BOAC Stratocruiser "Canopus"

[rogerk]

Anyone have any knowledge of this aircraft ??

My late father was with BOAC and as a 10th birthday treat wangled a flight for me to Prestwick where "Canopus" was being fitted out to fly the Queen on a Commenwealth Tour.

[Thatsthewaytodoit]

This aircraft was featured on the Channel 4 Programme last night about HRH's first overseas tour, shown leaving London Airport (as was) and again landing in Bermuda and several other shots.
Probably available on Channel 4's view again thingy!

[L1649]

RMA Canopus was registered G-AKGK and was delivered to BOAC on 7/2/50. She was later sold to Transocean Air Lines on 12/3/59 and re-registered as N104Q. She was eventually broken up at Mojave in 1964.

[WHBM]

The fitting out of cabins for VVIP transport is something BOAC used to do as standard; I believe they had the fittings and materials readily to hand, and did an interior substitution on whichever aircraft was detailed for the trip. If I recall correctly, Scottish Aviation Ltd at Prestwick had done the VIP mods to Churchill's Liberator in WW2, so there was presumably some expertise there. Were BOAC Engineering or Scottsh Avn doing the work ?

[VfrpilotPB/2]

I seem to remember seeing the name "Canopus" on the front of a Flying Boat, from about the late 1930's but cannot find the picture, anyone els seen such?

Peter R-B
Vfr

[AvroLincoln]

The first Short S.795 Empire flying boat registered G-ADHL was named Canopus. Flown by Imperial Airways. Pictured on page 321 of my copy of "Shorts Aircraft since 1900" by C.H. Barnes.

[S'land]

'Canopus' was the name of the first Imperial Airways Short S-23 Empire class flying boat, registration G-ADHL. She first flew in 1936 and was scrapped in 1946. There are quite a few photographs around of her. There is also this video on Youtube.


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[PaperTiger]

Not to forget XN404 Britannia "Canopus" and XS235 Comet "Canopus" (G-CPDA at Bruntingthorpe).

[edskarf]

"Canopus" G-AKGK was also used by Winston Churchill for a return trip to Bermuda for a Summit Conference in December 1953 and a trip to Washington in June 1954 when he returned by sea.

His first scheduled Stratocruiser flight was to have been made in January 1953 from Jamaice to Idlewild but the Stratocruiser fleet had recently been grounded. He travelled by B.O.A.C. Constellation instead.

[Fokkerwokker]

My goodness what a blast from the past!

Made me reach for my JJC logbook (A0769) to find that I flew on this aircraft on two separate occasions en route to/from Lagos for school holidays. Not sure that I would want to go to Lagos for any kind of holiday now tho'!

The last occasion I flew on it was on the 28th August 1958 from Lagos to London via Kano and Barcelona. On the first sector, having blagged my way onto the flight deck, Captain Geoff Slocombe sat me in the F/O's seat for a fair bit of the cruise and turfed the R/O out of his seat for me to watch the landing into Kano.

It was a defining moment, for a 12 year old, and wherever he is I hope he realises that he was instrumental in my having aspired to, and spent, a working life flying airliners. I am sure he would be tickled that I have flown both piston and jet 4 engined Boeings during my time in aviation.

It is such a shame that we can't use the jump seat facility to open the eyes of youngsters these days - it certainly worked for me.

Fond memories of a style of travel we shall never see again.

FW

PS: I ordered a model of 'Canopus' from a gentleman selling quality models at the July Flying Legends Air Display at Duxford this year. It is on hold pending finding decent colour pictures of the last colour scheme she wore for BOAC.

Can anyone assist? It was when the fin and rudder went to a navy blue.

[kala87]

Sadly I never got to fly in a Strat. What a beast, with those monstrous 3500 hp 28 cylinder radials. They certainly had their share of problems with several well-known prop. overspeed and blade failure incidents, notably the PAA aircraft.

I too had a memorable introduction to airliner cockpits when I was allowed to sit in the F/O's seat on a DC3 en-route from Khartoum to Cairo in 1960, at the tender age of 9.

Jump seat riding isn't quite consigned to history, once you're away from the security-obsessed "developed world." In 2002-03 I had some memorable jump seat rides in Mexico. Best of all was on a vintage DC9, a real "pocket rocket", all steam gauge instrumentation of course. The Capt. flew a very neat visual approach into Tuxtla airport in southern Mexico, with a nice curving continuous descent from downwind, rolling out at around 500ft on a very short final. Full reverse (more noise than braking effect I suspect) and we rolled to a stop near the rwy end. Magic. Nice to have experienced these things, as my own piloting experience is limited to nothing larger than light twins.

[rogerk]

Maybe we should start a vintage "Ex BOAC Brats Club !!"

Those were the days - twenty quid return to Nairobi and with a bit of luck some fare paying pax needed your seat and you would get chucked off in Cairo and put up at a hotel !!

:ok::ok:

[PaperTiger]

It is on hold pending finding decent colour pictures of the last colour scheme she wore for BOAC.If this link survives, here's one: http://www.airliners.net/photo/BOAC/Boeing-377-10-28-Stratocruiser/0089856/M/ (http://www.airliners.net/photo/BOAC/Boeing-377-10-28-Stratocruiser/0089856/M/)

Otherwise, search that site yourself.

[Fokkerwokker]

Paper Tiger

Ta for that.

I was hoping to get someone, who may have BOAC paint-shop memories, what the actual colour spec of the paint was.

I'll keep searching!

FW

[ExSp33db1rd]

Canopus - Unbelievable !

My VERY FIRST EVER flight as a trainee BOAC pilot ( actually PiN Nav.)

29th Dec 1958, London-Frankfurt-Rome G-AKGK "Canopus" Capt. Willett.

Straight out of the training school, with my head still ringing from learning about "Soft Iron Rods" as a way of describing aircraft magnetism.

Next day flew Rome - Tripoli - Kano G-ANUC "Clio" Nav. Instructor asked for Astro Course Check across Europe and Med. for sextant practice. Result hopeless, second attempt similar and pilots muttering about unforcast winds blowing them off course whilst attempting to follow NDB's so Nav. Instr. took over the sextant, with similar bizarre result.

On the ground at Tripoli Nav. Instr. sniffed around aircraft and discovered a consignment of iron reinforcing rods for concrete building construction, loaded for and aft in the hold !!

Captain demanded removal, Airline Agent asked how they were to get to Lagos ? Captain said they could go by camel as far as he was concerned, they weren't going on his aircraft on a Sahara crossing !

Magic Moments.

[MapleMac]

I flew on Canopus which I recall was designated The Queen's 'plane. My journey was from London Airport, Shannon, Goose Bay (or Gander - can't recall which was used on outward/ journey), Bermuda, Barbados, Trinidad. If memory serves me right, it then went on to B.G.

Time of year? Outwards in July, Back to UK in September.

The year? I suspect 1955.

I have a memory of stopping overnight at Shannon as there was bad weather ahead. Once over, all was well. Great views of masses of logs as we travelled south over (I guess still Canada) and then the blistering heat of Bermuda, where we could get off for refreshments. Then on to Barbados and finally Piarco, Trinidad.
I think I'd quite enjoy that trip even now.

James.

[CANOPUS]

FW did you have any luck? I'm here in Philipines and I am having a couple of copies of the Canopus made to the livery you are refering to.

Please contact me if you are still "on the search". If not then I'm glad that you've found the model you were looking for.

Canopus

[BEagle]

Captain demanded removal, Airline Agent asked how they were to get to Lagos? Captain said they could go by camel as far as he was concerned, they weren't going on his aircraft on a Sahara crossing!

The good old days when the word of such 'Barons' was law! Imagine trying that sort of thing today...:uhoh:

[Rollingthunder]

My first flight was on this aircraft, May 1957, Manchester, Prestwick, Shannon, Gander, Montreal.

[Proplinerman]

I never saw, let alone flew on a Stratocruiser, so I really envy you guys. I did however see an IAF C97 in 1974 and I've seen quite a few more C97s in the USA in recent years-a very impressive aircraft.

I have read that one Stratocruiser survived at Tucson till the early 1980s. Someone realised its significance, so it was slated for preservation, but then the airport decided it was time they cleaned out the wrecks area and altho the scrapmen were told not to smash up the Strat, the bloody fools did and thus perished the last Stratocruiser-what a tragedy.

Here's a photo I took of an IAF C97 when I visited their museum two years ago-strongly recommended.

http://tinyurl.com/33orhz8

[allyn]

There are three nice videos of a C-97 on Youtube:

Startup taxi and takeoff

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Startup and taxi at dusk

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Inside and from the cockpit

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I'm surprised at how much smoke the engines are spewing out.

[WHBM]

I have read that one Stratocruiser survived at Tucson till the early 1980s. Someone realised its significance, so it was slated for preservation, but then the airport decided it was time they cleaned out the wrecks area and altho the scrapmen were told not to smash up the Strat, the bloody fools did and thus perished the last Stratocruiser-what a tragedy.
This will be Strat N74603, an ex-Northwest aircraft traded in to Lockheed for Electras in 1959. It was never used again, it sat in Mojave for 15 years and was then flown (brave crew !) to Tucson, where it was slowly robbed for spares for C-97s (many parts were common) and for the Guppys modified as Airbus transporters. By 1984 it was missing the whole rear fuselage and tail, so wasn't really a preservation candidate, although the engines and props were still in place, along with a somewhat faded Northwest livery.

I recall there was still a commercial C-97 operator out of the north side of Miami International in the mid-1990s, although they didn't seem to put many hours in, the fleet always seemed to be on the ground there whenever I passed by.

[2 sheds]

Rogerk

Several good quality items including "your" Strat on the Pathe News website.

2 s

[PaperTiger]

I recall there was still a commercial C-97 operator out of the north side of Miami International in the mid-1990s, although they didn't seem to put many hours in, the fleet always seemed to be on the ground there whenever I passed by. I recall there was still a commercial C-97 operator out of the north side of Miami International in the mid-1990s, although they didn't seem to put many hours in, the fleet always seemed to be on the ground there whenever I passed by.Agro Air, Dominican-registered. Not sure of your timescale, but they were quite active until one C-97 ploughed in at MEX killing scores on the ground. The remaining 2 sat at MIA until the Big Cleanup there.

There was also Aero Pacifico (Mexico) with a single C-97 which ended its days in pieces at TUS, like so many other things, and a fish-hauler up in Alaska, but I don't know what happened to that. The last active C-97 was (is ?) a water bomber at Fairbanks.

Oldprops Boeing 377/C97 (http://www.oldprops.ukhome.net/C97%20Photographs.htm)

[Fokkerwokker]

Canopus

Only just spotted your message. My model is due in UK end-June. I'll pm you as and when I have it in my hands and let you know what kind of a job they have done.

I am so glad this thread rumbles into life now and again - pun intended. Those wonderful Youtube shots (albeit with an annoying APU running!) were a joy to watch.

Thank you to Allyn for posting those!

FW

[allyn]

Grace Air Ltd operated a C97 as a salmon hauler from 1988 to (I think!) 1996. This is the plane that is in the videos that I linked.

The plane was eventually bought by the Berlin Airlift Historical Association. Details here:

C-97G 52-2718 "Angel of Deliverance" (http://www.spiritoffreedom.org/c97.html)

[larssnowpharter]

Wonderful memories on this thread. Thank you.

My memory of the Stratocruiser is that of my first toy. Probably around 1954. We were inseparable. I still recall the excitement when I first saw one the same year in Singapore.

As I recall, there was a great PanAm film of the post war clippers featuring the Stratocruiser.

[WHBM]

..... they were quite active until one C-97 ploughed in at MEX killing scores on the ground.
I recall that. The Boeing spokesman said "we didn't know these old aircraft were still in use", and the media faithfully trotted this out. Quite how Boeing didn't know about it's own products operating out of a mainstream US airport I never quite understood. I presume that's the modern PR department for you.

[virgo]

In the late eighties, on a flight from Gatwick to Miami, a passenger asked to visit the flight-deck. He showed a lot of interest in the operation and introduced himself as the owner of Agro - the operator of the three C-97s based at Miami.

He talked about his airline and explained that he had problems obtaining crews with any heavy piston-engine experience - particularly flight-engineers, upon whom the care and well-being of the engines depended.
I told him that I'd got several thousand hours on piston engined aircraft and asked his terms and conditions...............as one would !

He responded ,that as an experienced flight-engineer I'd get the same as a captain..............$50 an hour. I said those were far better expenses and allowances than I was getting, but what about the salary ?
"That IS the salary !" and then adding, "The aircraft operate mainly to and from Florida and Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela where there's plenty of opportunities for crews to do a bit of "importing/ exporting for themselves !" Nudge-Nudge-Wink-Wink.

Much as I might have enjoyed the operation of a C-97 around South America I declined the offer and remained a comparatively boring UK based 747 flight-engineer !
(A month or two later, one of them crashed in Mexico city. Apparently some life-stock broke loose on the approach and completely upset the CofG.)

[WHBM]

The C97 accident at Mexico City (1987)

ASN Aircraft accident Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter G HI-481 Mexico City (http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19870730-0)

[tonytech2]

Back in 1954/55 Lockheed Air Service at New York modified ex-Uunited Air Lines B377 for service with BOAC. Among the mods, we removed the Curtiss Electric props and installed Ham Standards.This involved removing nose sections of R4360's to allow installation of oil passages for props and governors and massive rewiring. Also installation of standard flight engineer's station with side seated F/E as UAL had a DC-6 type arrangement with F/E facing forward behind pedestal and no panel of his own. Again, massive rewiring required.
Question is, did anyone else have Curtiss props on their B377's. Considering all the problems with the hollow steel Ham Standards, wonder if they wouldn't have done better with the Curtiss. Believe the C-124 with R4360 had Curtiss props and I don't remember hearing of as many problems.

[WHBM]

As I understand it the American Overseas B377s that were passed on to Pan Am also had their original Curtiss electric propeller pitch controls replaced by Hamilton Standard hydraulics.

It seems, reading accounts, that the Curtiss was troublesome in its basic electric operation and gave all sorts of control problems and malfunctions, but was lighter, whereas the Hamilton Standard, using conventional hydraulic technology with all the associated heavy pipework but with the hollow blades to try and minimise the weight, was prone to incidious metal fatigue of the blades (suspected to start with FOD damage), which led to in-flight failure. Eventually HS did a new solid blade. Certainly if you look at how things developed hydraulic controls became universal, as did solid blades.

Some years earlier the Curtiss C46 initially had (of course) Curtiss electric props, which were such a nuisance on "The Hump", and other WW2 early deployments that aircraft with hydraulics were sent out from the USA as replacements. You wouldn't have done this unless there was a serious issue. It was a major part of the C46 getting the nickname "Curtiss Calamity". Quite why it was felt by some (not all) Stratocruiser purchasers that the old problems were solved, only to find in service they had not been, I am not sure.

[tonytech2]

I was well aware of Curtiss prop problems including those on Martin B26 (have a friend who was crew chief on them in 1941 no less) and the C46. However a lot of non-US outfits used Curtiss props on their L749 and L1049 Connies with little trouble. Seaboard and Western also used them on their L1049D and H Connies as did Trans Canada on their Gs. Admittedly, Seaboard did lose one at KJFK due to internal failure of the prop pitch change drive.

We converted one Air Force VC-118 (DC-6) from Ham Standards to Curtiss props for missions to Russia, Why this was done I do not know but allegedly because of cold. Since Russians used hydraulic props I don't think it was the real reason. Air Force certainly used them on many A/C including the VC-121A (the L-749 versions) SAMFLEET aircraft although the Presidential VC-121E Columbine had Ham Standards.
Re American Overseas B377. I had an uncle who was a PSM and I actually got on board one at LaGuardia where it had ferried over from Idlewild for maintenance. It was nosed into American's hangar. I didn't know one prop from another at the time but was hugely impressed by the sheer size compared to the Convairs and DC-6.

[Brianf127]

My school (Townfield in Hayes) did a visit to London Airport and we went through "Canopus" before the Queen went on her trip.

[JFR6]

My father was the Imperial Airways Resident Inspector at Short Bros. of Rochester during the period this aircraft was constructed and first flown I am completing a research project into his career at present.

[beamender99]

My school (Townfield in Hayes) did a visit to London Airport and we went through "Canopus" before the Queen went on her trip. Perhaps it was a regular sort of trip.
I too went on a school trip and seem to recall being amazed at the down stairs lounge area.
IIRC there was a panel down there to give access to manually lower the undercarriage.
We also visited a TWA Connie - Star of ....

[Old-Duffer]

Wonderful Thread, thank you.

Can anybody tell me about Captain O P Jones, the bearded aircraft commander often in charge when HM was on board?

Old Duffer

[Jhieminga]

I found this bit on a Stratocruiser page (http://www.ovi.ch/b377/articles/speedbird/), near the bottom of the page:
That great first gentleman of the air, Capt O.P. Jones (we were on the same Strat course) later landed one short at Goose Bay, fortunately without hurting anyone. Next day he went out to examine where his wheels' marks were. He resigned and never flew for BOAC again. He had done enough for his airline and country.I have a feeling that he also flew VC10s though, so this may not be correct.

[brakedwell]

Sadly, not a Stratocruiser, but I took this photo of a KC97 starting up at Lajes Field, Azores, in December 1957

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c32/sedgwickjames/KC97.jpeg

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Here are a few Strats at London Airport l-o-n-g ago:

http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a610/brendan_mccartney/GANUA.jpg

And for the military inclined.... at Prestwick:

http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a610/brendan_mccartney/22626.jpg

[Old Photo.Fanatic]

Regarding the note about one of the C-97 "B-377 HI-481" crashing on Mexico City.
I actually flew in this aircraft!!!. 4 months prior to the crash.
I was on a personal aviation Photo. tour in the USA March/April 1987.
I pre arranged as part of the tour a free "Hitchhike" out of Miami to San Juan
with Aerochago who then operated the three KC-97 freighters out of Miami.
The reason for trip was to photograph the Aerochago "Connie". L-749(F)
HI-422

I had a night flight in the C97 out of Miami 0400 departure, sitting upfront for the flight to Santa Domingo. One of the most fantastic Flights of my life.
On arrival at Santa Domingo I was then stranded for 36 hrs, the events/situation I was left in is another very involved "adventure"
The next day I not only photographed the "Connie" , it was to my amazement and pleasure that I then flew in it to San Juan, the most fantastic experience, again too much to cover in this post.
I do have load of Pics of these flights and aircraft, but on "Slides".
As and when I get the quality nikon scanner I want, then I will put Pics. on this thread .

OPF

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

What I did with my slide was to project them on to my screen and then photograph them with my Canon EOS20D. It worked pretty well..

[Old Photo.Fanatic]

Quick follow up to my last post.
Here are some pics. of KC-97 aircraft I took at Greybull Wyoming July 2011.

Old ex Hawkins and Powers aviation inc aircraft.
The one on the ramp N1365N still looks in good condition, its an ex WI. ANG
Milwaukee, aircraft. (It was up for sale at the time)

Others were out in the grassed "Storage" area.


http://i611.photobucket.com/albums/tt200/phredd10/Greybull%20Wyoming%20USA/DSC_1757copy.jpg


http://i611.photobucket.com/albums/tt200/phredd10/Greybull%20Wyoming%20USA/DSC_1734copy.jpg


http://i611.photobucket.com/albums/tt200/phredd10/Greybull%20Wyoming%20USA/DSC_1722_01copy.jpg


OPF

[A30yoyo]

Here's a tin Strat...Made in Germany (GAMA)...from the early days of ebay

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2779/4374476288_fb03b6d989_s.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/74784995@N00/4374476288/)
Pan American Stratocruiser (http://www.flickr.com/photos/74784995@N00/4374476288/) by A30yoyo (http://www.flickr.com/people/74784995@N00/), on Flickr

[Old-Duffer]

Able to answer my own question about O P Jones but only in part.

Oscar Philip Jones 1898 - 1980 CVO, OBE; blimey he would have been 114 had he still been with us.

However, there is very little about his flying career available on the web that I could find and apparently no biography.

Ah Well!

Old Duffer

[Jhieminga]

Old-duffer, he is featured in most (if not all) of the BOAC Junior Jet Club logbooks:
http://www.vc10.net/Memories/Images/Page2.jpg

Apart from that I have a mention of him with an anecdote in this story: Testing and early days (http://www.vc10.net/Memories/testing_earlydays.html#JamesHeron)

That is all I can supply, but I've seen him mentioned in various books. Unfortunately I cannot give you a direct link or any concrete info right now but I can look out for stories about him if you want. Mostly they will be little tidbits of info, nothing substantial.

I thought that he flew VC10s as well but the bit I posted earlier may well be correct, in that he retired from the Stratocruiser. It might be interesting to split these posts off from this topic and see what we can find out about this gentleman!

[chevvron]

Why is he imitating James Robertson Justice?

[Duckbutt]

Actually didn't James Robertson Justice once play a Stratocruiser pilot in a 1950's film?

[brakedwell]

A Stratocruiser could well have played James Robertson Justice in the 1950's :)

[Jhieminga]

I decided to create a seperate thread about O.P. Jones: http://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/502120-boac-captain-o-p-jones.html

It is an interesting subject in its own right and although he is probably connected to many Stratocruiser stories, this way we can focus on the planes in this thread!

[Proplinerman]

"Actually didn't James Robertson Justice once play a Stratocruiser pilot in a 1950's film?"

Yes, he did, in "Out of the clouds," made in 1955. And here is a clip from it, featuring him: BOAC Boeing 377 Stratocruiser-"Heathrow Action"-1955 - YouTube

[Georgeablelovehowindia]

The film itself is in colour, and despite several liberties with accuracy, is worth watching for the sight of those Strats, Connies, Argonauts, etc. I first saw it in 1956, in an open air cinema in Accra, Gold Coast - as it was then - and decided that when I grew up, I wanted to be a B.O.A.C. captain and marry a B.O.A.C. stewardess.

Fifty-six years on (a) I still haven't grown up (b) I never got to be a B.O.A.C. captain but (c) I did get to marry a BOAC stewardess, by which stage there were no dots between the letters. :)

[Kitbag]

Brilliant, never seen that film before. Perfect for Sunday afternoon tea and cake.
Big river have it as part of a collection of Ealing films, looks like it's going to be a late addition to my Xmas list

[G-ANTZ]

I've only just found this thread - in fact I've only just joined PPRuNe.

My JJC logbook shows I flew G-AKGK Lagos-Kano-Rome-Frankfurt-London on 15-16/1/59. 15h 25m, and 3,746 miles.

Not my first Strat flight, I had already flown Lagos-London and London Lagos at the beginning and end of 1958,both in G-ANTZ.

Strat still remains my favourite aircraft of all time.

[Fokkerwokker]

G-AKGK 'Canopus' Royal Tour of Canada 1951
I was handed some vintage 'AEROPLANE' magazines a few days ago and finally got around to reading them yesterday. Imagine my surprise and delight to find the photo of G-AKGK and more importantly one of the pilot that unknowingly gave me a very strong push into aviation. I remember him telling me to join the ATC as soon as I could - which I did the day I was 14!

I instantly recognised him even though it is 60 years ago since my flight on 'GK!



https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.gmforum.com-vbulletin/1420x2000/g_akgk_2259933a1f7b30e01de63800ba5ee3ab1f97a9b2.jpg
Royal Tour of Canada 1951


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.gmforum.com-vbulletin/70x126/captain_geoff_slocombe_9a90fa7f04ae86bf704715ea90ab5a4731dca a52.png
F/O Geoff Slocombe 1951

So here he is as a young F/O on the tour.

I think he told me he flew Lancasters during WW2. Not absolutely sure.

FW