Willy Brandt flight to Berlin 1989
To carry prisoners Stasi owned two private Tu-134s (DDR-SDH and DDR-SDI). It is highly unlikely that they used Erich Honeckers airplane. However all were painted in "Interflug" colors.
I'd be surprised if the Pan Am 737 (which had replaced the 727s by then) pilots "offered to fly for nothing". Their aircrew were on 3-month rotation from the USA so were all only temporary, I believe on average each of their 727/737 crew (principally Miami based) did so every couple of years. Cabin crew had long been locally recruited - the Allies restriction only applied to pilots. Demand for the Corridor flights fell away at weekends and Pan Am did run a notable number of flights for tour operators to Palma etc.
Dan-Air had been a longstanding based operator at Berlin, well before they started the schedule from Gatwick, as they were for long the lead IT holiday flight operator from there to the Med, generally in parallel on the same day with West German carriers from Frankfurt, Munich etc. They thus needed a number of ferries to/from Gatwick, which were sold as charters (particularly student charters) before the daily schedule began. In typical Dan-Air fashion they seemed to base one of each type they had there rather than a unified fleet. They ran 727s from Berlin to Las Palmas which at 2,000 nm was a considerable haul for one, especially with the low-level haul along the Corridor. Towards the end they also based 748s there and ran to secondary destinations like Saarbrucken with them. A number of the UK IT airlines based at Berlin over time (if you never saw a Channel Airways Trident in the UK, that is where they were), all again with local cabin crews.
By the 1980s a destination for West German tourists was the Black Sea resorts of Bulgaria, served by charters (as from Britain) on Balkan the Bulgarian airline. There were also significant holiday flights there from the GDR. Stories of separated families having joint summer holidays there, and even of those from the GDR taking their brothers' passport and returning to the west, followed (once they touched down in Dusseldorf or wherever) by the real brother then reporting to the West German consulate that they had been drunk, had their passport stolen, missed their flight, and seeking repatriation.
I don't think Singapore started operation to Schonefeld until after reunification, it had the only long runway in Berlin and others (I recall Air Canada as well) went into there in a first flush of enthusiasm, which didn't last.
Dan-Air had been a longstanding based operator at Berlin, well before they started the schedule from Gatwick, as they were for long the lead IT holiday flight operator from there to the Med, generally in parallel on the same day with West German carriers from Frankfurt, Munich etc. They thus needed a number of ferries to/from Gatwick, which were sold as charters (particularly student charters) before the daily schedule began. In typical Dan-Air fashion they seemed to base one of each type they had there rather than a unified fleet. They ran 727s from Berlin to Las Palmas which at 2,000 nm was a considerable haul for one, especially with the low-level haul along the Corridor. Towards the end they also based 748s there and ran to secondary destinations like Saarbrucken with them. A number of the UK IT airlines based at Berlin over time (if you never saw a Channel Airways Trident in the UK, that is where they were), all again with local cabin crews.
By the 1980s a destination for West German tourists was the Black Sea resorts of Bulgaria, served by charters (as from Britain) on Balkan the Bulgarian airline. There were also significant holiday flights there from the GDR. Stories of separated families having joint summer holidays there, and even of those from the GDR taking their brothers' passport and returning to the west, followed (once they touched down in Dusseldorf or wherever) by the real brother then reporting to the West German consulate that they had been drunk, had their passport stolen, missed their flight, and seeking repatriation.
I don't think Singapore started operation to Schonefeld until after reunification, it had the only long runway in Berlin and others (I recall Air Canada as well) went into there in a first flush of enthusiasm, which didn't last.
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Less Hair.
Mario Roellig told me in West Berlin after his release that he
had been flown in "Honny'e" own aircraft with few seats. I
have absolutely no reason to doubt what he told me, as he
was the person sitting in the Interflug liveried TU134 in BUD.
The possibility exists that it could have be DDR-SDH, which
was Erich Mielke's personal a/c. who was chief of the Ministry
of State security, and may have had a VIP configuration. It,
after being sold to the USSR and became RA65606. certainly
did have a VIP interior.
Honecker used a personalised TU134 DDR-SDP, but in the
mid 1980's Honecker was using an IL62, and sometimes a
second IL62, which would carry cargo, such as food and drink.
which would be used to cater for DDR Embassy Entertaining
in the West, (Saving having to pay for the parties with hard
currency, and cutting down the risk of him being poisoned by
non secure food and drink. There had already been a shoot
out whilst on his way to a hunting lodge, and his bodyguard
shot and injured in the sternum. The IL62 was used on a state
visit to the Netherlands in the 80's (His daughter Erika married
a diplomat who was DDR Ambassador to the N.L.)
I have no knowledge of the configuration of Stasi second TU134.
DDR-SDI, and who used it. ?
Lance Shippey
Mario Roellig told me in West Berlin after his release that he
had been flown in "Honny'e" own aircraft with few seats. I
have absolutely no reason to doubt what he told me, as he
was the person sitting in the Interflug liveried TU134 in BUD.
The possibility exists that it could have be DDR-SDH, which
was Erich Mielke's personal a/c. who was chief of the Ministry
of State security, and may have had a VIP configuration. It,
after being sold to the USSR and became RA65606. certainly
did have a VIP interior.
Honecker used a personalised TU134 DDR-SDP, but in the
mid 1980's Honecker was using an IL62, and sometimes a
second IL62, which would carry cargo, such as food and drink.
which would be used to cater for DDR Embassy Entertaining
in the West, (Saving having to pay for the parties with hard
currency, and cutting down the risk of him being poisoned by
non secure food and drink. There had already been a shoot
out whilst on his way to a hunting lodge, and his bodyguard
shot and injured in the sternum. The IL62 was used on a state
visit to the Netherlands in the 80's (His daughter Erika married
a diplomat who was DDR Ambassador to the N.L.)
I have no knowledge of the configuration of Stasi second TU134.
DDR-SDI, and who used it. ?
Lance Shippey
Flugzeuge des MfS
In Schönefeld waren zwei Tu-134A mit den Luftfahrzeugkennzeichen DDR-SDH und DDR-SDI des Ministeriums für Staatssicherheit stationiert. Diese Maschinen flogen mit Interflug-Kennzeichen und -bemalung. Offiziell heißt es heute, dass mit dem Auftritt als zivile Interflug-Maschinen leichter Überfluggenehmigungen zu bekommen waren. Sie wurden unter anderem für die Rückführung im Ausland straffällig gewordener DDR-Bürger verwendet.[21][22] Halter der Maschinen war tatsächlich die Interflug, der auch die Wartung, Instandhaltung und technische Abfertigung oblagen.
Beide Maschinen waren operationell dem Transportfliegergeschwader 44 der Luftstreitkräfte der NVA unterstellt.
The two Stasi aircraft were in fact said to have had a moderate VIP front cabin and seats in the back compartment where the more unfortunate "guests" were carried. Crews were recruited from regular Interflug staff and received hard currency (US) for Stasi special flights.
BTW: Stasi owned a An-24 (DDR-SBH wearing Interflug colors) as well and several An-2s (military green). They were mainly used for parachute training, Stasi commando units and electronic intelligence. The An-2 sometimes operated from "Rote Jahne" airport at Eilenburg, some private air base that was Stasi owned.
https://www.mil-airfields.de/de/eile...othe-jahne.htm
BTW: Stasi owned a An-24 (DDR-SBH wearing Interflug colors) as well and several An-2s (military green). They were mainly used for parachute training, Stasi commando units and electronic intelligence. The An-2 sometimes operated from "Rote Jahne" airport at Eilenburg, some private air base that was Stasi owned.
https://www.mil-airfields.de/de/eile...othe-jahne.htm
Last edited by Less Hair; 15th Dec 2020 at 18:35.
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Hi Beamr,
Vielen dank. I noticed from the wiki notes (20) (21) that the twoTU134's
DDR-SDH and DDR-SDI stated "Die falschfarben waren weniger falsch
als der TG44" The literal translation is a little difficult to fathom. I guess
they are trying to say. The Interflug markings are less obvious than the
markings of TG44 were. ?
I know that some Western countries refused overfly of East German
military aircraft.
Lance Shippey
Vielen dank. I noticed from the wiki notes (20) (21) that the twoTU134's
DDR-SDH and DDR-SDI stated "Die falschfarben waren weniger falsch
als der TG44" The literal translation is a little difficult to fathom. I guess
they are trying to say. The Interflug markings are less obvious than the
markings of TG44 were. ?
I know that some Western countries refused overfly of East German
military aircraft.
Lance Shippey
Hi Beamr,
Vielen dank. I noticed from the wiki notes (20) (21) that the twoTU134's
DDR-SDH and DDR-SDI stated "Die falschfarben waren weniger falsch
als der TG44" The literal translation is a little difficult to fathom. I guess
they are trying to say. The Interflug markings are less obvious than the
markings of TG44 were. ?
I know that some Western countries refused overfly of East German
military aircraft.
Lance Shippey
Vielen dank. I noticed from the wiki notes (20) (21) that the twoTU134's
DDR-SDH and DDR-SDI stated "Die falschfarben waren weniger falsch
als der TG44" The literal translation is a little difficult to fathom. I guess
they are trying to say. The Interflug markings are less obvious than the
markings of TG44 were. ?
I know that some Western countries refused overfly of East German
military aircraft.
Lance Shippey
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Dear Less Hair,
Thanks for the new info, which explains the V.I.P seating that Mario
referred to. There was another TU134 that was used by the Stasi.
It was an ex Aeroflot aircraft, painted in Interflug marking, and was
used by Central Specific forces department of the Stasi at the "Walli"
training facility at Wartin, nr. Prenzlau. The grounded aircraft was
used in the "TU" anti terrorist unit from 1984. and thought the teams
of how to storm an aircraft taken over by terrorists. The aircraft was
eventually sold for DMK1000. to Ernst Baumann, who was going to
convert it into a cafe in his garden., He however sold it on, and it has
been restored to its former glory at the Cottbus Aircraft museum.
I remember a CSA TU134 which was turned into a cafe in the car
park opposite the Billa supermarket in Olomouc, Czech Republic.
This too was sold on, and not sure where it ended up ?
Lance Shippey.
Thanks for the new info, which explains the V.I.P seating that Mario
referred to. There was another TU134 that was used by the Stasi.
It was an ex Aeroflot aircraft, painted in Interflug marking, and was
used by Central Specific forces department of the Stasi at the "Walli"
training facility at Wartin, nr. Prenzlau. The grounded aircraft was
used in the "TU" anti terrorist unit from 1984. and thought the teams
of how to storm an aircraft taken over by terrorists. The aircraft was
eventually sold for DMK1000. to Ernst Baumann, who was going to
convert it into a cafe in his garden., He however sold it on, and it has
been restored to its former glory at the Cottbus Aircraft museum.
I remember a CSA TU134 which was turned into a cafe in the car
park opposite the Billa supermarket in Olomouc, Czech Republic.
This too was sold on, and not sure where it ended up ?
Lance Shippey.
Those two special Con Air Tu-134 mentioned were owned by Stasi right away not by the military TG-44 VIP and staff transport squadron. TG-44 operated it's own aircraft and helicopters both in Interflug and military colors. Like Tu-124, Tu-134, Tu-154 and Il-18 and Il-62 and Mil Mi-8. Stasi had it's own staff on TG-44's VVIP airplanes including Stasi body guards dressed as cabin crew.
The Tu-134 training airframe of former Aeroflot glory above never flew for Stasi. It just got used as a ground training tool for Stasi commandos.
The Cottbus museum mentioned is worth a visit. Run by former East German Air Force mechanics the airplane collection gets all the attention it needs.
The Tu-134 training airframe of former Aeroflot glory above never flew for Stasi. It just got used as a ground training tool for Stasi commandos.
The Cottbus museum mentioned is worth a visit. Run by former East German Air Force mechanics the airplane collection gets all the attention it needs.
Last edited by Less Hair; 15th Dec 2020 at 19:07.
“There were a range of travel nuances. Allies (ie UK/USA/France) could quite readily get into East Berlin, but not beyond into the DDR.”
That was simply because the whole of the city of Berlin was classed as a military occupied city until the wall came down. When you went over to the east you really had to keep an eye on the boundaries and some were detained for getting it wrong. Another benefit was that the Vopo had no jurisdiction or any authority to stop the military so if they started the rule was for you to ask for a Russian officer. I only managed to get into the DDR once as I had to go to the Brixmis mission house in Potsdam and for that I got an ID card in Russian and got to go across the Glienicke bridge. The early 80s were interesting times.
That was simply because the whole of the city of Berlin was classed as a military occupied city until the wall came down. When you went over to the east you really had to keep an eye on the boundaries and some were detained for getting it wrong. Another benefit was that the Vopo had no jurisdiction or any authority to stop the military so if they started the rule was for you to ask for a Russian officer. I only managed to get into the DDR once as I had to go to the Brixmis mission house in Potsdam and for that I got an ID card in Russian and got to go across the Glienicke bridge. The early 80s were interesting times.
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Timeline Willy Brandt 10th. November 1989.
10.45 Dep CGN/THF
12,20 ARR THF
Meeting with Egon Bahr, architect of Ost Poloitik, Gert Weisskirchen, Dietrich Stobbe and Hans Jochen Vogel
17.00 Speeches at the Town Hall Schoeneberg, Brandt well received, Helmut Kohl Jeered by crowd, at not
well received by the Berliners standing in J.F.Kennedy Platz.
18.00 Speeches over, at the town hall. Hans jochen Vogel askes Brandt if he has anything planned for the
evening, Brandt replies "No". Brandt is invited to go to East Berlin, and meet with members of the East
German Social Democrat Party, at the Christlichen Hospitz Albrectstrasse Hotel., next to Friedrichstrasse
Station. Brandt and his party of four whom arrived from Cologne with him depart by car to the border
crossing, where Brandt realises he has no passport with him. The car is allowed to drive through.
19.45 Meeting of Brandt, and members of the SDP (DDR) 13 people around an oval table, plus Barbara Klem,
a photographer, invited by Brandt.
21.00 Meeting ends, and party leave the Albrectstrasse Hotel for car journey back to West Berlin. On approaching
border crossing at Invalidenstrasse, find massive traffic jam, due to East Germans driving into west Berlin.
Brandt, his bodyguard Hans Wolfgang Zayc, Gabriele Holleder, Klaus Henning Rosen, and a security man
plus Barbara Klem get out of the car, and go on foot through the border crossing.
They then go to the Steigenberger Hotel on Los Angeles Platz, near Ku-Damm for an overnight stay.
11th November 1989.
08.30 Brandt and party of 4 leave TXL/CGN on scheduled flight (possibly BA)
The RAF 60 Squadron Andover could not have flown Brandt and party back to CGN. I wonder if crew were told that
no pax on a/c.?
Christlichen Hospitz der Albrectstrasse opened in 1910, and the last month of WW2 was an eye clinic of the Charite
Hospital. On September 13th 1964, Its restaurant was the venue for a let dinner given by the senior members of the
East German Church, and Dr Martin Luther King jnr. King had given a sermon in West Berlin earlier that day, when he
said " Here on the other side of the wall are God's children, and no man made barrier can obliterate that fact".
Lance Shippey
10.45 Dep CGN/THF
12,20 ARR THF
Meeting with Egon Bahr, architect of Ost Poloitik, Gert Weisskirchen, Dietrich Stobbe and Hans Jochen Vogel
17.00 Speeches at the Town Hall Schoeneberg, Brandt well received, Helmut Kohl Jeered by crowd, at not
well received by the Berliners standing in J.F.Kennedy Platz.
18.00 Speeches over, at the town hall. Hans jochen Vogel askes Brandt if he has anything planned for the
evening, Brandt replies "No". Brandt is invited to go to East Berlin, and meet with members of the East
German Social Democrat Party, at the Christlichen Hospitz Albrectstrasse Hotel., next to Friedrichstrasse
Station. Brandt and his party of four whom arrived from Cologne with him depart by car to the border
crossing, where Brandt realises he has no passport with him. The car is allowed to drive through.
19.45 Meeting of Brandt, and members of the SDP (DDR) 13 people around an oval table, plus Barbara Klem,
a photographer, invited by Brandt.
21.00 Meeting ends, and party leave the Albrectstrasse Hotel for car journey back to West Berlin. On approaching
border crossing at Invalidenstrasse, find massive traffic jam, due to East Germans driving into west Berlin.
Brandt, his bodyguard Hans Wolfgang Zayc, Gabriele Holleder, Klaus Henning Rosen, and a security man
plus Barbara Klem get out of the car, and go on foot through the border crossing.
They then go to the Steigenberger Hotel on Los Angeles Platz, near Ku-Damm for an overnight stay.
11th November 1989.
08.30 Brandt and party of 4 leave TXL/CGN on scheduled flight (possibly BA)
The RAF 60 Squadron Andover could not have flown Brandt and party back to CGN. I wonder if crew were told that
no pax on a/c.?
Christlichen Hospitz der Albrectstrasse opened in 1910, and the last month of WW2 was an eye clinic of the Charite
Hospital. On September 13th 1964, Its restaurant was the venue for a let dinner given by the senior members of the
East German Church, and Dr Martin Luther King jnr. King had given a sermon in West Berlin earlier that day, when he
said " Here on the other side of the wall are God's children, and no man made barrier can obliterate that fact".
Lance Shippey
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WHBM.
Re. Pan Am. The 737's were replaced by B727.200's, then 727's replaced by A300's
and later A310's The Channel Airways Trident only operated for several months from
March 1971. They went bust in 1972, and Dan Air took over most of the business.
The IGS were flown by.
USA.
Pan Am, Scheduled and Charter,
Pan Am Express (2x ATR 42's)
TWA Scheduled started in 1989.
Templehof Airways (From THF)
Air Berlin (based in USA) Florida if i remember.
Modern Air Charter.
GREAT BRITAIN.
BEA, became British Airways. used a/c from
BEA Mainline, BEA S 1-11 Div. BA Scottish div.
Dan Air Scheduled and Charter,
Laker Airways. Scheduled and Charter.
FRANCE
Air France Scheduled
Euro Berlin Scheduled and Charter. 51%Air France 49" Lufthansa.
I worked for BEA S1-11 (IGS) for a few years, before moving to LH.
There were also a few British civilian airlines operating trooping flights
in RAF Gatow.
Lance Shippey
Re. Pan Am. The 737's were replaced by B727.200's, then 727's replaced by A300's
and later A310's The Channel Airways Trident only operated for several months from
March 1971. They went bust in 1972, and Dan Air took over most of the business.
The IGS were flown by.
USA.
Pan Am, Scheduled and Charter,
Pan Am Express (2x ATR 42's)
TWA Scheduled started in 1989.
Templehof Airways (From THF)
Air Berlin (based in USA) Florida if i remember.
Modern Air Charter.
GREAT BRITAIN.
BEA, became British Airways. used a/c from
BEA Mainline, BEA S 1-11 Div. BA Scottish div.
Dan Air Scheduled and Charter,
Laker Airways. Scheduled and Charter.
FRANCE
Air France Scheduled
Euro Berlin Scheduled and Charter. 51%Air France 49" Lufthansa.
I worked for BEA S1-11 (IGS) for a few years, before moving to LH.
There were also a few British civilian airlines operating trooping flights
in RAF Gatow.
Lance Shippey
I remember an airline Aeroamerica with the Boeing 720 based at Tegel as well. The French had TAT, Air Alsace too and there was the civil Bo 105 rescue helicopter run by Omniflight USA. There used to be some Rockwell Commander shuttling from Tempelhof to Paderborn (Nixdorf) was this Tempelhof Airways already or somebody before?
Euroberlin France wet leased their fleet and pilots from Monarch. CC was local.
Euroberlin France wet leased their fleet and pilots from Monarch. CC was local.
Lance Shippey
Regarding your listing of IGS services, I believe I'm right in saying that it was Modern Air Transport rather than "Charter" and I believe operated CV-990s. Though Laker may have operated charters from Berlin, I don't recall them ever operating scheduled services, were they using 1-11s or the two 707-120Bs that they acquired in the 1970s?
Regarding your listing of IGS services, I believe I'm right in saying that it was Modern Air Transport rather than "Charter" and I believe operated CV-990s. Though Laker may have operated charters from Berlin, I don't recall them ever operating scheduled services, were they using 1-11s or the two 707-120Bs that they acquired in the 1970s?
Laker had 1-11s in Berlin. And later even their odd Skytrain DC-10.
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Modern Air Transport certainly had CV-990s - might explain why they were listed in my first copies of Civil Aircraft Markings (1974 I think was the first I bought).
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Modern Air Transport or MAT. Headquarters MIA Also base at TXL. 2x CV990 Coronado's. and 1x HFB Hansa Jet (12 pax)
In operation 1968 - 1974 They operated TXL-Canary Islands on charter flts. They acquired to Hansa Jet in 1970, and operated
it TXL-SCN May to Nov. 1971. The service was re - launched in 1973 with 2x rtn flts per wk, using a CV990. This was not ideal
due to large a/c using Berlin Air Corridor at low flight level, and speed. All female cabin attendants known as "The Tiger Girls"
because of their uniforms being like a tiger marking. Used term Coronado for the 2x CV990's as they fed into SR/ZRH network.
Aeroamerica Headquarters SEA. also base at TXL 4x B720's 1 x B707 1 x BAC 1-11 401 They operated 1975 - 1979 at TXL,
ceased trading SEA in 1982. Stewardesses wore hot pants. The BAC 1-11 was purchased from AA and operated in 1976. Big
problems with the Flight attendants, as they wanted parity salary to Pan Am IGS. Some went on strike, and airline replaced
them with girls from from an unnamed British airline.
Templehof Airways.Headquarters FLL Also base at THF. 1981 - 1990. Operated a Nord 262 THF-PAD. in 1985 originally operated
charters for Nixdorf Company. also operated Cessna 441, and 6 x Saab 340's 100 employees and 100,000 annual pax. Also
operated THF/BRU and THF/HAM to connect with AA long haul flts.
Laker. Headquarters LGW. Also base at TXL. Charter flights operated under Laker GmbH. based 3 x BAC1-11, which were replaced
by a A300 B4. employed 90 local staff. They operated to the Med and Canary Islands, however had scheduled licence LGW/TXL
2 x times daily. also LGW/ZRH and MAN/ZRH. The MAN/ZRH operated in 1981. The LGW/TXL and LGW/ZRH did not start to
operate, as the Airline went bust on 8th Feb 1982. (I was pax on the second to last flight JFK/MAN/LGW. (DC10) The MAN/ZRH
flight was awarded to Dan Air.
Euro Berlin used Monarch Aircraft, but eventually painted in Euro Berlin Markings.
Lance Shippey
In operation 1968 - 1974 They operated TXL-Canary Islands on charter flts. They acquired to Hansa Jet in 1970, and operated
it TXL-SCN May to Nov. 1971. The service was re - launched in 1973 with 2x rtn flts per wk, using a CV990. This was not ideal
due to large a/c using Berlin Air Corridor at low flight level, and speed. All female cabin attendants known as "The Tiger Girls"
because of their uniforms being like a tiger marking. Used term Coronado for the 2x CV990's as they fed into SR/ZRH network.
Aeroamerica Headquarters SEA. also base at TXL 4x B720's 1 x B707 1 x BAC 1-11 401 They operated 1975 - 1979 at TXL,
ceased trading SEA in 1982. Stewardesses wore hot pants. The BAC 1-11 was purchased from AA and operated in 1976. Big
problems with the Flight attendants, as they wanted parity salary to Pan Am IGS. Some went on strike, and airline replaced
them with girls from from an unnamed British airline.
Templehof Airways.Headquarters FLL Also base at THF. 1981 - 1990. Operated a Nord 262 THF-PAD. in 1985 originally operated
charters for Nixdorf Company. also operated Cessna 441, and 6 x Saab 340's 100 employees and 100,000 annual pax. Also
operated THF/BRU and THF/HAM to connect with AA long haul flts.
Laker. Headquarters LGW. Also base at TXL. Charter flights operated under Laker GmbH. based 3 x BAC1-11, which were replaced
by a A300 B4. employed 90 local staff. They operated to the Med and Canary Islands, however had scheduled licence LGW/TXL
2 x times daily. also LGW/ZRH and MAN/ZRH. The MAN/ZRH operated in 1981. The LGW/TXL and LGW/ZRH did not start to
operate, as the Airline went bust on 8th Feb 1982. (I was pax on the second to last flight JFK/MAN/LGW. (DC10) The MAN/ZRH
flight was awarded to Dan Air.
Euro Berlin used Monarch Aircraft, but eventually painted in Euro Berlin Markings.
Lance Shippey
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TXL's LH B707 is now in part of the woodland at the end of the runway. The B707 was originally operated by El Al and Arkia,
before going back to Boeing. As a thank you to Lufthansa on delivery of their 200th Boeing aircraft, they decided to gift the
707 to Berlin as part of Berlin's 750th birthday celebrations. LH requested Boeing to paint it in Lufthansa's 1960 colours.
The problem was how to get it through the Berlin Corridor to TXL. So LH got an American Captain to fly it at night, with all
the LH markings being covered with white plastic tape. when it arrived at TXL the white plastic was removed. And "Shock
Horror" when the East Germans learned of a LH 707 being parked at Tegel.
The ADAC (German Automobile Club) had a rescue helicopter based at TXL. This had an American pilot.
Lance Shippey
before going back to Boeing. As a thank you to Lufthansa on delivery of their 200th Boeing aircraft, they decided to gift the
707 to Berlin as part of Berlin's 750th birthday celebrations. LH requested Boeing to paint it in Lufthansa's 1960 colours.
The problem was how to get it through the Berlin Corridor to TXL. So LH got an American Captain to fly it at night, with all
the LH markings being covered with white plastic tape. when it arrived at TXL the white plastic was removed. And "Shock
Horror" when the East Germans learned of a LH 707 being parked at Tegel.
The ADAC (German Automobile Club) had a rescue helicopter based at TXL. This had an American pilot.
Lance Shippey
The Monarch aircraft were all painted in euroberlin colours from day one. Initially they had euroberlin France titles but the word France disappeared around 1990.
I was flying earlies that day and on the journey to Tegel every bank the crewbus passed was surrounded by people waiting for them to open. DDR citizens were given 100DM each they came to the west Begrüßungsgeld and the banks soon ran out of cash.
I was flying earlies that day and on the journey to Tegel every bank the crewbus passed was surrounded by people waiting for them to open. DDR citizens were given 100DM each they came to the west Begrüßungsgeld and the banks soon ran out of cash.
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Dear Tubby,
Thanks for the info re. the EE aircraft. I was not aware that they were immediately
delivered in EuroBerlin colours, as I had often seen Monarch B737's in Monarch
colours based at TXL I have since learned were 2 x B737-200 were the first new
jets delivered to Monarch by Bavaria Leasing, which was part of Hapag Lloyd, and
to be operated by Monarch on behalf of Flug Union from TXL. Monarch would take
over the void when Laker collapsed on Feb 8th 1982.
I am interested to know if you were flying for both EE and Monarchs IT flts, and if the
flight crews for EE were based in Germany ? I was sorry to hear that Monarch ceased
to trade I used them on long haul a few times. A friend of mine who worked for BMI
said that once BD started charging for meals and drink, and airlines were charging
more for checked baggage than the airfare itself, was the writing on the wall.
Lance Shippey
Thanks for the info re. the EE aircraft. I was not aware that they were immediately
delivered in EuroBerlin colours, as I had often seen Monarch B737's in Monarch
colours based at TXL I have since learned were 2 x B737-200 were the first new
jets delivered to Monarch by Bavaria Leasing, which was part of Hapag Lloyd, and
to be operated by Monarch on behalf of Flug Union from TXL. Monarch would take
over the void when Laker collapsed on Feb 8th 1982.
I am interested to know if you were flying for both EE and Monarchs IT flts, and if the
flight crews for EE were based in Germany ? I was sorry to hear that Monarch ceased
to trade I used them on long haul a few times. A friend of mine who worked for BMI
said that once BD started charging for meals and drink, and airlines were charging
more for checked baggage than the airfare itself, was the writing on the wall.
Lance Shippey