BOAC Stratocruiser "Canopus"
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BOAC Stratocruiser "Canopus"
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.
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.
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Canopus
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!
Probably available on Channel 4's view again thingy!
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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.
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 ?
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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
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Peter R-B
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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.
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'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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B.377 Stratocruiser G-AKGK
"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.
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.
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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.
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.
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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.
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.
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Kala87 - Fokkerwokker
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 !!
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 !!
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It is on hold pending finding decent colour pictures of the last colour scheme she wore for BOAC.
Otherwise, search that site yourself.
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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
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
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.
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.
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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.
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.
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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
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
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!
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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
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