Presenting Erik's latest in the form of the following 2 B707-320B SCD's and 2 C-135 TYPE subjects .....
LAKER AIRWAYS B707-351B SCD G-BFBS (1976)INTERNATIONAL CARIBBEAN AIRWAYS/LAKER B707-351B SCD G-BFBZ "Bridgetown" (1978)A little about the B707-320B SCD: This was a unique version of the B707-320B. It first flew on May 15th 1964 .... some 13 months after the B707-320C. The B707-320B SCD was built to the same specifications as the -320B (pre -320B ADV) but featured a port side forward fuselage main deck cargo door although it lacked the reinforced floor of the -320C. It was essentially a reduced MTOW combi type aircraft intended for flexible or mixed PAX/freight operations. It also "possibly" became the first BOEING produced civil aircraft type to support the "SCD" designation that was more liberally applied among some of BOEING's later produced aircraft types. Only 4 B707-320B SCD air frames were ever produced by BOEING .... all of which were delivered to NORTHWEST/ORIENT AIRLINES .... although these same aircraft later went on to serve with CATHAY PACIFIC AIRWAYS, INTERNATIONAL CARIBBEAN AIRWAYS, GOVERNMENT OF LIBERIA, LAKER AIRWAYS, LAN CHILE, OMEGA AIR along with a number of less significant charter operators too.
A little about LAKER: Founded by Freddie LAKER during February 1966 .... "LAKER AIRWAYS" commenced services during July 1966 operating BRISTOL BRITANNIA 102 turboprops. These aircraft were supplemented by BAC ONE-ELEVEN 300 pure jets from December 1967. Capitalizing upon the 1967 demise of BRITISH EAGLE AIRWAYS LAKER acquired this airlines 2 B707-138B's .... and a number of its BAC ONE-ELEVEN's too. Then equally promptly capitalizing upon opportunities promoted by the rapidly expanding late 1960's IT travel market, the airline commenced frills-free type services from the UK, and western Europe (from former West Germany in particular), to major holiday resort destinations located throughout the Mediterranean and to the Canary Islands .... and other popular European holiday destinations also. During 1969 LAKER commenced operating restricted charter flights between London, Manchester, and Prestwick to both US eastern seaboard ports, and to Canada. During 1971 it entered into an air operations agreement with the government of Barbados which resulted in the formation of INTERNATIONAL CARIBBEAN AIRWAYS .... its services between Barbados, Luxemburg, and the UK being operated by LAKER AIRWAYS B707's .... and later DC-10-10's. At this time the airline also began studying the feasibility of operating discounted regular trans-Atlantic services too. During the early 1970's LAKER was approached by an MDC sales team (apparently led by Terry WADDINGTON) with "an offer the airline simply could not decline". Both the nature and "timing" (in particular) of this particular offer simply could not have been better. MDC was holding 5 DC-10-10 airframes .... the result of a failed MITSUI GROUP aircraft acquisition in anticipation of ALL NIPPON AIRWAYS ordering DC-10-10's .... but which, to the shock of MITSUI and inconvenience of MDC, concluded with ANA committing to L-1011 TRISTAR equipment "prior to" ever being aware of the MITSUI negotiated DC-10 acquisition in its favour (this became a somewhat embarrassing international scandal involving both parties and the government of Japan too). Due to period market influences MDC's attempts to place these 5 DC-10-10 airframes with other carriers was proving difficult .... given all candidate operators were, at the time, not in need of fleet expansion whilst other prospective carriers were reluctant to take on new aircraft types at all. 3 of these aircraft were eventually located at TURKISH AIRLINES .... whilst the remaining 2 airframes (given MISTSUI's and MDC's keenness to dispose of each as quickly as possible) were ultimately accepted by LAKER AIRWAYS (and modified with ER tanking for trans-Atlantic operations) .... all of which was achieved under terms "very much in favour of LAKER AIRWAYS" .... and during which period the airline was also coincidentally contemplating then future "SKYTRAIN" services to the USA based on its original B707 concept. In a further twist of fate .... also in LAKER's favour .... one of the 3 aircraft acquired by TURKISH AIRLINES (TC-JAV), and composed among the original batch of the 5 prospective MITSUI acquisitions for ANA, became the aircraft involved in the March 1974 DC-10 accident outside Paris (then the worlds worst air disaster) following the failure of its port side aft cargo door (a deficiency identified in the DC-10 design during 1972 and which resulted in all aircraft delivered prior to March 1974 having been modified, but which and in reality, concluded with each of the 5 originally MITSUI/ANA destined airframes inexplicably not ever having been modified despite MDC paperwork to the contrary .... this particular, and very sad, conclusion could well have become a LAKER calamity had circumstances evolved differently). Following significant corporate and political jostling first in favour of, and then in opposition to, LAKER the airline finally commenced its highly anticipated daily "SKYTRAIN" services between London and New York during September 1977 .... operated by DC-10-10 ER's. It was a proud accomplishment by the airline. Then during 1978 LAKER extended its trans-Atlantic services between the UK and USA to include Los Angeles too .... using B707-320B SCD aircraft acquired from CATHAY PACIFIC AIRWAYS .... whilst having also ordered DC-10-30's for this particular route and 1979 delivery. The airline also gained authorization to operate unrestricted services along this same route .... and which was also extended to include Tampa/Florida from the UK during 1981. During the 1980's LAKER also began to acquire A300B aircraft for further high capacity expansion into popular European and Mediterranean holiday destinations. In addition to this expansion LAKER also contemplated operating a "GLOBALTRAIN" branded version of its "SKYTRAIN" services .... operating through the Middle East and to Hong Kong, but, encountered significant opposition from established carriers fearful that LAKER would ultimately flood the market with cheap seats and to their own disadvantage. During this period LAKER also sought, albeit unsuccessfully, to further expand these same prospective "GLOBALTRAIN" service to include Australian ports too. Then during the early 1980's the airline gained authorization to service Chicago, Detroit, Oakland, Seattle, and Washington DC from UK ports .... despite not having the necessary equipment to do so .... and which resulted in these routes later being awarded to other carriers given mounting concerns in regard to LAKER's ongoing fiscal viability. In truth the airline had always been undercapitalized and lacking adequate assets. Whilst offering enticingly cheaper air travel than its opposition the airlines strategic/marketing model was flawed .... to the extent that such operations were dependent upon the airline maintaining consistent high loadings throughout any year in order to ensure adequate profitability .... but which, as economic impact of the early 1980's recession began to bite, and amid the airlines rising debt too, could no longer be guaranteed .... and more-so when larger and fiscally stronger competitors began to match, and in some cases even better, LAKER's airfares along some of its established and most lucrative routes, and which ultimately resulted in reduced PAX traffic for the airline. Both MDC and GE proposed a financial support package for LAKER during the onset of this particular crisis, but, this was met with vehement objection from influential major client carriers (of both companies) whom threatened to award their lucrative contracts to opposition aerospace and engineering manufacturers should either company advance any such rescue package in LAKER's favour. Unable to survive this mounting crisis LAKER AIRWAYS collapsed on February 5th 1982 .... in debt to the tune of some of £270 million and which became the largest failure in British corporate history until that time. Freddie LAKER (later knighted Sir Freddie LAKER in recognition of his services to the aviation industry) then sued AIR FRANCE, ALITALIA, BRITISH AIRWAYS, BRITISH CALEDONIAN AIRWAYS, KLM, LUFTHANSA, PAN AM, SABENA, SAS, SWISSAIR, TWA, and UTA for "conspiracy to bring about the demise of his airline/business through predatory pricing". The airlines settled out of court and for some US$50 million accordingly. BA reached a separate out-of-court personal agreement with Freddie LAKER for £8 million. Then during July 1985, BA agreed to contribute an additional $35 million on top of its earlier out-of-court settlement with Freddie LAKER. The total amount contributed by all parties eventually enabled LAKER to pay off its outstanding debts of some $69 million, BA to proceed with its own privatization, and also saved the other operators from "potential" bankruptcy too. This unfortunate, but perhaps inevitable, conclusion (given delicacy of the airlines fiscal state, nature of the aviation market/inter-airline competition, and state of the world economy during the late 1970's/early 1980's era) was not to be the end of the LAKER name in world civil aviation though. LAKER AIRWAYS (BAHAMAS) was established during 1992 .... by Oscar WYATT in association with Freddie LAKER. It operated B727-200 ADV aircraft between Freeport/Bahamas and Baltimore, Birmingham, Chicago, Cleveland, Fort Lauderdale, Greenville, Hartford, Memphis, Raleigh, Richmond, Springfield, West Palm Beach in the USA, but, wound-up these operations during May 1995. Undaunted both Oscar WYATT and Freddie LAKER then formed LAKER AIRWAYS II during 1996 .... intending to model its operations on those of the former UK based and original LAKER AIRWAYS brand offering scheduled low-cost/high quality trans-Atlantic services between Fort Lauderdale and London. These services commenced during July 1996 .... operated by DC-10-10 and DC-10-30CF aircraft .... and were later extended to include Glasgow, Manchester, and Prestwick from Orlando. Other global destinations were also contemplated, but, never eventuated following the airlines 1998 decision to cease operations citing insufficient PAX traffic to maintain services at the level required to also ensure adequate profit margins.
USAF KC-135R (incognito) 92nd Air Refueling Wing 63-7997 (2023)USAF RC-135U (incognito) 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing 64-14850/64-14850 (1976)A little about these "incognito" C-135 TYPE aircraft: As Erik relates within his above brief. Probably in accordance with the type of deployments these aircraft undertake C-135 family have (occasionally) been operated "incognito"/under various disguises. Despite the above RC-135U bearing "68-14850" .... in reality it was actually 64-14849. On several occasions during deployments to RAF Mildenhall USAF RC-135U aircraft were were known to adopt false tail numbers .... as was the case with 68-14849 during 1976. Since last year some KC-135R aircraft operated by the 92d Air Refueling Wing at Fairchild AFB, Washington, were also subjected to AMC directives and stripped of their identifying markings .... including the "U.S. AIR FORCE" titles, unit identifiers, and tail numbers.
"NICE WORK" Erik
Despite being clearly stated within the "MODEL ANIMATIONS" sections of our forum based based B707 and C-135 manuals: The following details are intended serve as a reminder/re-education in regard to some of the animations compiled into the HJG offered B707-320B SCD and KC-135R 3D models.
1. Starting with the B707-320B SCD: Since DEC 2020 HJG have offered a customized (in terms of its assigned weight, engine thrust, and load configuration) B707-320B SCD Aircraft Base Pack .... for a number of textures (as identified within the "B707-320B SCD" section of the "HJG B707 TEXTURES LIST"). This particular base pack is also supported by a 3D model (featuring an animated port side forward fuselage main deck cargo door), a B707-320B EARLY panel, and an authentic P&W JT3D-3B fanjet engine sound pack (separate FS2004 and FSX specific offerings). All HJG supplied B707-120F, B707-120BF, B707-320F, B707-320B SCD, and B720-BF 3D models (only) feature the same animated port side forward fuselage main deck cargo doors. This particular animation is triggered using the FS2004
"EXTEND CONCORDE NOSE & VISOR FULLY" and
"RETRACT CONCORDE NOSE & VISOR FULLY" key board commands (SHIFT+F7 and SHIFT+F6 respectively to open/close this door ....
FS2004 OPTIONS/CONTROLS/ASSIGNMENTS "EXTEND CONCORDE NOSE & VISOR FULLY" OPTION
FS2004 OPTIONS/CONTROLS/ASSIGNMENTS "RETRACT CONCORDE NOSE & VISOR FULLY" OPTION
B707 CARGO DOOR CLOSED ANIMATION
B707 CARGO DOOR OPEN ANIMATION
PLEASE NOTE: These animations must be manually activated within the FS2004
OPTIONS/CONTROLS/ASSIGNMENTS menu. If incorrectly assigned (within FS) or selected (per Key board commands) then these particular animations will simply fail function or otherwise operate improperly (I have seen recent forum evidence of this .... hence this particular advice/reminder).
PLEASE NOTE ALSO: These FS2004 based CONCORDE VISOR keyboard commands "CANNOT" function in FSX (FSX uses a different combination of CONCORDE VISOR commands and which "are not compatible with these B707 models) .... this is the only 3D model animation incompatibility associated with these B707 simulations and FSX.
2. Moving on to the KC-135R: Since 2000 HJG have offered a customized (in terms of its assigned weight, engine thrust, and load configuration) KC-135R Aircraft Base Pack. This particular base pack is supported by a selection of 3D models (featuring animated lower rear fuselage refueling boom and under wing refueling probes), a B707-320B/C 1970 panel, and an authentic CFM-56 sound pack (again separate FS2004 and FSX specific offerings).
The HJG supplied standard ("MODEL") and "ARR" version KC-135R models each feature an animated rear fuselage refueling boom (only). This particular animation is triggered by the FS
"TAIL HOOK" keyboard commands to extend/retract the rear fuselage refueling boom.
The HJG supplied "MPRS" version KC-135R model features an both animated rear fuselage refueling boom and underwing refueling probes animations. This particular animation is triggered by the FS
"TAIL HOOK" keyboard command to extend/retract the rear fuselage refueling boom only .... then keyboard commands SHIFT+F6 and SHIFT+F5 to extend/retract both underwing refueling probes only
KC-135R "ARR" MODEL REAR FUSELAGE REFUELLING BOOM EXTENDED ANIMATION
KC-135R "ARR" MODEL REAR FUSELAGE EFUELLINFG BOOM & UNDERWING REFUELLING PROBES EXTENDED ANIMATION
PLEASE NOTE: There are no/There should not be any FSX specific incompatibilities in regard to either of these above-mentioned KC-135R animations .... or in regard to these same keyboard commands being applied to any other HJG supplied C-135 TYPE 3D models
Mark C
AKL/NZ