Erik's Paint Thread- 2023

[hornit - HJG]

Yes Sir they do! Learn something new every day!!! One question though Erik, where do you find all these weird/hybrid liveries? Im assuming you spend countless hours on Airliners.net!

[Erik Ingram - HJG]

That's definitely a big part of it Those were actually all courtesy of Planespotters and Flickr...I found a few odd registrations, and they turned up those unexpected results!

On the opposite end of the spectrum, we have this plainly-painted 737-400C registered N980ST, operated by the National Nuclear Security Administration. Under the callsign Energy 80, it mainly flies out of Albuquerque, New Mexico transporting Department of Energy employees and equipment to various nuclear labs and test sites around the United States.

[darrenvox]

sweet paint

[aerofoto - HJG Admin]

Some new masterpieces by Erik in the form of both B707-138B and CV990-A aircraft texture subjects ....


B707-138B INTERNATIONAL CARIBBEAN AIRWAYS/LAKER G-AVZZ (1977)






B707-138B LAKER AIRWAYS G-AWDG (1970) .... original livery !






Both of the above B707-138B's were QANTAS originals.

G-AVZZ was formerly VH-EBD ("City Of Brisbane"). It was originally delivered to the airline as a JTC-6 turbojet powered B707-138 during 1959 (the 5th unit among the airlines first 7 aircraft delivered during 1959) .... then converted to a JT3D-1 fanjet powered B707-138 (upgraded with other B707-120B improvements at the time too) during 1961. It remained in service with QF until 1968 when it was sold to BRITISH EAGLE INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES (G-AVZZ .... "Enterprise"). It was then sold to LAKER AIRWAYS during 1969 .... and leased to both NIGERIA AIRWAY and INTERNTIONAL CARIBBEAN AIRWAYS during 1970. It was next acquired by CHARLOTTE AIRCRAFT CORPORATION (N500JJ) during 1978.... and sold to IASCO. In 1979 it was sold to SUNNSIDE HOLDINGS then withdrawn from service and stored at Paris-Le Bourget, France, during 1981, and scrapped there during 1983.

G-AWDG was formerly VH-EBG ("City Of Hobart). It too was originally delivered as a turbojet powered B707-138 (the last unit among the airlines first 7 aircraft delivered during 1959) .... then similarly upgraded to B707-120B/B707-138B specification during 1961. It too remained in QF service until 1968 when it was sold to BRITISH EAGLE INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES (G-AWDG). During 1969 it was sold to LAKER AIRWAYS (And "NO" this one "IS NOT" the same as the LAKER livery we already offer for the -138B .... in fact it supports the airlines original scheme and which featured a number of minor differences). CHARLOTTE AIRCRAFT CORPORATION (N600JJ) next acquired this aircraft during 1978 .... and sold it to IASCO. It was next sold to TRAFALGAR LEASING during 1979. Then sold to Sheik Abdallah BAROOM during 1981. And then sold to SKYWAYS AIRCRAFT LEASING during 1987 .... acquired by Gerald A LOVELL .... and transferred back to SKYWAYS AIRCRAFT LEASING (N707KS). It next sold to FIRST CITY TEXAS HOUSTON during 1990 .... and leased back to SKYWAYS LEASING (N707SK). It was then sold to the DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO GOVERNMENT (9Q-CLK) during 1998 .... and remained active until at least 2013 (when I last saw this aircraft at MIA). This particular aircraft is believed to currently remain in service with the DRC government.

A couple more CARIBBEAN/LAKER B707's will be added later


CV990-A 30-5 CONVAIR/GENERAL DYNAMICS/AMERICAN AIRLINES N5604 (1961)






Behind every airframe (and some liveries too) there's a story .... and the story about this one goes something like as follows ....

This particular CV990 (C/N #4) is "a rare bird". It was painted gloss grey and supported AMERICAN AIRLINES livery during 1961. It was apparently supposed to have been delivered to AA as "N5604" .... but .... after the airline reduced its CV990 order it was retained by CONVAIR/GENERAL DYNAMICS (N5604G) and used in support of the types flight testing and certification program (the registration N5604 was eventually applied to CV990 C/N # 36 which was delivered to AA during 1963). It was modified to CV990-A specification then sold to GARUDA INDONESIAN AIRWAYS (PK-GJB .... "Sriwijawa") during 1963. It flew with the airline until 1972 when it was sold to CALIFORNIA AIRMOTIVE (N7876), but, was damaged beyond repair as the result of a landing accident at Agana, Guam, on September 10th 1973 during its delivery flight to the USA. This aircraft was stripped of all salvageable components at Agana and what remained of the aircraft was later scrapped there.

AIR SAFETY ACCIDENT REPORT, CV990-A, N7876, AGANA, GUAM, SEPTEMBER 10TH 1973
aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19730910-0


Mark C
AKL/NZ

[aerofoto - HJG Admin]

As I stated within my last .... "most liveries tell a story". And none more this selection of DC-9-10 masterpieces by Erik .... each demonstrating "rare" and/or otherwise "hybrid" liveries for each of these aircraft represented and which depict either "transitional periods from one operator/branding to another or temporary leases".


CONTINENTAL AIRLINES/TEXAS INTERNATIONAL AIRWAYS DC-9-14 N8902E (1983)


SOUTHERN AIRWAYS/AIR CANADA DC-9-14 N13614 (1969)


AIR WEST/OZARK AIRLINES DC-9-15 N974Z (1968)


BONANZA AIRLINES/SOUTHERN AIRWAYS DC-9-15 N91E (1968)


SOUTHERN AIRWAYS DC-9-15 N96S (1973)



Some great operational history recorded there and for FS Erik .... and nice nostalgic memories too

Mark C
AKL/NZ

[alex94]

WOW! I absolutely love that convair livery!!! Never knew it existed. Erik works his magic again

[aerofoto - HJG Admin]

Some more of Erik's historic masterpieces .... these all relating to UAL DC-8's .... in both -21 (PAX) and -54AF (pure freighter) form, and each featuring variations of the airlines 1970's identity.

UAL's DC-8F's supported a number different "freighter" oriented titles/legends during this particular era ....


UNITED AIR LINES DC-8-21 N8031U (1970)


UNITED AIR LINES GARGO DC-8-54AF N8046U (1975)


UNITED AIR LINES CARGO DC-8-54AF N8046U (1977)



Imaging the above DC-8-21 was also good opportunity to re-check the engine fan disk animations (behind the front/static front grill inside each engine nacelle) in order to reconfirm the earlier reported issue is fixed ..... and which has, again, been proven to be the case, so, replacement DC-8-10/20/30/40 (only) 3D models featuring this fix will soon be released. "NONE" of the other DC-8 3D models were ever implicated.

Thanks for these Erik

Mark C
AKL/NZ

[aerofoto - HJG Admin]

AND .... the last for the moment ....


NATIONAL NUCLEAR SECURITY ADMINISTRATION (NNSA) B737-4B3C N980ST (2019)





This particular aircraft was first delivered to UTA FRENCH AIRLINES (F-GFUG)..... and leased AEROMARITIME (a UTA subsidiary) during September 1990. It was transferred to AIR CHARTER during October 1991. Then leased to CORSAIR during February 1992 .... sold to NOUVELLES FRONTIERES AVIATION during September 1992 .... then leased back to CORSAIR during September 1992 .... and then sold to CORSAIR during December 1992. During April 1996 it was sold to BRITANNIA AIRWAYS AB (CN-RPA) .... and leased to TUI AIRLINES BELGIUM (OO-TUM) .... then sub-leased to JET4YOU AIRLINES and with whom it was re-registered CN-RPA during April 2007. During 2011 it was sold to the US NATIONAL NUCLEAR SECURITY ADMINISTRATION (N9805T), and converted for combi type operations. The NNSA is a US federal agency responsible for safeguarding national security through the military application of nuclear sciences.

Thanks once again Erik .... and that now see's me now caught up again and for the time being

Mark C
AKL/NZ

[darrenvox]

sweet stuff guys

[Erik Ingram - HJG]

Thanks everybody!

One new one for now; this is BAC 111-201AC N105EX of Air Wisconsin circa 1985. Air Wisconsin is one of the more interesting regional airlines operating in the US these days; they were originally founded in 1965 as a commuter airline to connect Appleton, Wisconsin with Chicago. They rapidly expanded across the Upper Midwest and operated a diverse array of aircraft including the De Havilland Dove, Swearingen Metro, Beech 99, BAe 146, and quite a few others. They eventually evolved into the current (North American) definition of a regional airline in 1985 when they began flying aircraft on behalf of United, and over the years have flown under the banners of American, US Airways, and AirTran, and currently is transitioning between contracts from United to American. Most recently, this livery has begun reappearing on some of its CRJ-200s so they can be flown among different partnerships and on charters. The 111s proved a little too large for their network and only lasted about a year in ZW service, with the last one leaving in the summer of 1986.

[aerofoto - HJG Admin]

"PERFECT TIMING" Erik .... I'll explain later

Mark C
AKL/NZ

[aerofoto - HJG Admin]

Erik's latest (while I had a minute or two to kill) .... in the form of the following "AIR WILLY/AIR WIS/AIR WISKY/AIR RAG-TAG" Pocket Rocket of the mid 1980's ....


AIR WISCONSIN BAC ONE-ELEVEN 201AC N106EX (1985)





"NICE ONE" Erik

Mark C
AKL/NZ

[christrott]

When I went through INDOC as a rampie for Air Willie in Denver back in 2001, I seem to remember them talking about the 1-11s as an "interim" aircraft because the last of the 146's they'd ordered were delayed in delivery so they needed something to fill the gap. The 1-11s were available and of an overall similar size, so they made a deal with BAe to lease the aircraft for about a year until the last 4 146s could be delivered in early 1986. Under the lease agreement, I don't know how many ZW crews were actually trained on the 1-11, it seemed like they used contract crews for most of the flying as their soon-to-be BAe crews were busy doing their transition training during this period. 1985 was also the year Air Wisconsin became a United Airlines affiliate operator (not quite yet part of United Express) and bought Mississippi Valley Airlines (MVA), another small regional operating in the Midwest. This further increased passenger demand on their trunk lines out of Chicago, further solidifying the choice of the 1-11 as an interim aircraft.

I'm glad to see ZW finally putting some "home" liveries back on the line. It was a bit of a sore point with many within the company when I was there in 2001 as all the other UX affiliates had at least one "heritage/home" livery aircraft they operated while ZW had none, buy edict of Upper Management as part of "solidarity" with UA. That was the same year that the pilots got "Mother United" to force a bad contract down management's throat that nearly ended the airline 6 months later and led to the severing of the exclusive marketing agreement less than 2 years later. The airline's persevered through a lot in the last 30 years. Here's to hoping their prospects remain strong moving into their "3rd Third of a Century"

[aerofoto - HJG Admin]

I don't know how many ZW crews were actually trained on the 1-11, it seemed like they used contract crews for most of the flying as their soon-to-be BAe crews were busy doing their transition training during this period.

Probably ex AIR ILLINOIS, ATLANTIC GULF, BRANIFF, CASACADE, FLORIDA EXPRESS, or PACIFIC EXPRESS crews .... I suspect.

These all fit in with the AIR WISCONSIN ONE-ELEVEN time line.

There was probably no shortage of American/FAA certified talent within the USA to fly the ONE-ELEVEN's around this/the mid 80's period.

Mark C
AKL/NZ

[christrott]

Interestingly, according to the airframe histories, all 4 aircraft came from Pacific Express and ended up at Florida Express immediately after, so I suspect it was a mix of Pacific Express and Florida Express crews depending on what date you're talking about.