3A20 - Boeing 707

ADF-SERIALS
Australian & New Zealand Military Aircraft Serials & History

RAAF A20 Boeing 707

Boeing 707 A20-623Refuels French Mirage F-1Kyrgyzstan25th May 2002

ADF.Serial	Aircraft History
A20-103	Line number 905. Constructors number 21103. Built as a Boeing 707-368C Delivered as HZ-ACG to Saudi Arabian airlines. N1987B Purchased by RAAF Named 'Wilberforce'. Delivered 11/03/1988. Crashed 29/10/91 off East Sale coast during Asymmetric Training. The 5 crew members were killed. Crew; SQNLDR Mark Ellerker Lewin O321144 (Pilot, qfi), FLTLT Timothy Rohan Ellis O230675 (Co-Pilot), FLTLT Mark Ian Duncan O323947 (3rd Pilot), WOFF Jonathan M. Fawcett A228561 (Flight Eng), WOFF Allan G. Gwynne A113951 (Load Master).
A20-261	Line number 919. Constructors number 21261. Boeing 707-368C First Flight 15/12/76. Delivered as HZ-ACI to Saudi Arabian airlines. Sold to Boeing Military Aircraft Co. N7486B 13/07/87 stored at AMARC. Purchased by RAAF 25/02/88. Delivered 11/03/88. In service with 33 Sqn. Avalon Airshow 1999. Painted overall grey 2000. Total of 31,580 Flight hours 19/11/01. Attended RIAT at Fairford UK wearing special nose art July 2006. Retired in August 2006 and was situated at RAAF Amberley QLD. Sold 24/08/2006 to Cambridge-based Turbine Motor Works. The aircraft was fitted with a 160-seat all-economy interior, and departed Amberley for the US to have hushkits fitted to its P&W JT3D (TF33) engines in additional to a TCAS system and a security cockpit door. Test flown as N707QJ at 1230 on 16/07/2007 before departing Amberley late that day bound for the UK via Darwin, Male and Cairo. Stored at Manston Airport since 2007. Purchased by Omega Aviation. Engines removed 25/03/2011. Tail, control surfaces and wingtips all gone by 07/2011 By 06/2012 the fuselage aft of the wings and the wings outside the u/c had been removed.
A20-623	Constructors number 19623. Line number 671. Boeing 707-338C Construction Completed 28/12/1967. First Flight 25/01/1968. Delivered to QANTAS 05/02/1968 as VH-EAC. Named "City of Sydney" (#1) Conveyed the Australian Prime Minister W. McMahon on the official visit to South East Asia 06/1972. Conveyed the Australian Prime Minister G. Whitlam on the official visit to New Guinea and Indonesia 02/1973. Delivered to British Caledonian Airways 06/10/1975 as G-BDKE (leased in QANTAS livery). Delivered to QANTAS 31/12/1975 as VH-EAC. Delivered to Ontario World 11/1978 as C-GRYN (leased). Delivered to Worldways Canada 05/1981 as C-GRYN (leased). Delivered to RAAF 17/06/1983 as A20-623. Named "Clarendon" 30/05/1984. Converted to B707 Tanker. Served with 33 Sqn. A total of 54,922 flight hours as of 19/11/01. Advised that this aircraft had its floor beams and deck replaced in 2002. Noted at Avalon airshow 2007. This aircraft was retired on 04/08/2007 and parked next to A20-627 at Richmond. Held in open storage at RAAF Richmond. 56,675 hours total with 11,104 hours in RAAF service when retired from RAAF. Delivered to Omega Air 07/04/2011 as N623RH. Departed Richmond 25/10/2011 Was placed in storage at Victorville, California until it is re-engined with P+W JT8s in 2013. Delivered to Omega Aerial Refueling Services Inc 27/02/2014 as N623RH. Retired and stored 11/03/2014.
A20-624	Line number 689. Constructors number 19624. Boeing 707-338C First Flight 18/03/68. Ex QANTAS B707. VH-EAD. Delivered 30/03/79. Named "Richmond Town". Converted to B707 Tanker. Avalon Airshow 1997. Painted all Grey Dec 1998. Avalon Airshow 1999. Total of 49,431 Flight hours, 19/11/01. I was advised that this aircraft had its floor beams and deck replaced in 2002. Avalon 2007. Special nose markings for Avalon Airshow 2007. In Service 33 Sqn. A20-624 was the last 707 in service and carried "Farewell 707" logo on tail "29 years of service to the nation" on forward fuselage. Retired 30/06/2008. Held in open storage at RAAF Richmond. Acquired by Omega Aviation 09/2011 Registered N624RH. Departed Richmond 23/10/2011 for Brunswick, Georgia USA. Due to receive major check and enter service early 2012 retaining current underwing refuelling system. May receive fuselage mounted twin point refueling system at a later date. Returned home to Australia 06/2012 on contract supporting RAAF aircraft operating out of Amberley. Painted in Omega Tanker scheme. Placed into storage 11/03/2014.
A20-627	Line number 707. Constructors number 19627. Boeing 707-338C First Flight 30/04/68. Ex QANTAS B707. VH-EAG. Named "Windsor Town". Delivered to RAAF 30/03/1979 Served with 33 Sqn. Converted to B707 Tanker. Painted Blue/white scheme 07/2001. Retired from Service 02/2001 with a total of 50,234 flight hours and was situated at RAAF Richmond NSW. A20-627 was dismantled at Richmond on 20/11/2009. The forward fuselage was originally planned for the RAAF Museum at Point Cook however it will now be going to HARS at Albion Park. The tailfin and rudder departed 05/2010 for the Qantas Founders Museum at Longreach. Forward fuselage on display at HARS at Albion Park.
A20-629	Line number 737. Constructors Number 19629. Built as a Boeing 707-338C First Flight 12/08/68. Delivered to QANTAS 22/08/1968 and operated as VH-EAI. Named "City of Sydney" (#2). Delivered to British Caledonian Airways 28/12/1975 and operated as G-BDLM. Delivered to Worldways Canada 20/02/1982 and operated as C-GGAB. Purchased by the RAAF 1983 and delivered 17/06/1983 and operated as A20-629. Served with 33 Sqn. Converted to a B707 Tanker in the 1990's. Noted at East Sale Airshow 1996. Total of 58.053 Flight hours as of 19/11/01. Deployed to Kyrgyzstan in 2002 to support Coalition Forces in Afghanistan. Noted at Amberley Airshow 2004. Retired 31/10/07. The final task for City of Sydney saw it fly from RAAF Base Richmond to RAAF Base East Sale and Hobart for a series of touch-and-go landings, aiding training for 33 Squadron crews. Was kept at RAAF Base Richmond and used to support the continued operation of Richmond Town . Held in open storage at RAAF Richmond. Acquired by Omega Aviation 09/2011 Registered N629RH. Departed Richmond 23/10/2011 for San Antonio, USA. Due to receive major service and fuselage mounted twin point refuelling system and enter service late 2012 Retired and stored 11/03/14.
A20-809	Line number 657. Constructors Number 19809. Boeing 707-368C Delivered to Saudi Arabian airlines as HC-ACC, then became N1486B. Never flown with RAAF, acquired for spares breakdown and training aid. Delivered 16/03/1988. A20-809 or just 809 was applied to the tail. Names 'Hulksbury'. Broken up mid 1990s

For more details on the Boeing 707 in Australian service we recommend the Aussie Airliners website

Boeing 707 and Harriers12th March 1998US Navy photoPHC ALEXANDER C. HICKS, USN

The Author of this page is Darren Crick.

Source: Australian Aviation Magazine, Boeing 707 Census Website, Lockheed Files website, Defence website/media releases. Manston movements website

Emails: Ron Walpole, Dean Norman, Daniel Leahy, Ron Cuskelly, Richard Siudak, Graham North, Bob Coppinger, Greg Hyde, Andrea Greenwood, Martin Edwards, Brendan Cowan.

Converted to CMS 25th August 2025

Updated12th March 2020