Airfix E-8C JSTARS 93-0597, Ex QANTAS 707-338C VH-EBU
Boeing 707-338C c/n 19294-550 rolled off the Boeing production line at Seattle (Renton) - December 14, 1966 and first flown at Renton as VH-EBU on February 13, 1967. EBU was accepted by Qantas Airways at Seattle (Boeing Field) on March 08, 1967, this was the 21st Boeing airliner delivered new to Qantas Airways
EBU flew with QANTAS as City of Broken Hill, City of Wollongong and City of Parramatta and was cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register on November 03, 1976 after flying just over 32,283 hours for QANTAS.
After QANTAS sold EBU off it served with Air Niugini, Arrow Air, Zaire Cargo, Shanghai Airlines, Anglo Cargo Airlines and other leasing companies.
Ferried to Davis Monthan in the Anglo Cargo livery on May 18 1992 and stored at Davis Monthan as '67-30053' until June 17, 1993 where it departed for Lake Charles, LA for conversion to E-8C
The aircraft was re-serialled 'AF93-0597' and designated an E-8C P-3 (3rd Production Aircraft) in February 1997, handed over to 93rd Air Control Wing, USAF at Melbourne, Florida on November 25, 1997
The aircraft was badly damaged during an air-to-air refuelling accident over Qatar on March 13, 2009, the number two fuel tank ruptured in flight due to over-pressurisation causing extensive wing damage. It made a safe emergency landing at the Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. The estimated cost to repair the damage was around $US 25,000,000 and was deemed to be uneconomical to repair and was therefore declared a 'write-off'.
The cause of the accident was traced to a civilian subcontractor who inadvertently left a test plug in the fuel vent system which occurred during programmed depot maintenance. As the aircraft was only in the air for a short period of time before the air-to-air refuelling took place it had not burnt off enough fuel from the number to tank that would have allowed the 'dive flapper' valve to open when the over-pressurisation of the fuel tank commenced. The aircraft was reported to have been broken up at Al Udeid Air Base in February 2012.
This is the 1/72 Airfix E-3D kit converted to an E-8C using the Flightpath conversion set and Decals by Wolfpak.
Really nice model, Ray (@rays), on plane you don't usually see. Well done.
Thanks George, the ones you don't see much of are the types I like to build 🙂
Nicely done Ray, what grey did you use, looks good.
Thanks Allan, I used SMS Boeing Grey
Nice work on this conversion. I've always thought the 707 was the best-looking jet airliner. It's lines are just really perfect.
Very nice, Ray.
Great background information as well.
Build, conversion, painting, historical facts, all excellent Ray!
Congratulations!
Ticked all the boxes on this build.
Hello Ray,
Impressive story. Good to read, that they made it safe back to base. The aircraft (and conversion) looks excellent. A job well done. Thanks for all the time and effort that made this article so interesting.
Regards, Dirk
Awesome build, nice back round story!
Great job on the conversion and build. This is a big kit and it looks great!
Thanks for the kind words gents, I now need to move on to finish an E-3A, here is a picture of my current B707 fleet
1 attached image. Click to enlarge.
Nice work on an unusual variat!