DC6

[topshed]

A DC6 flew overhead Milton Keynes at 1035 local last Sunday 23/9/07. Does anybody happen to know which one? I suspect it was Air Atlantique but not sure. Headed Southeast toward Luton.

[Mr Angry from Purley]

shame it didn't have bomb doors, could have dropped one on LTN...

[AlphaWhiskyRomeo]

Surely there are only 2 operators of these aircraft in Europe???

One based in Coventry and 1 in Salzburg. Presuming it's AAG, but Red Bull do have offices in Milton Keynes I think.

[saman]

I landed in Hamburg on the morning of 19th September 2007 and the Red Bull DC-6 was parked next to a DC-3 in (very) old Air France colours. Both looked nice.
The Hamburg Airport liveried 707 was also nearby as usual.

[perkin]

I believe there is also an airworthy DC-6 based at Lelystad (?) in the Netherlands, in classic KLM colours - looks fabulous, but I don't know who or what organisation operates it.

[Avman]

Perkin,

I think you must be thinking of the DC-4 the DDA once had. It went to South Africa a couple of years ago or so.

[cvt person]

One of the Atlantique DC6's is currently in an old KLM livery for a film.

[perkin]

My apologies, after further investigation, it seems the aircraft at Lelystad is in fact a DC-3...

[saman]

Was at the Aviadrome in spring this year and there a a gaggle of airworthy DC3s and a DC4/C54 that might be made airworthy, one day, with loads of money! Good news though, I read recently that their DC2 is now back up in the sky (from time to time) where she belongs.

[Phileas Fogg]

http://cdn-www.airliners.net/photos/middle/6/3/4/1220436.jpg

The aircraft in Lelystad is a DC2.

[perkin]

Phileas, AVIODROME also have a DC-3/C-47 and a DC-4 at Lelystad in addition to the DC-2 you posted...Not sure if either are flying, but there's certainly some pics of a DC-3 on airliners.net out and about in classic KLM colours :)

[kala87]

Has anyone got a picture of the Atlantique DC6A or DC6C in 1950's KLM colours? I made one of my first flights in a KLM DC6B in 1958, AMS-KRT, so the aircraft brings back lots of memories, including the en-route engine failure and cruising over the Alps at around 15,000 ft. Cheers.

[Tom Everitt]

Topshed,

The DC-6 was G-APSA on route to France to be filmed for her part in a forthcoming Dutch Film about the 1953 London - Christchurch Air Race. G-APSA was specially painted in KLM colours, by KLM, for this purpose.

Since being repainted at the end of August, she has visited lelystad, Hamburg and Jersey, so any sightings of a four engined propliner in KLM colours would have been APSA.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v186/TomEveritt/HAMBURG1121528800.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v186/TomEveritt/HAMBURG1121537800.jpg

We are hoping to keep ASPA in these colours for the forseable future.

Tom

(AACF Ops Manager)

[GBALU53]

Well i must congratulate Air Atlantique and there team not only to get G-APSA back into the air but to see her flying is another achivement.
She was a great sight at the jersey International Air display we had some problem with her an she almost missed her slot in the show as the GPU connections were not connecting untill the third unit worked and she fired up and taxied out a bit quick and made her slot all be it a minute or two late but what a sight.
It brought tears in some of our eyes as many years ago jersey would see the DC6.s of Delta Air transport on regular day trip from Beligum.
On one occasion G-SIXC came to Jersey to pick up the old ILS of Jerseys and take it to Coventry where I think it is still there?
As the old saying goes bring back the DAK well it never disappeared so can they keep one of these giants of the 50s still going we can only hope so good luck with the KLM filming and keeping her where she belongs in the air.:ok:

[topshed]

Thanks to all for the info and the pictures. Fantastic to she her go over and some excellent photo's as well.

[treadigraph]

Tom, great to see the old girl still flying - she was sorely missed at Biggin this year and not just by me I'm sure!

Sure it was these that used to grumble out of Heathrow in the wee hours a few years back en route to Dover and who knows where thereafter - I never minded being awake and hearing them reverberating into the distance.

May she grace our skies for many years to come.

[kala87]

Fabulous pix, thanks a million for posting them, and congratulations to Atlantique for getting this magnificent aircraft back in the sky in KLM colours.

Now imagine AMS airport, c.1958, with a couple of dozen assorted KLM DC6B's, DC7C's, L-749 Constellations, Super Connies, and Convairs on the apron! The noise, smell and smoke....

[Tom Everitt]

Thanks guys.

Most of the credit must go to one of our volunteer pilots who has done more than most this year to get us to this stage. Also to the engineers who brought her back to life - they know who they are

We have exciting plans for 2008 and look out for a DC-6 website coming soon.

Tom.

[The AvgasDinosaur]

Quote from Avman

I think you must be thinking of the DC-4 the DDA once had.
Can anyone clarify why the DDA had to sell their DC-4/C-54 I think it was something to do with the Dutch authorities.
Be lucky
David

[Standard Noise]

Rumour has it that GSIXC will be sold off and GAPSA will be retained for the Classic Flight which will be moving from Coventry (if it isn't already decided).

Lovely aircraft, I do miss my time at Cov.

[perkin]

If you're interested there's definitely a fair few old pics of AMS on airliners.net that I've stumbled across, worth a look if you're interested in that type of thing :)

Its amazing how much that airport has changed in the last 20 or 30 years...

[pilotms]

There was an accident with one Oldtimer (i´m not shure if it was a DC-3 or DC-2) in The Netherlands, after which the Authorities restricted the Use of Oldtimer-Airplanes for Passenger-Carrying Flights.
DDA was not able to get the DC-4 Certified for Passengers and it was to Expensive to Operate the Plane without the Income from the Passengerflights.

[treadigraph]

That was the original DDA DC-3 which from memory crashed into the Ijseelmeer with the loss of all on board.

[Liffy 1M]

The DDA's first DC-3, PH-DDA, crashed into the sea off Texel on 25 September 1996, with 32 fatalities.

http://www.aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19960925-0

[cvt person]

Rumour has it that as well as making appearances on the UK and European air show circuit the DC6 in the KLM livery is to go transatlantic to return to Long Beach to celebrate its 50th birthday in 2008 and to visit an air show in Quebec.

[WHBM]

Do Air Atlantique use the DC6 for commercial freight charters any more or is it airshows and films only now ?

Like many here I have memories of them over the last 20 years or so. Used to visit my family in the Wirral back in the early 1990s when one did a regular Saturday night newspaper flight from Manchester to Dublin, transiting the Wallasey VOR. I used to go out into the back garden to hear it pass. My mother used to say that on other weekends she would listen from bed to "your old aeroplane going over". She said it's sound reminded her of my father's WW2 Halifaxes setting off from the base in Yorkshire.

Then there was that Coventry airshow in, what, 2000, when just about every airworthy prop aircraft in Europe was there. And several Biggins. And occasions elsewhere when it rumbled through the night overhead my house in London, or a hotel near East Midlands, above the clouds but you could tell just what it was.

[The SSK]

I flew on what must have been one of the very last scheduled DC6 passenger services in Europe. It was July 1978 and the flight was between Ponta Delgada and Terceira in the Azores, operated by the local airline SATA. It should have been one of their newly delivered HS748s, the DC6s having been retired from frontline service a couple of months previously but for whatever reason they dusted off the old girl and pressed her into service. Wonderful flight.

[cvt person]

WHBM. Only one of the Atlantique DC6's is currently airworthy and they are no longer used on commercial flights.

[Selfloading]

Rumour has it that as well as making appearances on the UK and European air show circuit the DC6 in the KLM livery is to go transatlantic to return to Long Beach to celebrate its 50th birthday in 2008 and to visit an air show in Quebec.This would seem to confirm that rumour
http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2007/11/26/219880/douglas-dc-6-will-hit-air-show-circuit-in-2008.html

[PaperTiger]

It was in fact 'born' at Santa Monica, but close enough I suppose.

[akerosid]

The DC6 put in a very good performance at the Jersey International Air Display last September - a very welcome sight, particularly in old KLM colours.

http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=6067926&nseq=26

Even though these acft no longer carry pax, are they certificated to do so? I know Air Atlantique operates DC3 pleasure flights from CVT (?); could it do the same at air shows in future?

[GBALU53]

The C of A for G-APSA shows as Transport (Passenger) so that answers one question.
As far as I know both the Air Atlantique aircraft were gutted no seats and no pressureization fitting in them so the aircraft would be flight level restricted meaning a higher fuel burn on some long flight,
G-APSA when seen in Jersey has the cabin with very little in it so the chances of the aircraft reverting back to carrying passengers would be at a large cost.
With her C of A due April 2008 she might be changed to a pernit to fly only which would bring engineering costs down to keep her iin the air being flown at air shows.
It would be a shame but at least every one who is able to go to an airshow where the aircraft is would hopefully see her where she belongs in the air.
We still await the outcome of G-SIXC if she will find her way back into the skies over the U.K. and Europe.:ok:

[Pressure Carb]

Having piston engines, she would burn least at sea level. The only performance advantage of going higher would be greater TAS.

C of A will be renewed in 2008.

[akerosid]

For anyone interested in seeing one of the few DC6s in commercial service in action as a freighter, Just Planes has just brought out a new DVD ...

Good idea for anyone thinking of Christmas presents!

[BYALPHAINDIA]

BTW, Has G APSA being flying recently at CVT??

I too remember the DC6 freight flight on Sat evening at MAN, I used to wait for it and then 'shoot off' clubbing!!:D

It is still unique that at least 1 of the 2 is still active in 2007.;)

Is G SIXC stored in the Hangar at CVT??:zzz:

Many Thanks.:ok:
BYAI