C.S.A. Britannia.
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C.S.A. Britannia.
Was there every a loss of a C.S.A
Britannia.? I realise that O.K used
the Britannia on the PRG/SNN/YQX/
HAV along with the CU Britannia's
and that there may been the loss
of an OK IL18 on this route.
I recall someone in PRG connected
with CSA mentioning something about
a loss en-route. The OK Britannia's
were sometimes seen at LHR.
Lance Shippey
Britannia.? I realise that O.K used
the Britannia on the PRG/SNN/YQX/
HAV along with the CU Britannia's
and that there may been the loss
of an OK IL18 on this route.
I recall someone in PRG connected
with CSA mentioning something about
a loss en-route. The OK Britannia's
were sometimes seen at LHR.
Lance Shippey
Last edited by barry lloyd; 24th Apr 2021 at 11:58. Reason: ADDITIONAL INFO
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Thanks Barry I knew about the IL18
loss, but something was in my mind
about the Britannia. maybe a non-
fatal accident. ? I do remember that
it was suggested that Communist
flight deck crews were not always
familiar with Western built a/c.
I did check on air safety records, and
came up with nothing.
Perhaps I asked why CSA used the
IL18 rather than the Britannia as CU
were using.
A flt PRG/HAV in an IL18 must have
been an adventure with no layovers
for the pax. I guess sunshine kept
them going.
Lance.
loss, but something was in my mind
about the Britannia. maybe a non-
fatal accident. ? I do remember that
it was suggested that Communist
flight deck crews were not always
familiar with Western built a/c.
I did check on air safety records, and
came up with nothing.
Perhaps I asked why CSA used the
IL18 rather than the Britannia as CU
were using.
A flt PRG/HAV in an IL18 must have
been an adventure with no layovers
for the pax. I guess sunshine kept
them going.
Lance.
Last edited by Lance Shippey; 24th Apr 2021 at 13:39.
I visited Aero Caribbean in Havana in the mid 80s and spoke at length with the people there. By then, the Cubana Britannias were parked up and Aero Caribbean had just one in operation, flying meat from Canada. They seemed comfortable with them, but the biggest problem they had was with the big checks, for which they were flown to Monarch at Luton. I was never aware of an incident with CSA's aircraft though.
I've done four and a half hours in an IL-18 from Moscow to Ashkhabad (as it was known then). That was quite long enough!
I've done four and a half hours in an IL-18 from Moscow to Ashkhabad (as it was known then). That was quite long enough!
The CSA Britannias were leased, one at a time, from Cubana, and returned there afterwards. It was a long term arrangement for them through the 1960s, and they were re-registered and repainted in CSA livery. They didn't appear in the timetable on any route other than Havana. Leave Prague Monday afternoon via Shannon and Gander, into Havana Tuesday morning. Return Thursday morning, via Gander but omitting Shannon, into Prague Friday morning. They typically crossed each way the Cubana Britannia doing their own weekly flight to Prague.
I can remember seeing CSA Britannias at LHR, one stuck in my mind as it was a rare 05R arrival and at the time ( 1 was probably 14 ) I remember thinking how odd to see a western aircraft from the Eastern Bloc. CSA normally used IL18s or TU104s to LHR.
Mind you back then the Eastern Bloc was a good source of unusual types although moderated by the fact that no airline had that many of any one type, I think even Aeroflot who had lots of IL18s and TU104s only used sub fleets to the west , which makes sense , radios and imperial altimeters etc. TABSO-Bulgaria I think only operated weekly in the summer , Malev 1l18s had different prop bosses so you knew which one it was before it actually passed you, once again some colours ere common others rare. I dont recall TAROM operating to LHR back then-mid/late 60s. so it was basically Aeroflot, CSA and LOT who also flew IL18s . I dont
I flew on a CSA 1l 62 which was actually very nice internally with a very smart non eastern style paint scheme. Cabin service was very good with free Czech beer offered to all just after take off , If you know anyhting about Czech Republic or as it was, Czechoslovakia you will know beer is their lifesblood and is drunk like water . Wife flew on an IL 18 and Antonov F27 look alike in Bulgaria and was not impressed as boith very noisy and vibrated a lot, Both internal flights so no catering.
Mind you back then the Eastern Bloc was a good source of unusual types although moderated by the fact that no airline had that many of any one type, I think even Aeroflot who had lots of IL18s and TU104s only used sub fleets to the west , which makes sense , radios and imperial altimeters etc. TABSO-Bulgaria I think only operated weekly in the summer , Malev 1l18s had different prop bosses so you knew which one it was before it actually passed you, once again some colours ere common others rare. I dont recall TAROM operating to LHR back then-mid/late 60s. so it was basically Aeroflot, CSA and LOT who also flew IL18s . I dont
I flew on a CSA 1l 62 which was actually very nice internally with a very smart non eastern style paint scheme. Cabin service was very good with free Czech beer offered to all just after take off , If you know anyhting about Czech Republic or as it was, Czechoslovakia you will know beer is their lifesblood and is drunk like water . Wife flew on an IL 18 and Antonov F27 look alike in Bulgaria and was not impressed as boith very noisy and vibrated a lot, Both internal flights so no catering.
I think the CSA (and Cubana) Britannias used to come to the UK for major checks, initially to Filton for as long as Bristol/BAC did them, then at Monarch at Luton. If either company's aircraft was off line for a check they would borrow from the other.
CSA were still very good with that 10 years ago, before it all fell away for them. I used to use them on London-Prague-St Petersburg as a notably cheaper alternative to the direct flight; they always came in and out of LED at the same time as BA and parked on the next stand. Even then, during the stopover there was still a large somewhat socialist-style cafeteria in Prague terminal, rather like a factory canteen but with great Czech food and drink. A week before Christmas CSA gave out nice chocolate Santas on the catering trays.
Cabin service was very good with free Czech beer offered to all just after take off
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I can remember seeing CSA Britannias at LHR, one stuck in my mind as it was a rare 05R arrival and at the time ( 1 was probably 14 ) I remember thinking how odd to see a western aircraft from the Eastern Bloc. CSA normally used IL18s or TU104s to LHR.
Mind you back then the Eastern Bloc was a good source of unusual types although moderated by the fact that no airline had that many of any one type, I think even Aeroflot who had lots of IL18s and TU104s only used sub fleets to the west , which makes sense , radios and imperial altimeters etc. TABSO-Bulgaria I think only operated weekly in the summer , Malev 1l18s had different prop bosses so you knew which one it was before it actually passed you, once again some colours ere common others rare. I dont recall TAROM operating to LHR back then-mid/late 60s. so it was basically Aeroflot, CSA and LOT who also flew IL18s . I dont
I flew on a CSA 1l 62 which was actually very nice internally with a very smart non eastern style paint scheme. Cabin service was very good with free Czech beer offered to all just after take off , If you know anyhting about Czech Republic or as it was, Czechoslovakia you will know beer is their lifesblood and is drunk like water . Wife flew on an IL 18 and Antonov F27 look alike in Bulgaria and was not impressed as boith very noisy and vibrated a lot, Both internal flights so no catering.
Mind you back then the Eastern Bloc was a good source of unusual types although moderated by the fact that no airline had that many of any one type, I think even Aeroflot who had lots of IL18s and TU104s only used sub fleets to the west , which makes sense , radios and imperial altimeters etc. TABSO-Bulgaria I think only operated weekly in the summer , Malev 1l18s had different prop bosses so you knew which one it was before it actually passed you, once again some colours ere common others rare. I dont recall TAROM operating to LHR back then-mid/late 60s. so it was basically Aeroflot, CSA and LOT who also flew IL18s . I dont
I flew on a CSA 1l 62 which was actually very nice internally with a very smart non eastern style paint scheme. Cabin service was very good with free Czech beer offered to all just after take off , If you know anyhting about Czech Republic or as it was, Czechoslovakia you will know beer is their lifesblood and is drunk like water . Wife flew on an IL 18 and Antonov F27 look alike in Bulgaria and was not impressed as boith very noisy and vibrated a lot, Both internal flights so no catering.
FF
The whole gamut of Eastern European operations into the UK is interesting, as they were unusual and tended to vary from year to year. The CSA Britannia does not appear to have been scheduled into London but would make sense, as it took the week, Monday to Friday, to go to Havana and back, and would be available at the weekend when most observers at Heathrow would visit. Aircraft types in the timetable for these carriers commonly varied from what was published. The Tarom summer holiday charters from Constanta to Gatwick, Manchester, etc, used to vary the type from week to week in the season; Tarom had a handful of each for a whole range of types, Soviet, western, and (the One-Eleven) home built, and any might turn up.
Aeroflot changed to jets very early (the Tu104), but like the others when there was a large group visiting would commonly arrange a charter, for which the IL-18 was the usual choice into the 1970s. Ships' crews for a changeover were probably the most usual reason for this, which would maybe run into oddball airports like Liverpool. The expulsion of 105 Soviet diplomats from Britain in 1971 would have been a very common reason for a special flight, but in fact a passing Soviet ship was diverted to Dover and they went that way.
Aeroflot changed to jets very early (the Tu104), but like the others when there was a large group visiting would commonly arrange a charter, for which the IL-18 was the usual choice into the 1970s. Ships' crews for a changeover were probably the most usual reason for this, which would maybe run into oddball airports like Liverpool. The expulsion of 105 Soviet diplomats from Britain in 1971 would have been a very common reason for a special flight, but in fact a passing Soviet ship was diverted to Dover and they went that way.
HA-MOG was a regular IL18 in the '60s. Seemed to see it every time i went to Heathrow.
Later the CSA "OK Jet" IL62
I saw a TU114 on one occasion about 1965/66.
Later the CSA "OK Jet" IL62
I saw a TU114 on one occasion about 1965/66.
I think the Aeroflot Tu114 was used from Moscow whenever there was a significant delegation travelling, with Gromyko (longserving Soviet foreign secretary) among them. Was more impressive than a Tu104. Sometimes as an additional flight, sometimes handling the normal schedule.
HA-MOG was on display in the “Memorial Park” just off the approach road to Budapest Airport a few years ago. Still visible on Google Earth.
Spotters of that era, me included , could tell which Malev IL 18 was on approach because they only had a small number of 'International/western IL18s and they all had different colour prop bosses. I think there were only 4 Yellow Red Blue and green . I saw HA -MOG at the 'veterans ' park at Budapest Airport bit coulndt really make out the prop boss colours
PB
PB
Spotters of that era, me included , could tell which Malev IL 18 was on approach because they only had a small number of 'International/western IL18s and they all had different colour prop bosses. I think there were only 4 Yellow Red Blue and green . I saw HA -MOG at the 'veterans ' park at Budapest Airport bit coulndt really make out the prop boss colours
Malev only had 8 IL-18, delivered 1960-67. One was lost in 1962, and one each in 1971, 75 and 77, so there were only 4 left after that time anyway to withdrawal in 1987 - OA, OE, OG and OI.
