Interesting aircraft - what have you seen on your computer today?
Gnome de PPRuNe
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They've got a second ex Pan Am SP which is stored at Mojave - I assume they acquired it for spares...
In contrast, the scheme to rebuild and enlarge a normal 747-200B to have the same extended upper deck as the subsequent 747-300 ran into some very considerable cost issues which somehow the Boeing designers of the scheme hadn't foreseen in detail, principally because the 747 control runs are up inside the cabin roof which was being replaced. As the increase in seats was not that much anyway the cost was not really worth it, and Boeing still lost a packet on the limited number actually done.
Last edited by WHBM; 21st Feb 2021 at 10:18.
Gnome de PPRuNe
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I read that N747A's engines have been removed for use with N747NA, though the most recent Google shots of Mojave (2017) show it looking intact. I imagine investment in the SOFIA kit will mean NASA will want to keep N747NA flying as long as possible.
I see also that it began life with Braniff - trying to recall if I ever saw one in their colours. Did they ever visit Gatwick?
I see also that it began life with Braniff - trying to recall if I ever saw one in their colours. Did they ever visit Gatwick?
Gnome de PPRuNe
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Ahhhh... may have see one then, sure I did but it may have been a photo... Ta.
Those photos bring back nice memories, not just of the Braniff 747SP's, but also the other long gone airlines and airliners in the background at LGW.
Isn't A4O-SO Oman Royal Flight still active? Although it doesn't fly much but then it never did fly that much..
There are three 707s and a Britannia top right of that picture. The tip of the tail just poking out behind the Braniff 747SP tail is Tradewinds by the look of it. I recall the Britannia tail logo but can't for the life of me remember the name of the operator, ditto for the 707 nearest the camera in the same compound. Any offers?
Gnome de PPRuNe
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Britannia is actually the Cyprus Airways CL-44 5B-DAN (might have had more than one) and I think the 707 is a Korean Airlines freighter if I recall my colour schemes aright. Pretty certain I saw them there on several occasions.
I'm not actually sure who's the third 707 is - Pelican Airways? A partial Dan-Air scheme?
I lover seeing old pics of airports - American airport pics from the 50s/60s/70s are often a treasure trove of background gems, sadly mostly smelted now.
I'm not actually sure who's the third 707 is - Pelican Airways? A partial Dan-Air scheme?
I lover seeing old pics of airports - American airport pics from the 50s/60s/70s are often a treasure trove of background gems, sadly mostly smelted now.
Britannia is actually the Cyprus Airways CL-44 5B-DAN (might have had more than one) and I think the 707 is a Korean Airlines freighter if I recall my colour schemes aright. Pretty certain I saw them there on several occasions.
I'm not actually sure who's the third 707 is - Pelican Airways? A partial Dan-Air scheme?
I lover seeing old pics of airports - American airport pics from the 50s/60s/70s are often a treasure trove of background gems, sadly mostly smelted now.
I'm not actually sure who's the third 707 is - Pelican Airways? A partial Dan-Air scheme?
I lover seeing old pics of airports - American airport pics from the 50s/60s/70s are often a treasure trove of background gems, sadly mostly smelted now.
Gnome de PPRuNe
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Looks like Cyprus only had 'DAN (ex-Tradewinds) for around two years between '78 and '80 when it was written off at Akrotiri. Not sure what it would have freighted to Cyprus regularly, British food and beers for the services/expat/holiday population of Cyprus perhaps!
Looks like Cyprus only had 'DAN (ex-Tradewinds) for around two years between '78 and '80 when it was written off at Akrotiri. Not sure what it would have freighted to Cyprus regularly, British food and beers for the services/expat/holiday population of Cyprus perhaps!
Although registered to Cyprus Airways, the CL-44s were actually operated by Tradewinds, who it was purchased from, and as the aircraft was lost when it was doing a training flight they were likely getting local (who were probably British expats anyway) crews trained, a couple of years after it was bought. It was operating out of Larnaca, undercarriage jammed, and it was diverted to a foamed runway at Akrotiri. Tradewinds had leased them various Canadairs previously.
There's a second Tradewinds 707 behind the Wardair 747-200B.
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I'd noticed the Tradewinds 707 behind the Wardair 747 but not the one behind the Braniff SP! The other 707 is indeed Pelican Cargo...
Blimey, Pelican are still trading and based in Crawley, albeit as Icelandic owned freight forwarders rather than an air transport operator!
Blimey, Pelican are still trading and based in Crawley, albeit as Icelandic owned freight forwarders rather than an air transport operator!
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Behind the Braniff SP photo the 707 on the extreme right looks like Air Algerie. I believe Dan-Air/IAS had a lease arrangement with them at the time and partially painted a 707 in the livery.