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 historic jet was dismantled, back in March 2026, by Worldwide Aircraft Recovery, at the Port of Brunswick in Georgia, before being prepared for shipment to the HARS Aviation Museum at Albion Park. There, the aircraft will be preserved as one of the last surviving Boeing 707-138Bs, a rare short-bodied variant built specifically for Qantas.
In June 2017, actor and avid aviation enthusiast John Travolta announced the donation of his Boeing 707 to HARS, based in Albion Park, New South Wales. The aircraft is set to become a centerpiece of the HARS Aviation Museum, located roughly 90 miles (140 km) south of Sydney. The museum is home to an impressive collection of historic aircraft, including its flying Lockheed Super Constellation, which HARS continues to maintain in airworthy condition, allowing visitors to experience flights aboard the classic propliner. Travolta had initially hoped to personally fly the 707 to Australia, as he had done during previous visits. However, the significant costs associated with restoring the aircraft to flying condition, along with the technical challenges involved, ultimately led to the decision to transport the aircraft by sea instead. As a result, the airplane was dismantled in Georgia before beginning its journey across the Pacific for reassembly and static display in Australia.
The aircraft arrived at the HARS Aviation Museum on May 20 and will now undergo a period of reassembly before going on permanent display at one of Australia’s premier aviation museums.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.
