HRH 747

Affectionately dubbed the ‘Queen of the Skies’, the 747 provided luxurious and affordable air travel at an unprecedented scale on a plane as tall as a six-storey building. With more seats available for passengers than any airliner the world had seen previously, the 747 allowed airlines to reduce the cost per seat, democratising air travel, and opening up the world to the average Joe for the first time. The aircraft remained unrivalled in terms of scale and capacity for almost 40 years, until the delivery of the first Airbus A380 in 2007. 

Qantas and its famous 747s 

The relationship between the Flying Kangaroo and the Boeing 747 has had a significant impact around the world. Qantas was a pioneer of sorts for the 747, as both an early adopter of the aircraft, and an avid champion of the plane.

‘Almost every one of the Qantas engineers … have all done time on the 747 – it’s like a mothership’

Qantas made its first order of four B747s in 1967, while the first of these aircraft, a -200 series, was delivered and entered into service by September 1971. In the almost 50 years since then, Australia’s flagship carrier has deployed almost every major 747 variant.

For many employees, it has held its title as a workhorse for so long, repatriating stranded citizens, ferrying sports stars and celebrities and ferrying most frequent travellers at some point in their life. Australian Aviation spoke to John Walker, head of line maintenance at Qantas. 

“Almost every one of the Qantas engineers (including the management team) have all done time on the 747 – it’s like a mothership. Either in training, as apprentices, or as licensed engineers, we have all worked on the 747 at some point in our careers,” Walker says. 

Over the years, Qantas operated 65 B747s in all. This included taking delivery of 57 new 747s directly from the manufacturer. For the period between the retirement of the final B707 in March 1978, and the delivery of the first 767 in July 1985, Qantas operated an entire fleet of 747s, making it the world’s only all-Boeing 747 airline in 1979. 

Affectionately dubbed as the ‘Classics’, the -100, -200 and -300 series of 747s provided a great deal of excitement for the aviation industry during turbulent times. So much so, Qantas placed the largest single order for aircraft in its history; $123 million worth of B747-238s in 1967. Throughout recessions, crises and the rapid introduction of new technologies, the 747s remained loyal and trusted workhorses for Qantas. 

Similar to the upcoming delivery of A321 XLRs, to introduce the ‘Jumbo’ to its fleet was a signal for regeneration and hope for the industry, an exciting time for many to be involved in re-evaluation, procurement and reconfiguration to keep up with travel demand. 

For many years, the -300 series filled a very necessary role to fly international routes to Africa and Asia, and while the A380 delivery was delayed for Qantas, the -300 series was able to be extended to keep up with the demand in international and business travel during that time. 

‘There was something really luxurious about going upstairs on the 747 in particular’

The B747-300 series blended the old with the new, still holding the flight engineer’s panel and older instrumentation. Many of its ex-crew would remember it provided a mix of automation and manual flying, as descents weren’t automated and were all managed by the pilot without VNAV. Many years later, they were fitted with triple GPS and FMS, ensuring its final operations on domestic routes and services to and from Japan was an unusual delight for many pilots to fly.

With the introduction of the -400 series to Qantas signalled an end to the Classic era in 1989, including the short-body 747SP. Closing the gaps in performance that the -300 couldn’t provide with an aging airframe requiring more maintenance periods, dwindling parts supplies and a payload that could not compete with the range of a B747-400. With the -400 and -400ER taking the best from each of the Classic series, it provided a strengthened and increased capability for routes such as SYD to LAX, enabling passengers to fly nonstop across the Pacific and to European capitals. 

The first passenger Boeing 747-400ER aircraft was delivered in 2002, shortly after Qantas took in its first A330-200. VH-OEJ in particular, was the last of the six Boeing 747-438ERs newly ordered on 29 November 2001. A further two 747-400s were purchased secondhand by Qantas, while five aircraft were operated at various points under leasing agreements. 

In almost 50 years of service, the Qantas 747 fleet has flown over 3.6 billion kilometres – the equivalent of 4,700 return trips to the moon or 90,000 times around the world. 

Sadly, Qantas announced in mid-2018 that it would begin the process of retiring its 747 fleet, a process projected for completion by the end of 2020. At the time, chief executive Alan Joyce gave some consideration into upgrading the 747s to the same standard of 787-9 cabin amenities to keep them beyond 2020. However, the inevitable final series of 747 flights, brought forward due to the global outbreak of COVID-19, signals a final end to the aircraft.

Like Qantas’ Walker, each crew member will have something they truly miss about the Queen. For Walker, it was the experience of ascending to the upper deck, a space that truly channelled the feeling of a private jet for its business-class passengers. 

“There was something really luxurious about going upstairs on the 747 in particular. Perhaps because the Jumbo Jet was the first commercial jet aircraft to have a stairwell, so you felt special going up there,” he says. 

A timely end as Qantas enters its second centenary with all eyes on them. Renewal of single-aisle fleet such as the arrival of 36 new A321 XLRs and a revival of passenger experience and employee satisfaction alike once travel resumes. We ask ourselves: will passengers and crew fall in love with such an aircraft ever again? 

Long live the Queen 

A lot has undoubtedly changed since the first 747 was delivered in the late 1960s. We’ve seen the invention of the VHS, the DVD, the internet, virtual reality simulators – and the aviation sector was by no means immune to the wonders of technological advancement.

Since the 1960s, developments in more sustainable, fuel efficient aircraft have been monumental. International travel still remains affordable for a vast majority of the population, despite somewhat smaller planes, as aircraft become less costly to run. Newer aircraft can hold the same range as their older peers, while boasting significantly lower maintenance and operating costs, as well as lower emissions and sound pollution. 

Unfortunately, this has meant that in the 50 years since her debut, the four-engined beauty has fallen out of favour with a majority of major international airlines. But that has done little to take away the love and respect that Australia, and the world, has for the Queen of the Skies. 

Qantas always knew how to put on a classy show onboard the 747. For many the memory of the Qantas Captain Cook Lounge will forever shine bright, situated behind the cockpit and separated by a swinging door. With a bar atop the staircase, elegant air hostesses and a “shagalicious” colour scheme that would delight Austin Powers himself, the widebody jet could wine and dine 15 lucky passengers in a striking naval setting. The oil crisis in 1973 prompted many airlines to replace the upper deck’s lounge with regular rows of seats until business class travel was introduced in 1979. 

The joy flight 

On Monday, 13 July, one of three farewell flights for Qantas’ beloved 747 fleet departed Sydney, operated by Captain D. Bracewell, Captain O. Weaver, First Officer C. Alderton, First Officer G. Peterson and Second Officer A. Fleming. Tickets to the event sold out within minutes, meaning those in attendance were only the most avid of fans of the retiring plane. 

The Qantas terminal at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport was buzzing with excitement, as hundreds of people of all ages waited eagerly in anticipation of the bittersweet joyride. Commemorative flags were flown, singers roamed the room in joyful song, while enthusiasts both old and young sat about and discussed their fondest memories of the Queen of the Skies.

Upon announcing that the Boeing 747 would be retired by late 2020, Qantas’ Joyce noted that the 747 truly changed the world – it not only took average Australians out into the world, but it brought the world to the gorgeous shores of Australia. He highlighted the aircraft’s personal significance to a vast majority of world travellers, as the aircraft that changed their worldview. 

“For probably most Australians, it is the aircraft that they’ve used to experience their first trip overseas, and for immigrants coming in here, it is probably the first aircraft that they came and experienced Australia on,” Joyce said. “In fact, in the early 1990s it was the first aircraft I took to come here to Australia so it actually has personal significance for me too.” 

Walking around the room, on the day of Sydney’s farewell flight for Qantas’ final 747-400, VH-OEJ, Australian Aviation found that exact sentiment to be true. For many people, the Boeing 747 took them out into the world for the first time, or brought them to the shores of Australia for good. 

“The first international flight I ever took was from Toronto to Paris. It was a school trip, and we were in grade nine, and it was a 747. It was a double decker plane and I was so excited to be on a plane with two levels, it was the biggest thing I think I’d ever seen,” one excited Canadian expat said. 

Meanwhile, Qantas employee Juliette, who has worked on the 747 in the past, says her first memory of the 747 was when she was just 11 years old, and immigrating to Australia. She says that, despite the fact that she was moving many miles away from family, stepping aboard the Qantas 747 “felt like coming home”. 

“There’s something so magical about the aircraft, and especially flying with Qantas,” she adds. 

‘There’s something so magical about the aircraft, and especially flying with Qantas’

This sentiment, of the magic of Qantas and its world-renowned fleet of 747s, was shared by Qantas Second Officer Owen Zupp, who has manned the cockpit of the 747 on a number of occasions. For him, the aircraft brings back fond memories “both on the flight deck and at your port of call”. He notes how flying a Qantas 747 expands the joy of an overseas holiday, and says “that’s one of the magical things about the aircraft that has brought people all around the world”.

The full circle 

Perhaps one of the most inspiring stories heard on the day was that of one retired Qantas engineer, John Webster. Now in his 80s, Webster tells Australian Aviation that his journey with the 747 has now come full circle, after being present at the delivery of the very first Qantas 747 in August 1971. 

“We did our basic engineering training at Renton, near the Boeing factory, then we headed over to Seattle. There were three 747 aircraft in production for Qantas at the time – Bravo Alpha, Bravo Bravo and Bravo Charlie,” he says. 

Within days, Webster and his team had returned to Sydney, in time to see the delivery of the very first Qantas 747-238. 

“I believe it was Echo Bravo Bravo, she taxied along the tarmac and we met her at the end,” he reminisces. “That was the arrival of the first 747 for Qantas, and the others came as time went on.” 

Knowing the significant part that the Qantas 747 had played in Webster’s career, and life, his family made it their mission to get him a ticket to the event, and were thankfully successful. 

The grand finale 

A little over a week later, on Wednesday, 22 July, Qantas’ last active 747-438ER took to the skies for the final time, bound for her final resting place in the Mojave Desert. A farewell fit for a Queen, with vantage points at the Sydney Opera House, HARS Museum at Albion Park and Sydney Airport’s Shep’s Mound brimming with onlookers and hosting festivities as she soared above Sydney’s northern, eastern and southern suburbs. 

Australian Aviation, along with 150 lucky Qantas employees and stakeholders, was privileged enough to be there for the Queen of the Skies’ final farewell. For those waiting to see her grand farewell, it was a sobering experience to see her for the last time in Hangar 96, some explaining they felt as if they were attending a memorial for an old friend. 

Wait staff donning face masks served flight crew and engineers who spent many hours on Wunala and her predecessors. Joyce paid tribute to the 747’s service, noting its significant service history and contribution to our nation, most recently repatriating residents stranded in Wuhan, China, when the COVID-19 pandemic erupted. 

Second Officers Tim and Phill Entwisle were a part of the celebration, being the first twin brothers to fly the same aircraft on a B747 Flight 63 to Johannesburg. Being taught to fly by their mother and their father “Roo” Entwisle, an employee with Qantas for many years, it was a natural choice for them to pursue their careers in aviation. 

Reminiscing about the 747, they shared an eager outlook on what the future holds at Qantas and joined many in signing the undercarriage, where those gatheres penned tributes and messages of thanks. The most remarkable of all being 94-year-old Noel Taylor, Qantas’ oldest living former employee, who began work in 1942 cleaning the spark plugs of the Rose Bay flying boats. 

Joyce was accompanied by Aboriginal elders, led by Uncle Les, to perform an incredibly moving Welcome to Country tribute, blessing ‘Wunala’ with a traditional ochre ceremony to bid her a safe journey away from Australian shores. 

After flowing tributes from Boeing Australia president Brendan Nelson and staff, VH-OEJ took off from Sydney Kingsford Smith at 3:28pm AEST with six crew on board – departing Australian shores under the capable hand of Captain Sharelle Quinn, who has flown Qantas’ 747s for almost four decades.

She soared above the Sydney CBD and harbour area, before heading south to the HARS Museum at Albion Park, where she dipped her wings in a final salute to VH-OJA, Qantas’ first 747-400, now housed safely at the museum. 

Quinn then proceeded to draw the famous logo – a 275-kilometre by 250-kilometre Qantas ‘Flying Kangaroo’ – in the sky, in a final acknowledgement of the end of an era for Australia’s flag carrier. There were 75 waypoints programmed into the flight management system for the “sky art roo” that was a special farewell gesture kept a close secret by the crew leading up to the day of departure. Taking many weeks in the B747 simulator, the team had rehearsed the meticulous route with fuel burn, airspeed, timings and configurations noted down.

With weeks of planning under their belt, air traffic control cleared the crew to carry out the manoeuvre once in reserved airspace and the crew executed the perfect farewell, capturing the attention of over 600,000 social media users sharing its design.

Like many other airlines around the world, they’ve seen their last 747 off in style. El Al Airlines retired its last 747 in November 2019, tracing its wings, tail and four engines to produce striking 747 sky art. But, no one can farewell a national treasure quite like the Aussies.

VH-OEJ touched down at Los Angeles International at 1:23pm PDT on 22 July, warmly greeted by LAX Qantas staff on arrival. Ferried to the Mojave Desert just two days later, she landed for the final time at 11:50am PDT, at the very capable hands of Captain Ewen Cameron.

‘You can tell the state of the economy by looking out at the boneyard’

Queen of the Desert 

As an airliner nears the end of its operational life, it is greeted at the pearly gates with three options decided by its operator. To either be parked as a long-term resident of a boneyard, its parts repurposed or fashioned into keepsakes, or for the most brutal part, completely reduced to scrap. 

While many are fortunate enough to receive a new lease on life as a tourist attraction, many sadly await their fate in dry desert locations across the world. Mojave’s Air and Space Port, a former mining hub and gunnery training location for the US Marine Corps, is one of the world’s most popular sites, now in operation for over 20 years. Known for hosting suborbital flight testing for Burt Rutan’s SpaceShipOne and Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo, and nowadays sees frequent testing for rocket engines on the barren airfield. 

“You can tell the state of the economy by looking out at the boneyard,” Mojave’s vice president and founding director Bill Deaver told Australian Aviation. VH-OEJ joins many 747s, including KLM, Southern Air and Atlas Air, with more expected now that Boeing has announced it will discontinue the 747 program. 

“For those who call the boneyard a temporary visit, like a patient in care, they are required to be moved around and serviced by licensed engineers, with up to three local organisations also contracted to take on the work,” says Deaver. 

While VH-OEJ is arguably the most sacred aircraft residing in their care, Deaver’s prized possession is the Air Canada Boeing 767-233 C-GAUN otherwise known as the Glimi Glider, which famously lost power between Montreal and Edmonton due to a miscalculation from the imperial to metric system. As the airliner only had enough fuel for half its flight, it lost power at 7,000 feet and miraculously glided to land all 61 passengers and eight crew to safety. 

The last 747 won’t be able to be visited by the public as she rests or during their ‘Plane Crazy Saturday’ open events, but can be seen at the far end of the boneyard behind sisters VH-OEH, VH-OEI and VH-OEE.

Qantas can reveal that VH-OEJ has been sold to an undisclosed buyer in the US and the completion of its sale and handover is expected to take place later this year. Although most recently, the oldest aircraft in mainline Qantas fl eet B747-438 VHOJL ‘Gosford’ has only just begun its handover to Jet Midwest after three years stored in Victorville, California, so delays are expected. 

With the Northern Territory government recently announcing that it will invest a further $3.5 million into the Alice Springs Asia Pacifi c Aircraft Storage (APAS) maintenance facility, many are left scratching their heads as to why our national airline looks towards the Californian location as a suitable resting place. 

Qantas Engineering’s Walker explains that despite the APAS facility now being able to store an additional 100 aircraft, the Californian desert offers the most ideal conditions for aircraft storage and parts repurposing. 

“Today (August) the humidity in Alice Springs was 21 per cent while the humidity in the Mojave Desert was 12 per cent,” says Walker, ensuring aircraft can be wellkept against harsh conditions. With Los Angeles-based Qantas engineers only a 1.5- hour freeway drive away from Mojave, it ensures the fl eet can be easily serviced throughout their stay. 

The 747 was named ‘jumbo’ for good reason – its enormous size calls for a jumbo-scale operation to ensure it is repositioned, maintained and secured for an extended period of time. 

Getting to know Qantas’ last serving 747 – VH-OEJ

VH-OEJ was the last of six Boeing 747-438ERs to be ordered from Boeing by Qantas, and was the final 747 ever received by Qantas, delivered on 17 August 2003. She is powered by four GE CF6-80C2B5 engines.

The aircraft operated its first revenue service as QF107 from Sydney Kingsford Smith to Los Angeles International on 26 August 2003.

The aircraft was initially painted in the traditional Aboriginal ‘Wunala Dreaming’ livery, only the second Qantas 747 to be painted as such, and she was named ‘Wunala’ after her beautiful livery.

She was first repainted in Qantas’ updated corporate livery in January 2012, and was renamed ‘Wunala’. She retained a kangaroo under her renewed name, clearly seen near the cockpit and front door.

Decals were added throughout her time. A cheerful “Proudly supporting the Socceroos” was added in Sydney in May 2014, followed by 2016 Olympic Games decals added in August 2016.

VH-OEJ performed Qantas’ inaugural QF73 service, which entails Sydney to San Francisco then on to Vancouver, on 14 June 2006. She also performed a special charter mission to Antarctica, flying Melbourne to Antarctica, and then on to Hobart, on 25 November 2018.

The aircraft operated its final revenue service from Johannesburg to Sydney as QF66 on 27 March 2020, before being withdrawn from service and stored at Sydney, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The final Qantas 747 was then utilised to perform three ‘farewell’ flights for enthusiasts to take their final ride on a 747 in Qantas livery. These flights took place in Sydney, Brisbane and Canberra on 13 July, 15 July and 17 July 2020,  respectively.

On 22 July 2020, at 3:28pm AEST, VH-OEJ departed Sydney Kingsford Smith for the final time, bound for Los Angeles, as QF7474. She touched down in LA at 1:23pm PDT on the same date, after a total flight time of 14 hours and 55 minutes.

She was then ferried from Los Angeles to the Mojave Desert, where she landed for the very last time at 11:50am PDT on 24 July 2020. Following the final touchdown, four of the pilots onboard each took a turn in shutting down an engine for the last time. Here, she will be kept in storage and maintained by Qantas engineers until she enters the second phase of her life.

“There are a number of steps that need to be taken to prepare an aircraft for storage, it’s not like parking a car, locking it up and walking away, there needs to be a number of processes undertaken to store an aircraft,” adds Walker. 

Like you would with any vehicle, all aircraft that are prepared for storage receive a thorough interior and exterior clean, including all sensors, inlets, pitots, static sensors and wheels covered to keep insects and weathering conditions at bay. Like a dash in the hot summer’s sun, for those in temporary storage it’s important to protect the cockpit and interior from sun damage, so additional window shades are used to cover each. 

Walker explains that while preparing the exterior for against weather conditions, the interior is just as important for aircraft which may see another lease at life. 

“We drain the fuel tanks and inhibit the fuel to prevent fuel microbial contamination. Desiccant bags are then placed inside the engine to absorb any moisture and the engine cowlings are then covered up,” he says. 

For VH-OEJ, who’s exact fate lies with its buyer, certain elements are preserved once retired. Like you would with a used car or iPad, you remove all personal information.

‘There are a number of steps that need to be taken to prepare an aircraft for storage, it’s not like parking a car, locking it up and walking away’

It is highly unlikely that 747s in Mojave will see a second operational life with airlines across the world choosing to retire their fleet, unlike Qantas A380s, which could return to service after 2023. With these flights led by smaller aircraft throughout the pandemic, like the B787 and A330s, it raises the question whether they will ever return to our skies. 

Although, for those who do eventually make it out of the desert, whether it be for part sales or a new life as cargo operators, the process to dust off the beloved long-range fleet is by no means easy. 

Stripping their protective covers and removing desiccant bags are followed by a process of lubricating flight controls and landing gears and a full system test and diagnostics run within a designated area to help the maintenance crew identify any issues before returning to the skies. 

“Some interior items that are common across other aircraft may sometimes be removed for training purposes, including galley carts and passenger seating rigs, whilst some items may be donated to aviation museums,” explains Walker. 

“All Qantas Emergency Locator Transmitters are removed (they are coded for Qantas aircraft), whilst the portable ones can then be used on other Qantas aircraft. Flight computer information and cockpit recorder data is also deleted. 

“Finally, there is a stainless steel ownership and registration plate inside every aircraft. This has the aircraft details, who owns the aircraft and who operates the aircraft engraved on it. This is removed once the aircraft is sold. This is the last and often saddest step!”

Where the queen lives on 

For those who wish to reminisce on the splendour of the Qantas’ Boeing 747 fleet, or better yet, to pay their respects to the much beloved Queen of the Skies, never fret – you still can. 

Qantas’ first 747-438, and the 12th 747-400 ever produced, has been safely kept at the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS) Museum in Albion Park, NSW. Here, members of the public can visit VH-OJA, named ‘City of Canberra’, generously donated to the museum by Qantas in 2015 for preservation. 

VH-OJA is no ordinary plane, as in August 1989 she broke the world record for the longest non-stop flight by a commercial aircraft, tackling London to Sydney for a total flight time of 20hrs and 9 minutes at an average speed of around 893 kilometres per hour for a total distance of around 18,012 kilometres. According to the museum, VH-OJA was in service for Qantas for over 25 years, flew 13,833 flights, carried 4,094,568 passengers and has flown nearly 85 million kilometres – the equivalent of 110.2 return trips to the moon.

At the HARS Museum, visitors can take a tour of the plane, including her cargo hold, or perhaps instead opt for an in-depth hourlong tour of the cockpit, hosted by an ex-747 pilot. Tours are operated entirely by ex-engineers and cabin crew who worked on the Qantas 747 in the past. Visitors may also wish to experience the B747 wing walk, extending 16 metres along the right wing of the aircraft. 

Elsewhere, VH-EBQ, a 747-238, has also been lovingly preserved at the Qantas Founders Museum in Longreach, Queensland. The aircraft, named ‘City of Bunbury’, was the first Qantas plane to be named after a West Australian provincial town, and was given its name in recognition of the 150th anniversary of Western Australia, and Bunbury being declared a city. The aircraft was accepted from Boeing by Qantas on 10 December 1979, and it flew over 5.4 million passengers during its time in service. VH-EBQ was donated to the Qantas Founders Museum in November 2002, and currently resides beside the first Boeing 707-138 delivered to Qantas, VH-XBA (formerly VH-EBA). Further, VH-EBQ is reportedly the only surviving 747-200 with Rolls-Royce engines. 

Visitors of the Qantas Founders Museum can visit VH-EBQ and may choose to also undertake a wing walk, which includes exclusive access to the cockpit. Visitors of this museum will also have easy access to VH-XBA, along with an array of interesting historical aircraft, including an ex-RAF DC-3 from the 1940s, and a Lockheed 1049 Super Constellation. 

Museums aren’t alone in keeping the spirit of Qantas’ 747s alive, with VH-OJU being given a second lease of life as a Rolls-Royce test aircraft. It was announced in October 2019 that Qantas had sold its recently retired ‘Lord Howe Island’ to the engine company, to be converted into a flying test bed. After almost 20 years in service with the Flying Kangaroo, VH-OJU performed her last commercial flight in Qantas livery as QF99 from Sydney to Los Angeles on 13 October 2019. The conversion, performed by technicians from engineering firm AeroTec, is still underway. 

Notable service for the desert Queens

1. These four of six passenger-built 747- 400ERs were involved in the $250 million reconfiguration program, joining three youngest RB211 powered -400s.

Starting in 2011, the upgrades led by the Qantas Engineering team included the removal of first-class cabins and replacing them with upgraded business class, premium economy and economy for service on the Pacific and Kangaroo routes, which raised the -400ERs capacity from 307pax to 364.

With first-class demand on the new A380s during that time, this opened a window for the 747s to be refitted with 58 lie-flat Skybed business class seats, 36 for premium economy and 270 for economy to provide a rejuvenated product for business class travel.

2. VH-OEI operated a charter from Sydney to Perth and Istanbul/Sabiha Gokcen as QF100 on 21 April to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli landing. VH-OEI carried special marks to acknowledge the event and was also temporarily named Fysh-McGinness in honour of Qantas co-founders Hudson Fysh and Paul McGinness, who both served in Gallipoli.

3. 747-438ER VH-OEI as QF2907 operated a charter to Antarctica from Melbourne on 31 December with the aircraft returning to Melbourne on 1 January after about 13 hours in the air. 747-438ER VH-OEE operated QF2906 charter to Antarctica from Perth on 26 January with the flight taking 12.5 hours.

4. No longer seen on the boneyard, 747-438 VH-OJT ‘Fraser Island’ was withdrawn from service on 22 September 2018 after operating its last flight, QF55 from Brisbane. VH-OJT then spent three days having its Qantas titles removed before being ferried to Mojave, where it was reduced to parts.