BOAC London to Melbourne 1960
It was easy to be fooled in in thinking some DC-4 had square windows. Quite a few small (and shadier) operators painted squares around the round windows of their DC-4 in an effort to deceive people into thinking it was a DC-6. They were pretty artistic efforts. The black rubber deicer boots on the wings and empennage of the DC-4 were of course a dead giveaway as the DC-6 had heated leading edges of dural.
By the way, "square" windows were not square. They had generous radius's in their corners eliminating the stress riser of a sharp "square" corner.
By the way, "square" windows were not square. They had generous radius's in their corners eliminating the stress riser of a sharp "square" corner.
My memory is exactly the opposite - and wrong - old men forget ! It is, I think, c 54 years since I was at New Sarum when I saw the C4/DC4 ? which was part of the carve up of the aviation assets of the former Central African Federation ceded to Southern Rhodesia. I seem to remember they got the ‘lions share’ mainly Canberras, Hunters etc.
No. The DC7C acquisition was the cause of much airline-government-media acrimony, only finally justified by the US dollar earning advantage to a UK airline of having competitive aircraft with the US operators by the mid-1950s, where BOAC were still stuck with first-generation L-749 Connies and spacious but lumbering and unrelable Stratocruisers, both of which sometimes required two fuel stops between London and New York, which the DC7C could do nonstop. The DC7Cs were only deployed on US routes, and those routes to Bermuda/ Caribbean which routed through New York, and which mainly carried Americans.
BOAC's fleet had been in a considerable mess in the earlier 1950s, with most of their types (Argonaut honourably excepted) giving serious problems, then within a few years 1957-60 a whole lot of replacement types finally came into service together, giving further difficulties. The DC7C, the Comet 4, the Britannia 100, Britannia 300 and the substantial initial 707-420 fleets all arrived in quantity pretty much together.
BOAC's fleet had been in a considerable mess in the earlier 1950s, with most of their types (Argonaut honourably excepted) giving serious problems, then within a few years 1957-60 a whole lot of replacement types finally came into service together, giving further difficulties. The DC7C, the Comet 4, the Britannia 100, Britannia 300 and the substantial initial 707-420 fleets all arrived in quantity pretty much together.
But it had oval windows......
The information I have is the following (may not be accurate)
My money is on the Britannia, as throughout the Britannia's lifespan, the engine icing condition remained a "continual potential hazard" that flight crews ultimately learned to manage with a "high-lo" flight regime that minimized the danger.
Last edited by megan; 13th Aug 2018 at 00:55.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 1998
Location: Mesopotamos
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
About the only way to answer the OP would be to access the movements at Essendon airport on the day.
I have a tentative arrival date of 7/7/1960 from the national archives (https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/) with a record that states "travelled per MIQAN flight" whatever that means. Unfortunately there is a lot of unprocessed information by the NAA and online information is scant.
Also, don't take the "square" windows thing too seriously as she was more interested in the people she was travelling with rather than the plane itself.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 1998
Location: Mesopotamos
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Funny how these things pan out. Recently I discovered my mothers arrival card in the Australian digital archives which says she arrived in Melbourne (Essendon Airport) on the 7th July, 1960 in an aircraft registered as G-ANBH which is a Bristol Britannia.
Again, thanks to all who provided advice.
Cheers.
Again, thanks to all who provided advice.
Cheers.
Last edited by cattletruck; 4th May 2019 at 12:36. Reason: mistyped rego
G-ANBH old chap - fab photo
[QUOTE......... lumbering and unrelable Stratocruisers[/QUOTE],
Do you mind ! extract from my logbook ..... 22nd January 1959, Boeing 377 G-ANTY "Coriolanus" Barcelona - Accra .... engine failure 4 hours South of Barcelona, diverted to Tripoli. 25th January, 1959 .... Tripoli - Accra.
Providing that there was enough engine oil available, I recall one of he DC-7C Flt. Engineers telling me that the DC-7C range was limited by the oil consumption, not the fuel load available.
I believe Britannia 102 G-ANBG was charted to fly the English Football team somewhere, and they figured that NBG was not a suitable acronym, and it was re-registered as a result ?
I'm pretty sure that the Brit. 102;s flew regular services to Oz, something like a 28 day trip for the crews, slipping at all the various stops en-route, and when the Boeing 707 was introduced BOAC started "posting" crews to Oz for 3 months, to fly part way back to London and make the London based crew pattern shorter. Good Old Days.
Do you mind ! extract from my logbook ..... 22nd January 1959, Boeing 377 G-ANTY "Coriolanus" Barcelona - Accra .... engine failure 4 hours South of Barcelona, diverted to Tripoli. 25th January, 1959 .... Tripoli - Accra.
both of which sometimes required two fuel stops between London and New York, which the DC7C could do nonstop.
could have been a Bristol Britannia - G-ANBG
I'm pretty sure that the Brit. 102;s flew regular services to Oz, something like a 28 day trip for the crews, slipping at all the various stops en-route, and when the Boeing 707 was introduced BOAC started "posting" crews to Oz for 3 months, to fly part way back to London and make the London based crew pattern shorter. Good Old Days.
ExSp33db1rd,
Why are you new here? I've been wondering where you have been - hope all is OK.
Why are you new here? I've been wondering where you have been - hope all is OK.
