Delta took 5 747-132s factory fresh from Boeing between September 1970 and November 1971.
The history of each aircraft is detailed below.
N9896 : delivered to Delta 9/26/70, returned to Boeing as N40108 on 9/16/74, leased to China Airlines as B-1868 through 4/28/78, operated by Pan Am as N902PA, converted to freighter in 6/86, operated by Evergreen International as N481EV since 5/1/91.
N9897 : delivered to Delta 10/22/70, returned and converted to freighter 2/1/77, operated by Flying Tigers as N803FT through 8/7/89 when re-registered for FedEx as N623FE through 7/11/91, leased to Air Hong Kong as VR-HKN through 7/12/96, now owned by POlar Air Cargo as N856FT scheduled to be broken up in September 2001, but postponed
N9898 : delivered to Delta 11/18/70, returned to Boeing on 3/11/75, leased (till 9/76 then sold) to China Airlines as B-1860 through 4/6/84, sold to Guiness Leasing as EI-BOS, leased to Pan Am as N725PA, converted to freighter in 6/86, operated by Evergreen International as N479EV since 5/1/91
N9899 : delivered to Delta 9/30/71, returned and converted to freighter 3/11/77, operated by Flying Tigers as N804FT through 8/7/89 when re-registered for FedEx as N624FE through 8/14/91, leased to Air Hong Kong as VR-HKM through 1/9/95, now owned by POlar Air Cargo as N857FT, broken up at Marana 5/18/00
N9900 : delivered to Delta 11/11/71, returned and converted to freighter 4/16/77, operated by Flying Tigers as N805FT through 8/7/89 when re-registered for FedEx as N625FE through 5/4/93, leased to Air Hong Kong as VR-HKC through 3/1/94, sold to Kalitta Air as N625PL, leased to Kitty Hawk as N709CK on 2/3/99, returned Kalitta on 7/3/00.