Photo and information from Ken Fielding…
This is a rare bird indeed. Highland Express only lasted for 4 months and ceased operations a few days after I took this photo.
Delivered new to American Airlines in Nov-70 as N9669, it was operated for 14 years before being returned to the lessor and leased to National Airlines in Jul-84. It was returned to the lessor in Sep-85 and was placed in storage in the USA. It was re-registered N14939 in Aug-86 prior to a possible lease to Cargolux (assigned LX-NCV) but the lease was cancelled and the aircraft was leased to Highland Express in Mar-87, still as N14939. It was re-registered G-HIHO in Jun-87 just before the start of operations. Sadly they only operated for 4 months before ceasing ops in Oct-87. the aircraft was repossessed and stored at Brussels before being leased to QANTAS in Feb-88 as VH-EEI. It was sub-leased to Air Pacific in Apr-88, Returning to QANTAS in Nov-89 it was then leased to Aer Lingus as EI-CAI and sub-leased back to QANTAS. The aircraft continued in operation with QANTAS until it was returned to Aer Lingus and the lessor in Mar-90. It was immediately leased to Virgin Atlantic as G-VMIA. It was operated by Virgin for another 10 years until, at the grand old age of 30 it was retired at Kemble, UK in Jan-00. It was broken up at Kemble a couple of months later.
