Departing fish
 

Swingtail-As far as I am aware, the CL44 Association does not issue 'rumours'-it deals in specifics.

Seeing is believing...
I for one will rely on daily reports by sources living locally as well... It's been some time (January?) since the engines were last observed being run up. Unless RRTyne can be more specific...

Hi Strato-
Are you by any chance an ex 44 crew member?

Nope.........

Strato-okay. It is simply that members of the 44 Club DO get some inside info-especially if they ask on a personal level. But if you have a local 'eye' it should be good enough to keep you posted on action around the aircraft
Be lucky

Last Saturday morning the 16th of June the following happened with "Guppy":

"Flaps were deployed, lights switched on, all doors opened, props pushed around, but never started - and an APU connected."

According to another local source this was "the monthly systems check that seems to be a regular occurance..."

No further updates are available at present unless someone one this messageboard knows more...

'Props pushed around' = ADLS check, normal pre-flight item.
APU? GPU surely? I seem to remember that there was a CL44 with an APU fitted in the fwd belly. I wonder what happened to the equipment?
One of the 44's commercial problems was it's ability to fly to places that didn't have GPU & Airstarter. Fat Albert made a big difference.

For all 44 followers:

Many of you will be saddened by the TCP thread started on the " where are they now" and the Fragrant Harbour.

Sad news.

BSD.

Wow. I flew back from Japan on a Flying Tiger CL-44 in '65. Tachikawa to Fairfield, CA via Anchorage. Great ride, thought about the swing tail all the way home. I was young and immortal in those days. The type was gone by the time I went to work for Tiger in '73. Thanks for the picture.

Walked around the corner, and there it was.
Had not seen it close up since we nearly misjudged the wingspan when colleagues were marshalling it into a cramped apron on a dark night.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...es/Guppy-1.jpg

Cl44 Personnel
 

We are making an appeal to ALL former Transmeridan Air Cargo personnel to attend the CL44 re union this coming Friday (29th June)
The occasion will be used to pay tribute to DAVID PRIEST who died earlier this week. Dave was a veteren of TMAC in the 70's and a flight engineer whose knowledge of the Forty Four has never been exceeded.
Should you wish to attend, please do so via this link or via the Association contact email which is [email protected]
Thank you

After several months of inactivity (apart from the monthly systems check that is...) at long last things seem to happen around "Guppy"...

On Monday the flaps were down and the lights had been switched on. People were working inside the aircraft.
This Tuesday ladders had been placed up front and at the back and people were again working inside her.

I hope the reunion next Friday will yield some reliable information on her future...

The locals are now certainly keeping an eye on her!

For the third day in a row activity around Guppy. This Wednesday the engines were given some attention but no-one observed any engine runs if they were actually performed today...
Let's see what tomorrow brings or even next week!

Anyone associated with the CL-44 flew out of Aldergrove about '79ish carting meat to Libya?

CL44 -Current Affairs
 

The Association's 2007 re union brought together 70 members-and despite London's current level of 'awareness', the event was a huge success. Guests of honour included Captain Elgen Long (Flying Tiger Line), Captain Marvin Beier( Wrangler Blue Bell Aviation) Mr G Leach (Heavylift Cargo Airlines), Flight Engineer D.D.MacDonald (412VIPSquadron RCAF) and Captain Roy Day (BOAC).
Nigel Holden (Transglobe / Tradewinds) brought the sad news that 'Jimphy Harry (F/Eng-formerly with The Lancashire Aircraft Co) had passed away whilst Bryan Grace (F/E BOAC) held the audience spellbound with his recollections of the Avro Lincoln that was used by RR as a flying test bed for the Tyne Engine: His recollection of putting his thumb up from the cockpit and shouting "Start Five" must truly be a one-off (The Lincoln had four Merlins plus a Tyne in the nose.)
Elgin Longs recently published book is a MUST for all aviation enthusiasts-don't fail to buy a copy before it is sold out!

Lastly- here are the details of Dave Priest's funeral:-

WED 4TH JULY 14.15 AT St Peters Church Titchfield Hants
NO FLOWERS

The Association will be represented by a dozen or so members.

As again this thread has become quiet...

CL-44 Yukon sister HC-AZH c/n 13 at Guayaquil in Ecuador is pictured in the "Feedback section" on page 91 of the current issue of Airlinerworld ( http://www.airlinerworld.com/ ) . This "August issue" will be replaced in the UK by the "September issue" on August the 8th.
There aren't that many recent photos of -AZH about!

In the beginning of July (i.e. this month) work was again started on Belfast G-BEPS at Southend. Anyone got any updates?

BEPS-That is what we thought but regretably no one has been seen any where near it so far this month. Perhaps next month, having looked around the exterior some years ago at SEN, whatever happens would it not at least require a few weeks hangared?

A local Southend list stated that a "crew from Oz" was in attendance on the 3rd of July, but indeed I haven't read any reports since, let alone that engine runs were made as these would definitely be noticed...

Meat charters
 

Hi Tinpis, just seen your post. Yes, flew lots of them. Shannon was better. Were you there?

Meat flights to TIP
 

Nineiron,

First officers had a habit (!) of climbing over the meat in order to feed their habit-wonder if the smell lingers in the hulk at TIP.
Maybe the Libyans discovered smoked meat that way
Stay in limits
French Emigree to be