Boeing 707-138-338

History of Type

It is easy to get confused by the early Boeing jet airliner development. Especially when there is so much incorrect information out there – as an example the claim that Tex Johnson barrel-rolled a 707 – it was actually the technology demonstrator, the 367-80.

367-80

 

In 1952 when Boeing decided to build a jet airliner, they did not want to let their competitors know, so they used the model number of a current airliner and added the “-80” moniker to mislead. They used the Dash 80 as a demonstrator to prove various technologies for a subsequent airliner design. Probably the only part of the “367” that they used was the upper fuselage structure which was 4 abreast.

In July 1954, less than two years after Boeing dived into the project, the Dash 80 made its first flight.

To name the new series of Jet transports, they decided to use a “7” series to distinguish it from their other products and to emphasise the difference from their previous transports. The “707” had a nice ring to it and was to be the first of the jet transport series.

 

Boeing 717 / KC-135

Just as Boeing was deciding on the 707 design, the USAF had a need for jet tankers to refuel their B-47 and B-52 bombers and so that became a priority (well, with an order that eventually exceeded 800 aircraft one would think it was a priority). Consequently the tanker design was done first, and this would also help them refine what was needed for their airliner. The “707” model number was already taken so they used “717” for the tankers. This was a developed version of the Dash 80 with lengthened and larger diameter fuselage. Unlike the 707, it had a crew of two pilots and a “boom operator”. Whilst the aircraft looks like a 707, it is significantly different in layout and systems. It is the “half-way” house between the Dash 80 and the 707 (The 707 is a C-137 in USAF service).

The Boeing 717 / KC-135 tanker had a 5 abreast fuselage and two pilot operation. Until it was re-engined with more powerful engines, it was woefully under powered and takeoffs could be very exciting.

The first KC-135 flew in August 1956.

707

The Boeing 707 had its first flight in 1957. It had a six abreast seating fuselage (wider again). The initial offering to airlines was, for Qantas, unsatisfactory since it did not allow range / payload over the Pacific and so Qantas ordered a batch that was basically the same shortened length as the KC-135.

Qantas was the only airline to accept the that shortened offering and these became the 13 707-138 aircraft (of which the Qantas Founders Museum at Longreach and HARS aviation museum at Shellharbour Airport have one each). All other airlines insisted on the stretch to carry more passengers. Eventually Qantas had the more advanced stretched aircraft as well.

The improvements they made were to widen the fuselage from 5 abreast to 6, and to improve the systems and incorporate a Flight Engineer

HARS 707

And that is how Qantas had 13 707-138 aircraft, first of which is at the Qantas Founders Museum at Longreach, and the last now at HARS Aviation Museum at Shellharbour Airport (YSHL).

The HARS aircraft is the last of those 13 historically significant aircraft – “VH-EBM”. Given that “maintaining and operating heavy jet aeroplanes” over many years is what so many HARS members have done, the “last of the hotrods” means a lot to us.

Why are they “Hotrods”?

The initial engine technology used on the 707 limited the takeoff weight. When the later fan jet engines were fitted (making the type the 707-138B) the thrust was at least 50% greater. The takeoff weight did not change and so the performance was pretty good (shall we say).

Qantas Founders Museum

Qantas Founders Museum has the “First of the Hotrods” “VH-EBA” … now “VH-XBA”. When engineers arrived to restore it when it was derelict in Southern England, the locals gave them no chance to get it going. One of the engineers that worked on the aircraft is also a HARS member, and he commented that this assertion was like waving a red rag at a bull. The local laughter stopped when the engine runs started and then the aircraft departed on a “once only ferry” to Longreach.

John Travolta and the 707 Qantas Paint Scheme

As many know, JT is a keen aviation person – in fact during one interview he stated that there was a point he had to decide between being an airline pilot and an actor – we all know how fate turned out with that.

After he acquired the aircraft, he realised it had formerly been a Qantas aircraft “VH-EBM” … the last of the Hotrods.

On a visit to Sydney, he had a meeting with the then Qantas CEO where they each expressed the desire to have the aircraft painted in Qantas colours of the time. The end result was that the aircraft was so painted, and JT was given a 747-400 endorsement. It was at this point he came to know a few Qantas people (and now HARS members) quite well.

Why did JT have to dispose his 707

First, he did NOT want to dispose of it. Who to blame? Well Pan American Airways of course.

Many years previously, a PanAm 707 overran the runway at Sydney and damaged an engine and its mount. It was repaired.

Fast forward and that aircraft was now an “Omega” refuelling aircraft. On taking off from Ventura, it lost an engine literally. As a result, there was an Airworthiness Directive issued by the FAA that all 707 aircraft had to have their engine pylons inspected. This included JT’s aeroplane. The expense was simply out of the question and he decided he may as well sell it for scrap since no-one else would be interested. This is when his HARS contacts asked if he’d be interested in them seeing if they could keep it flying. He jumped at the chance (simply because he did not want to see the aircraft die) and that is how HARS came to own a 707-138B.

Now, before HARS took on the project there was an open discussion amongst members – mainly engineers and pilots. It was readily acknowledged that it would be expensive however the aircraft was in good condition and it was historically significant.

The Journey to Now

In the beginning, it was thought that a ferry flight could be negotiated since this aircraft had experienced a far gentler life than the aircraft that was the cause of the AD being issued. The ferry flight was denied.
When HARS engineers inspected the aircraft, their report was effectively “We felt we could just fuel it up and fly it home”.
Then COVID hit and all work at the maintenance facility halted – when they could re-start they had so much work the HARS aircraft was at the back of the line. Eventually it was found that further work on the aircraft could not commence for several more years.
Reluctantly it was seen that the only way forward was to carefully dismantle the aircraft, ship it to Australia and allow HARS engineers to work on it and to see how far they could take it – flyable? … Perhaps but that is a big maybe.

Conclusion

It has been a long road – far longer than initially considered however there have been unexpected problems along the way to deal with. The aircraft has finally arrived at Shellharbour (YSHL) and our engineers can finally get down to business and see what can be achieved with this aircraft.

A final thought. Should the aircraft be able to be made flyable unlikely as that is, don’t worry, the aircraft is perfectly able to operate from Shellharbour airport.