First with Northwest Airlines (N476US) during 1966 - 78, this 727 was bought by the San Diego Padres Baseball Club (N105RK). Thunderbird Airways was set up to run the travel operation that lasted until a Major League Baseball strike in 1981. The baseball contract was cancelled and the carrier's name was changed to T-Bird Air to operate other charters based in Houston TX registered N727TA. The aircraft went to Colombia in 1984 - 95, returning to the USA, it was broken up by 1998.