A freighter remembered
 

The preliminary page for Swingtail, the Canadair CL-44 Association, can be found on www.cl44.org
Bookmark and watch this space.

As Mr Plod at STN 72-73 I remember these a/c very well. Apart from the resident ones we also had the Conrot Super Guppy which if I recall was N reg. There was a regular CL44 sporting the Swiss flag and HB reg. I also recall one that used to come from S America with blood stock.

Finally there was a derelict 44 parked up from TMAC's hangars and one day a wooden rig was built and the a/c lifted on to this craddle by crane . Over the next six months it was rebuilt and took flight again. Happy days.

HZ123:

I saw the old girl (ex-N447T) at BOH this morning. Sadly it still seems to be Conrotting.

I wonder if KH is actually getting paid?

CL44's
 

There's one sitting in Brazzaville FCBB on the military side of the field.

Looks pretty good from distance, but I am sure that a closer inspection would tell a different story.

If I recall correctly it is bare metal with a blue line from nose to tail at window hight.

Cheers

JJ

JJflyer
 

How long ago was it that you saw the derelict aircraft at Brazza? As far as we are aware only one Yukon and the Guppy are all that remain unbroken. The Association secretary at [email protected] would be interested to hear of the whereabouts and condition of any remaining airframes.

Yo Nineiron my friend, sticking this one at the top for you for a while, miss not working with you! and will be up ure direction soon, any chance of a bed? beer supplied. cya.

the 360 knot guy.

Hoggy.:ok:


Distincly remember our weekend in Ostend.

Beer Soon.

CL44 in BZV
 

Yip this was about 8 months or so ago... It is a standard body (Not a fatty conversion:p ) I am trying to see if I have any pics of it.

I'll also ask a few questions around.

Cheers

JJ

JJflyer

I think that one is s/n 37 that was sold by MS to the Brazza military to cover some debts. It's the ex Bluebell Wrangler N106BB and ex TMAC G-AZKJ . Many miles in my logbook on this one. Negotiations at diplomatic level to recover this machine, but its the old problem of hard currency. If anybody goes down that way a condition report would be welcome, although hearing its still basically in one piece 8 months ago is encouraging.

Hogg
Yr welcome, will email.

A freighter not forgotten
 

Despite the apparent (in) activity at BOH, Aviation Leasing Group, owners of the Conroy Guppy have not abandoned the notion of operating it again-you just have to be patient!

my first experience in my new home 26+ years ago was a walk around the deck of a cl 44 -and i must say it looked ok..until the engines started.. and then the smoke and oil just decorated the place..lament for old lady. sure.. and we had at least three of them that i remembered..

all sadly gone now..but the front enders remain..

I posted a thread a while ago asking "what has happened to the Guppy"but nobody took it seriously.
It's nice to hear the Conroy Guppy may grace the skies once more.There is nothing like the sound of four Tynes!

A Freight Dog's aeroplane
 

Surprised at the attention this post has attracted, I am sure there are many who have only heard of the CL44 spoken of in hushed tones by elderly aircrew. Here are some of the reasons why:

The CL44 was a large aircraft for its day, just a few inches smaller than the B707 that followed it. The CL44 had a maximum takeoff weight of just over 95 tons, could carry 29 tons of freight and its four Rolls Royce twin spool turboprop engines could take it a 1000 miles on 5 tons of fuel. The stretched version was for many years the largest passenger carrier on the north Atlantic. The ’Hi-Loader’ we see on every major airport today owes its design origins to the CL44 freighter. The CL44 held the world long range flying record of almost 24hrs continuously airborne, (right up to the introduction of the B747SP).

During one of the most remarkable times in the development of global airfreight, you can imagine that life on board a CL44 freighter was quite unique.

I remember that the cattle truck CL44 that used to bring bloodstock to STN was River Plate Airlines or Airways. If my memory serves it may have been blue with some orange lettering.

Cattle truck
 

http://www.cl44.com/cl44/images/LVJZBx1.jpg

Maybe this one, pictured here at STN. Not strictly speaking a CL44 but a Yukon ie no swingtail but two freight doors, Britannia windshields etc.

I read somewhere recently that Yukon HC-AZH (c/n 13) has been bought by the RCAF museum in Trenton and that they are now looking for donations to get the old girl back from Guayaquil.

The 'cattle truck CL44 was, if memory serves, a true 44 with swing tail & was operated by Aerolineas Rio Platte or something like that (River Platte Airlines). Can't remember for the life of me where it was registered (Argentina??) but used to come in with cattle & leave with general freight. Transmeridian used to look after it at STN. I'm sure somebody will correct my failing memory where neccessary.

Ah, happy days!

Brazza bird
 

Any news on the CL44 in Brazzaville??? Just read an interesting article in the Airliners magazine about the bird and it's development.

Cheers

JJ

Ramp Tramp

Well done 9 out of 10
Transporte Aereo Rioplatense,registered in BUE.
I remember standing on the ramp at STN and watching the crew get off followed by 6 attendants for the cattle all wearing sombrero's looked like a scence from the Cisco Kid movie.
Or a holiday flight from Spain.
TAR had 2 x CL44D and 1 x CC106 Yukon.

Thunderbird 3

Yukon
 

So now you have started this what apart from front and back was the main difference between said CL44 and the Yukon, Who made the Yukon as well. Thanks

Yukon
 

Yukon was a military version of the CL44. It had the same cockpit windows as Britannia had.
Apparently US authorities felt that this set up did not provide enough visibility outside. As a result "Convair" windows where used.

Cheers

JJ