John Travolta’s former Boeing 707 is taking shape again at Australia’s HARS Aviation Museum, where a five-person crew from Worldwide Aircraft Recovery has begun reassembling the historic airliner following its journey from Georgia. At the end of March, we reported that John Travolta’s Boeing 707—once operated privately by the actor and former Qantas ambassador—was making its way to a new home in Australia. Donated to the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS) in 2017, the jet was dismantled by Worldwide Aircraft Recovery at the Port of Brunswick in Georgia in March 2026 and prepared for shipment to the museum at Albion Park.
The aircraft arrived at HARS on May 20. In the first week of October, the museum, located approximately 90 miles (140 km) south of Sydney, welcomed the U.S.-based recovery crew for a six-week reassembly effort. Led by Jay Penry, alongside Bill Lemieux, the crew also includes Michael Lovett, Jesse Boude, and Kale Letulr. All five are based at the company’s headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska. They will work alongside HARS volunteers, including veteran pilot Don Hindle, to reassemble the aircraft on the museum’s flight line. The wings are scheduled to be reattached during the second week of October.
(Image credit: HARS/Howard Mitchell)
The complex disassembly, transport, and reassembly operation has been entrusted to Worldwide Aircraft Recovery, a company specializing in aircraft relocation. Its work encompasses the entire process of dismantling, transporting, and reassembling aircraft, often for museums and organizations preserving historic military and civilian aircraft for training or display. Over the years, Worldwide Aircraft Recovery has relocated numerous aircraft around the world.
Once reassembled, Travolta’s former jet will go on permanent display at HARS, where it will be preserved as one of the last surviving examples of the rare Boeing 707-138B. HARS plans to launch a fundraising campaign to support the aircraft’s transportation, restoration, and long-term preservation. Click HERE to support the museum’s effort. For more information about the HARS Aviation Museum, visit www.hars.org.au.
