PPRuNe Forums - Stansted Airport History and Nostalgia

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A few photos taken at London Stansted Airport in July 1973 including several former recently retired Royal Air Force Bristol Britannia's, plus Transmeridian Air Cargo (TMAC) CL-44 Guppy N447T in it's original colour scheme.

A Flying Fortress is also visible in the first photo.

I think that must be '75 at the earliest as the B-17 does look very much like Sally B in her original scheme; she arrived with Ted White at Duxford in March '75.

Pic of CL-44 G-ATZH in the "RAF" scheme is indeed as she appeared in "O Lucky Man".

I recall a TAR CL-44 LV-JTN at Gatwick in '77, delivering Aerolineas Argentina's HS-748 spares to Dan-Air who had bought AA's 748 fleet and spares inventory . The CL-44 was destroyed in a mid-air collision with a Su-15 after straying into Soviet airspace a couple of years later...

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Originally Posted by treadigraph (Post 10751290)

I think that must be '75 at the earliest as the B-17 does look very much like Sally B in her original scheme; she arrived with Ted White at Duxford in March '75.

Pic of CL-44 G-ATZH in the "RAF" scheme is indeed as she appeared in "O Lucky Man".

I recall a TAR CL-44 LV-JTN at Gatwick in '77, delivering Aerolineas Argentina's HS-748 spares to Dan-Air who had bought AA's 748 fleet and spares inventory . The CL-44 was shot down by the Russians a couple of years later...

Your probably right regarding the year as being incorrect.

B17 Flying Fortress "Sally B" was brought to the UK from France in 1975 and put on the UK CAA register as G-BEDF. So the photo was taken from at least 1975 onwards rather than 1973 as I had originally stated.

I'm going to edit the photo details as taken in July 1975 rather than what I initially thought it was as in July 1973.

Absolutely amazing and fascinating photos and information from all of you. Many thanks and please keep them coming!

Rob

Long time STN resident ATEL. These pictures are from 1987, when the company became Qualtair.
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....3672f4627d.jpg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....39b783bc06.jpg

Flying Tigers DC-8 looking slightly nibbled after a very very close encounter with Intercontinental DC-8 5N-AVY, as seen in post #8.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....6a1de005e0.jpg

Love the old cars in the carpark of ATEL.

That nibbled DC-8 was a regular into Heathrow back in the day.

What was the 707/720 dark tail in the photo with the Brittania and the B17 ?

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What was the 707/720 dark tail in the photo with the Brittania and the B17 ?

Might be Tempair? Vague recollection of one belonging to them in that scheme.

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Originally Posted by SpringHeeledJack (Post 10752038)

What was the 707/720 dark tail in the photo with the Brittania and the B17 ?

I think it’s the ex air commerz 707-138B N790SA. It was later leased to THY.

I believe the tail fin of the nibbled FT DC8 was repaired with the help of a piece of tail fin taken from another DC8 on the fire ground..

The blue coloured Rich International DC8-62 photo is presumably ex Braniff. I wonder if it's the same aircraft as this one,taken at Gatwick.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....92775ebb5a.jpg

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Originally Posted by Musket90 (Post 10752301)

The blue coloured Rich International DC8-62 photo is presumably ex Braniff. I wonder if it's the same aircraft as this one,taken at Gatwick.

Both photos do indeed appear to be N810BN.

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Originally Posted by SpringHeeledJack (Post 10752038)

Love the old cars in the carpark of ATEL.

You probably did not own a Marina then!

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Originally Posted by DaveReidUK (Post 10752330)

Both photos do indeed appear to be N810BN.

Yes Dave they appear to be. I photographed the Braniff one in late 70's early 80's when Braniff very rarely replaced the "big orange" B747 with the DC8-62

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Originally Posted by Musket90 (Post 10752488)

Yes Dave they appear to be. I photographed the Braniff one in late 70's early 80's when Braniff very rarely replaced the "big orange" B747 with the DC8-62

Braniff International had several DC-62's painted in a similar blue livery as seen in the photo and the DC 8-62 is the same aircraft in both.

Rich International acquired one DC8-62 from Braniff International in December 1983 N610BN. It was sold to LACSA in August 1986 having never been fully painted in the Rich International livery of silver body with a red, white and blue cheatline.

Regarding the "Big Orange", this reference was to their original Boeing 747 N601BN delivered in 1971 which had an orange body with a white tail with the large letters BN in orange.

From 1971 to 1979 Braniff International had just the one Boeing 747 in their fleet, their original flagship N601BN which was affectionately referred to as the "Big Orange".

From 1979 up until the airline's collapse in May 1982 Braniff International had eight Boeing 747 in their fleet including three Boeing 747SP variants, all fully painted orange including their tails. N601BN remained in it's original livery throughout it's career with Braniff International.

Once more examples started entering service with the airline the term "Big Orange" tended to be collective term of phrase regarding the entire Braniff International Boeing 747 fleet.

By 1979 up until the airline's collapse all of Braniff International fleet of Boeing 747's we're used on DFW-LGW and all we're referred to as the "Big Orange".

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....62f0b2f684.jpg

Not a full size photo but here is Braniff International N601BN the original ''Big Orange'' at London Stansted Airport on a weather diversion from London Gatwick Airport in October 1978. Also in view is a BWIA British West Indian Airlines Boeing 707 on a similar weather diversion from London Heathrow Airport.

Regarding the previous discussions about the Mexicana Comet XA-NAP, here are two photos of the aircraft taken at the old fire dump in 1973.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....ae4c739d8c.jpg

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....bbc05fd6d7.jpg

The original Braniff "Big Orange" then a different one with the "All Orange"
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....c18b8ddeba.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....45b21cd15f.jpg

Getting back to London Stansted Airport History and Nostalgia....

I previously posted several photos of the Fordair aircraft at London Stansted Airport but I had overlooked their Boeing 727's.

Here is a photo of one of their Boeing 727-100's N329K arriving at London Stansted Airport in July 1973.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....8d1b94288f.jpg

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....c9e8331e3c.jpg

In 1980 Gulf Air had retired their small fleet of Standard VC-10's and two examples were temporarily stored at London Stansted Airport, they were eventually sold to the RAF.

A40-VI with another Gulf Air VC-10 A40-VL to the right.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....8a587afd59.jpg