney-Taipei-Sydney as QF135/136 - June 30, 1996

Listed by Qantas as being for sale but continued normal operations - January 1, 1997

Ferried Sydney-Amarillo, Texas non-stop for maintenance - June 20, 1997

New 'The Australian Airline' subtitle applied - January 1, 2000

Operated final Qantas passenger service Honolulu-Sydney as QF004/23 - November 24, 2001

Withdrawn from use at Sydney - November 24, 2001

Departed Sydney as a supplementary freighter service Sydney-Honolulu as QF7571 - November 29, 2001

Ferried Honolulu-Marana as QF6019 for storage (Capt B. Simpson) - November 29, 2001

Cancelled from Australian Aircraft Register - December 20, 2001

Engines removed and returned to Qantas

Aircraft was broken up at Marana - April 15, 2002

Had flown 69,469 hours and 15,098 cycles

The complete history of VH-EAB 'City of Winton' is available as a book. This book explores the background

of the Boeing 747SP program before presenting the history of VH-EAB in text and photos.

To purchase a copy of this 'coffee table' book - click HERE.

VH-EAB. Qantas Australia - with 'Brisbane 1982' titles at Sydney Airport, September 1981.

VH-EAB. Qantas Australia - with 'Brisbane 1982' titles at Sydney Airport, September 1982.

VH-EAB. Qantas Australia - with 'Brisbane 1982' titles at Sydney Airport, December 1982.

VH-EAB. Qantas Australia - in the original livery at Brisbane Airport, date unknown.

VH-EAB. Qantas The Spirit of Australia - in the new livery at Melbourne Airport, January 1988.

VH-EAB. Qantas The Spirit of Australia - in the new livery at Sydney Airport, June 1988.

VH-EAB. Qantas The Spirit of Australia - in the new livery at Brisbane Airport, October 1993.

VH-EAB. Qantas The Spirit of Australia - 'Sydney 2000 Olympic' at Brisbane Airport, November 1993.

VH-EAB. Australia Asia - in basic Qantas livery at Sydney Airport, October 1994.

VH-EAB. Australia Asia - in basic Qantas livery at Brisbane Airport, October 1994.

VH-EAB. Australia Asia - in basic Qantas livery at Sydney Airport, December 1994.

VH-EAB. Qantas The Australian Airline - in the full livery at Brisbane Airport, October 1996.