G-arud Dc-7

[hamish49]

Looking for a photo and info on Caledonian Airways G-ARUD DC-7
that crashed 4th March 1962

[philbky]

G-ARUD msn 45160/754, was a DC7C which Caledonian leased from SABENA (OO-SFD) to start the airline in November 1961. Returned to SABENA it was bought by Caledonian in early 1962 and was flying on a charter from the UK to South Africa as Caledonian 153 (I seem to remember it was a charter for Cyril Lord Carpets) when it crashed on take off at Douala, Cameroon on March 4 1962.

The accident was caused by a jammed elevator trim tab. The aircraft failed to climb and crashed into a swamp killing 101 passengers and 10 crew - the only fatal accident in the airline's history. see: ASN Aircraft accident Douglas DC-7C G-ARUD Douala Airport (DLA) (http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19620304-0)

[Rainboe]

Just to correct, it was the elevator spring-tab mechanism, not trim-tab.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Two seconds on Google produced this web site, which has pictures:
G-ARUD (http://www.british-caledonian.com/G-ARUD.html)

[Planemike]

On charter to Cyril Lord Carpets ...??? Do you have any more info on why it might have been on charter to them?

I have worked in the carpet business and intrigued as to why 100 or so people with a connection to Cyril Lord would be flying to Douala...

Planemike

[philbky]

Does Rainboe ever sleep? Thanks for correcting my lack of brain/hand co-ordination.

Heathrow Director, When I looked in Google for photos, your excellent link didn't show up, neither did my link to the accident report. Much depends on what you type in as a query, but there are many questions asked on these Forums which can be easily answered faster than typing a post - and can lead to fascinating further information.

The pages you linked to contradict some of what I posted, so I've done some further digging.

With regard to the ownership of the aircraft, it would seem there are a number of contradictions in various media and production lists. The initial deal, in November 1961 was a lease with the aircraft painted in Caledonian colours, SABENA to provide crew training and mixed crewing as required, all maintenance and the lease to be paid for on a usage basis.

In December 1961 the aircraft was in Brussels for work and technically became OO-SFD again, presumably as the lease ended with the adoption of a different arrangement for lease/purchase on a time period rather than usage basis, with SABENA responsible for training and maintenance and Caledonian for operation and crewing. A 1964 DC6/7/7C production list shows the aircraft as purchased in February 1962 and this has been repeated elsewhere but is likely dubious..

Cyril Lord was a UK textile entrepreneur who went spectacularly bankrupt in the late 1960s having become a household name with his cut price carpets.

He chartered Caledonian DC7Cs to fly his workers to and from South Africa where he had set up factories, stripping his Lancashire based operation of both machines and staff. On 23 June 1964, one of these flights set a record when it flew Manchester - Leopoldville non stop (4,100 miles) the longest distance achieved from the then 7,500 ft Manchester runway.

The Lord flights went from both Manchester and Gatwick - but only started in 1963 - and I had confused the accident flight with one of the Gatwick return flights.

In fact CA154 was operated for the Overseas Visitors' Club - a travel organisation which provided the fledgeling airline with much of its business, chartering flights to Southern Africa from both Gatwick and Luxembourg.

The accident left Caledonian aircraftless and its main investor sold out. By April 1962 a new investor, board and aircraft (again from SABENA) were in place.

Over the next 4 years Caledonian leased a number of DC7Cs and 2 DC6s from SABENA but didn't purchase them. It did however purchase the ex BOAC DC7C G-AOIE. It lost one more DC7C, without fatalities at Istanbul in 1964:
ASN Aircraft accident Douglas DC-7C G-ASID Istanbul (http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19640928-0)

[philbky]

Planemike,

See above. Cyril Lord was enticed by the South African Government to set up factories in East London.

Apart from carpets, he produced a wide range of textiles and the deal in SA was to initially set up poplin production. He stripped 3 of his Lancashire textile factories of their machines and shipped them to East London. He also offered workers the chance to emigrate - and there were many more on short term set up visits. He also intended to set up carpet manufacture and the flights were all chartered by the carpet company - possibly for tax or stealth purposes (the stripping of the Lancashire factories had raised much anger in the unions).

South African produced poplin didn't sell as well as expected and the operation was handed back some years later to the SA Government. The SA carpet factory never materialised.

[The SSK]

How curious - just yesterday I was singing his jingle 'This is luxury you can afford, by Cyril Lord' (was reminiscing with a pal about 60s TV ads).

Around the Heathrow check-in community he had a terrible reputation for rudeness and arrogance.

[Planemike]

Philbky ......

Thank you for the additional information. Having spent 40 years or so knocking around the carpet manufacuring business I always think of him as a "carpetman" but of course you are absolutely right his business had its roots in the Lancashire textile industry.

He was obviously pretty good at seeking investment from outsiders as the carpet operation was mainly in Northern Ireland with <I think> government money funding the factory at Donaghadee.

Planemike

[411A]

Just to correct, it was the elevator spring-tab mechanism, not trim-tab.

Good show.
The spring tab was very important, as it provided control assist, as DC-7's did not have hydraulic powered primary flight controls....tab assist only.
They were very pleasant to fly...especially the -7C, which was much quieter inside, thanks to the engines being further out on the wing.

[hamish49]

Yes I know of Google and the British Caledonian site.
But I run the other site British Caledonian (BCAL) Reunited. The online portal to connect ex British Caledonian Employee's from around the world. (http://www.bcalreunited.co.uk/)
and was looking for another photo of G-ARUD aircraft.

Thanks Tom webmaster BCALREUNITED