Johannesburg being prepared for her first flight at Boeing Field. Delivered to SAA May 1983 serving the airline for 20 years before sold to Air Atlanta Icelandic as TF-ARU where she flew for a number of airlines: Saudia, Garuda, Corsair, Cubana, and Ethiopian. Withdrawn from use January 2011 and later broken up at Manston. Photo: Pete Sansom

First flown 17 February 1976 and handed over to SAA 19 March. ZS-SPA became the world distance record by commercial aircraft on her delivery flight from Everett to Cape Town 23-24 March 1976 with a distance of 8,939nm flown (10,290 miles, 16,556km). She was owned by SAA her entire career with periods leased to other airlines: Luxair as LX-LTM between October 1980 and January 1981, Air Mauritius as 3B-NAJ between April 1987 and May 1994, and Alliance Air as ZS-SPA between March 1995 and December 1999. Retired April 2002 and broken up at Johannesburg. Photographer unknown

First flown 30 September 1971 and delivered to South African 22 October. Serving the airline until withdrawn 23 November 2003, she was ferried from Johannesburg to Rand 5 March 2004 for preservation at the SAA Museum where it has rested since.

First flown from Toulouse 14 May 1992 and delivered to South African 13 August 1992 staying with the airline until sold to LATAM Brasil 12 July 2001. Withdrawn from use 5 February 2012 and later parted out at Marana, AZ. South African named its A320s after species of birds and ZS-SHF Loerie is seen at Toulouse with its pre-delivery French registration F-WWBO. Photographer unknown

Delivered to the Soviet Air Force in Aeroflot colours in March 1988, leased to SAA for a period in 1993. Later to UR-78756. Photographer unknown

First flown 23 October 1983 and delivered to South African Airways 2 November 1981. Converted to cargo in April 1995. To African Charter Airline in October 2013. Withdrawn from use and stored at Johannesburg 30 July 2017. Like all SAA 737s, ZS-SID was named after a river - in this case the Orange River, one of Africa's longest rivers. Seen here landing at Johannesburg in the last light of the day. Photographer unknown

Delivered to South African Airways as ZS-SPF in 1977. Leased to Air Mauritius as 3B-NAO and returned to South African as ZS-SPF in 1988. Leased to Luxair/UTA as LX-LGY and returned as ZS-SPF in 1989. Leased to Namib Air as V5-SPF in 1990, renambed Air Nambia in 1991. Returned to South African as ZS-SPF in 1998. Damaged beyond repair at Maputo, Mozambique in 1998. Seen here at Johannesburg post lease to Luxair/UTA before lease to Namib Air. Photographer unknown

unknown photographer

unknown photographer

First flown 2 December 1981 and delivered to SAA 14 December remaining with the airline until 23 October 2006 when taken over by Zambian Airways as 9J-JOY. Withdrawn from use December 2008 and later broken up at Johannesburg. Photographer unknown

First flown 23 October 1983 and delivered to South African Airways 2 November 1981. Converted to cargo in April 1995. To African Charter Airline in October 2013. Withdrawn from use and stored at Johannesburg 30 July 2017. Like all SAA 737s, ZS-SID was named after a river - in this case the Orange River, one of Africa's longest rivers. Photographer unknown

First flown at Boeing's Renton facility 3 September 1981, delivered to South African 18 September and remaining with SAA until 2005. It was leased to Air Comores as D6-CAJ between November 1984 and October 1985, and also spent a period with Safair. To TANS Peru as OB-1806-P in June 2005, to Aero Gal as HC-CFR June 2006, to Rutaca Airlines in 2011 and used for spares. Seen here at Cape Town with the then new flag on the tail and with titles in Afrikaans on the port side, English on the starboard. Limpopo is named for the Limpopo River which form South Africa's northern border and drains to the Indian Ocean. Photographer unknown

First flown at Renton, WA 10 October 2000 as N1787B and delivered to South African on 25 October. Transferred to Mango in April 2018 and returned to lessor Macquarie AirFinance in April 2021. It was briefly painted as 9H-AJX and re-registered 2-SSJF 16 January 2023. To TC-MGO with Mavi Gök Airlines 16t February 2024. Photographer unknown

ZS-SIJ is here seen at the then Durban-Louis Botha Airport with the distinctive SAPREF refinery in the background. Note the Afrikaans titles. ZS-SIJ is, like all SAA/SAL 737s named after a river. The Caledon River is a major source of water in South Africa and Lesotho. ZS-SIJ joined the SAA fleet in March 1982 having made its first flight in February. Leased to LATAM Chile as CC-CHK December 1985-May 1987, returned to SAA and was sold to Avianca Ecuador as HC-CFM May 2006. To Mission Air Support as N589MS January 2015 and eventually scrapped at Ardmore, OK. Photographer unknown

First flown at Renton, WA 4 August 1988 and delivered to South African Airways ten days later. Leased to VASP as PP-SNW November 1985 to March 1988 and to Namib Air/Air Namibia November 1989 to May 1991. Sold to TANS Peru June 2005. Written off on approach to Pucallpa, Peru 23 August 2005. Here seen at Harare with the SAA South African Airways titles on the starboard side. Photographer unknown

First flown from Boeing Field 22 May 1970 and delivered to South African Airways five days later, this 737 spent its entire service life in the southern hemisphere. It remained with South African until July 1993 when it was sold to LAPA as LV-WBO. Retired in January 2000 and later scrapped at Buneos Aires - Ezeiza. Photographer unknown

First flown at Renton, WA 4 August 1988 and delivered to South African Airways ten days later. Leased to VASP as PP-SNW November 1985 to March 1988 and to Namib Air/Air Namibia November 1989 to May 1991. Sold to TANS Peru June 2005. Written off on approach to Pucallpa, Peru 23 August 2005. Here seen at Harare with the SAL Suid-Afrikaanse Lugdiens titles on the port side. Photographer unknown

This 737 spent its entire career in Southern Africa. First flown at Boeing Field 24 June 1970, it was delivered to South African Airways five days later, remaining with the airline until sold to Comair in August 1992. Duiring its tenure with Comair, it carried both Comair and British Airways titles. Withdrawn from use in July 2004 and parted out at Johannesburg. Photographer unknown

Built for Bavaria International Aircraft Leasing in 1980, this 737 served many airlines in its career starting with Monarch as G-BMON, then Pacific Western and Canadian Airlines International as C-GPWC. To Air Atlantis as CS-TEU in 1988, leased to South African between October 1989 and May 1991. Seen here in a hybrid livery at Johannesburg. Transferred to TAP as Air Atlantis was dissolved. To Damania as VT-PDB in 1993 then to Sahara Airlines as VT-SIF in 1998. Withdrawn from use at Delhi in 2002. Preserved as a restaurant at Noida, India. Photographer unknown