First of six DC-9s ordered new by Ansett - March 24, 1965

First flown - March 2, 1967

Entered onto Australian Aircraft Register as VH-CZA - March 17, 1967

Registered to Ansett Transport Industries (Operations) Pty Ltd

Accepted by Ansett at Long Beach - March 17, 1967

Utilised within the U.S. for Ansett pilot training commencing same day

Departed Long Beach on delivery flight to Australia - April 22, 1967

Arrived Melbourne's Essendon Airport at conclusion of delivery flight - April 24, 1967

Delivery route: Long Beach-Honolulu-Canton Island-Nadi-Melbourne

Flight crew: Capts M. Wheaton, K. Ashmead; Navigator W.C. Kennedy & Douglas pilot A. Freiburg

Operated its first revenue service with Ansett-ANA - April 30, 1967

Operated its final revenue service as AN56 Launceston-Melbourne (Capt N. Day) - June 17, 1982

Performed a farewell tour for Ansett's DC-9s carrying special inscription on forward fuselage

Placed in open storage at Melbourne's Tullamarine Airport

Cancelled from Australian Aircraft Register - August 30, 1982

Had flown 39,190 hours & 42,731 cycles

It had flown 14,209,628 nautical miles & had carried some 2,795,804 passengers

Sold to Corsair Inc for lease to U.S. Navy - September 17, 1982

Sold to Marfreless Inc for lease to U.S. Navy - September 18, 1982

Departed Melbourne as N3281G - September 27, 1982

Ferry route: Melbourne-Nadi-Pago Pago-Hilo-Phoenix

Flight crew: Capts N. Day, G. Schmidt; F/E B. Berkinshaw

Overhauled to U.S. Navy requirements by Air International Inc

Test flown then ferried Phoenix, AZ-Millington, TN - September 20, 1982

Leased to U.S. Navy as C-9B RT2390 - September 27, 1982

Later became BuAer 162390 'City of Memphis' and based at Memphis, TN

Sold to McDonnell Douglas Corp - becoming N535MD - July 20, 1990

Entered onto U.S. Aircraft Register as N535MD

Sold to Aeronautics Leasing Inc - July 20, 1990

Sold to Airborne Express - July 20, 1990

Reregistered N946AX to ABX Air Inc - August 6, 1990

Current

VH-CZA. Ansett-ANA - in the original livery during pilot training in US, March 1967.

(R. N. Smith Collection. 1135-039.)

VH-CZA. Ansett-ANA - in the original livery at Sydney Airport, May 1967.

(B. Dannecker Collection. 1135-003.)

VH-CZA. Ansett-ANA - in the original livery at Essendon Airport, December 1969.

(R. N. Smith Photograph. 1135-040.)

VH-CZA. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery at Melbourne Airport, February 1980.

(R. N. Smith Photograph. 1135-053.)