Originally Posted by
Seat62K
Although ordered by Saturn, I think this particular 707 went straight to BOAC.
Correct. Saturn ordered three 707-379C for delivery in Spring 1968 as N761U-3U. One went to straight Ethiopian, the second to BOAC, and the third hung around Seattle in Saturn colours for some months but finally went to Varig. Saturn also bought new and secondhand DC8s at the same time which lasted for some years, so they possibly lost a contract the 707s were intended for. G-AWHU came to BOAC in June 1968, so had been in stock for 2.5 years before the Trans-Siberian started.
Was the navigation equipment fit its reason for sole allocation to the route, rather than any range issue ? Would be interesting to hear about comparisons with the Aeroflot IL-62s on the Tokyo route, and indeed with their amazing Tu-114 contra-rotating prop aircraft that preceded them, swept wing and with a fuselage size comparable to the 707, and also about aviation in Moscow at that time. G-ALHI, do you have enough recollections for a separate thread ?