The Big Bunny
 

What was the Big Bunny like, and what has become of it (her?)?

It was a DC-9-30, I think, bought by Hefner to ferry him and his harem between Chicago and California. I have heard that he insisted on painting it black (except for a white bunny on the tail) although there were serious fears of the APU overheating.

Does anyone know how the interior was laid out and furnished? And who worked inside the plane as a cabin crew - stewardesses or bunnies?

The Big Bunny was one of the earlier big private planes, and I think more advertised than most private planes...

Eventually, I heard that Hefner moved permanently to California and sold the Big Bunny. I understand that it was refurbished as a passenger liner and flew until recently in Mexico, and has rather lately been parked in desert. Does anyone know what the condition of the plane is and if there are any plans about the plane?

Here she is as the "Playboy Bunny"

http://www.airliners.net/photos/middle/4/0/3/343304.jpg

And later in life

http://www.airliners.net/photos/middle/7/2/3/592327.jpg

This aircraft was only permanently withdrawn from use on 31st August last year,and is now stored in Mexico(XA-JEB,built 1969)

;)

I don't usually come here so, Greetings, one and all.
The last I heard of The Big Bunny was that it had been bought as the private executive transport of Mrs Mugabe.
But that could have been very wrong.:)

It was based at Purdue Airport, W. Lafayette IN and operated out of there in the late 60's.

Saw a programm on TV about her (the plane) ...All the Cabin Crew were bunnys, old girls of the month or similar....:}


:ok: Micky

Operational aspects like flight crews were handled by Purdair, an Indiana-based charter carrier of the time, and it was presumably on the Purdair AOC. Seem to recall they did football team charters and that sort of thing, they had other DC-9s at the time as well. When the aircraft was not in use by Hefner (which was most of the time) they found charter work for it. Purdair was in some way associated with Purdue University in Lafayette, Indiana.

Recall a piece in Flight magazine around the time of its 1969 introduction that the cabin crew training, especially liferaft drill in the pool, for the "Bunnies" was a hoot for all the aviation people concerned, but not so amusing for the Bunnies ! Believe in flight the Bunnies were assisted by professional cabin crew.

Hefner had mad ideas for the pilots' uniforms, which they resisted !

As with many such expensive ventures, it didn't last long, it's amazing how the legend has carried on. In 1972 it was disposed of to Ozark Airlines, a St Louis-based regional operator. The custom black leather interior was ripped out and normal airline cabin trim and seats installed. It then trickled down through Aeropostal in Venezuela to Aeromexico by 1979. They kept it in service for another 25 years before retiring it last year, quite a record in itself for a fourth-hand acquisition.

Also seem to recall Hefner had a contact at Douglas who talked him into it all !

A sidelight:

Before the DC-9 operations, Purdue was a DC-6 operator. One of their ventures was this.

...old girls of the month or similar...

There were no old girls of the month.
So I'm told, you understand.