Erik's Paint Thread- 2023

[aerofoto - HJG Admin]

Whilst I can maintain reliable connectivity this evening here's Erik's latest production in the form of "the last of" the BRITISH CALEDONIAN liveries for the DMFS ONE-ELEVEN's along with an early 1970's era PAN AM livery for the B727-100C ....

PAN AM B727-21C N342PA "Jet Clipper Golden Age" (1971)




The above subject is the accompaniment to the earlier presented 1967 livery which featured full late 1960's era "PAN AMERICAN" titles.

BRITISH CALEDONIAN AIRWAYS BAC ONE-ELEVEN 320AZ G-BKAV (1971)




As a number of BAC ONE-ELEVEN 300 liveries have now been produced by HJG I may, in due course (as time permits) introduce a separate 300 specific base pack (only 9 300's were ever produced but these airframes were well utilized and circulated among different carriers). Tech-Specs for the 300 are similar to those for the Americanized 400, but, there "are" enough differences (which can be recognized by FS) to possibly make this venture worthwhile. In the meantime, and upon release, this texture will be assigned the standard 400 (not 400 HK) DMFS base pack .... until further notice.

BRITISH CALEDONIAN AIRWAYS BAC ONE-ELEVEN 509EW G-AWWZ "Isle Of Eriskay" (1973)




Original CALEDINIAN inherited/inspired "BRITISH CALEDONIAN" font and tail stripe.

BRITISH CALEDONIAN AIRWAYS BAC ONE-ELEVEN 523FJ G-AXLL (1985)




"NO" .... the above subject isn't the same as that already represented by DM. This version represents the final "B-CAL" font style and is represented here on the "500HK" 3D model (most ONE-ELEVEN's on the UK register had been HK'd as these aircraft flew into the 80's) .... although this same livery can also be used on the standard DMFS 500 3D model too. For this reason this particular texture package will feature FLTSIM.XX data to cover both options in accordance with EU preference/s.

As hinted above these BAC ONE-ELEVEN subjects complete the entire BUA, CALEDONIAN/BUA, CALEDONIAN, and BRITISH CALEDONIAN period liveries offered by DMFS and HJG .... authentically representing both original/smaller and later/larger font styles in the case of the final/1970's era B-CAL identities.

"NICELY EXECUTED" Erik

Mark C
AKL/NZ

[Erik Ingram - HJG]

Got a couple more Boeings, both old and new, ready to go:

Delta 737-347 N2310, 1987. After their merger with Western in April of that year, the majority of WA's planes got some variation of a hybrid scheme; in the case of the 737-300s, it was new titles on the existing "Bud Lite" scheme. N2310 spent the rest of its career with Delta, eventually being retired in January 2006 and scrapped sometime thereafter.



USA Jet 727-223Adv/F N726US, 2023. Having just emerged from a major inspection, N726US soldiers on in USA Jet's new paint job! Originally delivered as N713AA to American in 1981, it flew with Capital Cargo and Cargojet before USA Jet acquired it in 2018 to complement their existing 727.

[darrenvox]

sweet..and for those wondering why theres nothing on the tail for the delta jet...heres proof it flew like that
N2310 B733 Delta by Tango India, on Flickr

[aerofoto - HJG Admin]

OH .... I don't think we need "proof" Darren

Erik's entire production/contribution to the HJG texture inventory is sufficient proof in itself .... by virtue of its mere existence/representation here.

I regard Peter and Erik as both being akin to living, walking, talking/communicating encyclopedias (and that should be interpreted as "a complement") in regard to worldwide civil aviation history .... they each know, what they both know, through having analysed/studied it all for most of their lives.

One can't buy their/that sort personal knowledge even among the very best of book stores

Mark C
AKL/NZ

[aerofoto - HJG Admin]

Erik's latest .... in the form of the current livery for and S2HK JT8D-15 powered B722 ADVF ("possibly" one of only a few freighter configured US B727's remaining in service today .... not sure though) and a DELTA AIR LINES/WESTERN AIRLINES hybrid liveried B733 from 1987 ....


DELTA AIR LINES B737-347 N2310 (1987)


USA JET B727-223 ADV(F) N726US (2023)



A couple of "NICE" pieces of North American civil aviation history there Erik .... preserved now for FS enjoyment

Mark C
AKL/NZ

[darrenvox]

sorry about my lauded little reply on adding proof...

these paints look so good,thanks erik!!

[Erik Ingram - HJG]

Thank you, glad you like them!

Now for two rare Air France 727 variations, both on the same airframe. F-BOJD was apparently AF's livery test mule in the late '60s and early '70s, and wore a couple of experimental schemes in that span. The first was this primarily-white livery with blue accent stripes, and was very short-lived. It did bear some passing resemblance to the one used on the first A300s upon their introduction, but neither form was adopted fleet-wide.



By 1970, it had gotten this variation on the standard scheme of the time, just with a blue tail to match the stripes. Shortly thereafter, it was repainted in the then-new "barcode" scheme used until 2009, and wore that until it was retired in 1991.

[aerofoto - HJG Admin]

Very "interesting" .... and obviously the result of great "HISTORIC" research Erik.

What more can I say beyond "VIVRE LE FRANCE" ....
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5g4fhqCSdLQ

Mark C
AKL/NZ

[Erik Ingram - HJG]

I've discovered quite a few of these things by random chance, and I can't say those are any exception!

I'm seeing if we can't complete the worldwide lineup of MD-90s; given that only 116 were built, it's a little easier than some of the other types we offer. There aren't too many left, and here are two more off the list. This is B-16901 of EVA Air circa 1997; early on, Evergreen Group's MD-90s were mainly assigned to UNI Air, but two flew with EVA for a couple of years. Some made their way back in the mid-to-late 2000s, but only these first two wore this delivery scheme.



Then we have B-15301 of Great China Airlines, also circa 1997; Great China was one of the MD-90's earliest customers, ordering three in early 1990. 15301 was the only one delivered in this scheme, as they were in the process of being merged into UNI Air at the time, and the remaining orders were simply delivered straight to UNI. This was also the first increased gross weight MD-90 to be produced, although most of the production run was capable of being modified to the IGW standard.



Both ended their days in Blytheville, Arkansas, serving as parts sources for Delta's fleet of active MD-90s.

[aerofoto - HJG Admin]

Nice "ASIAN AFFAIR" Erik

Mark C
AKL/NZ

[aerofoto - HJG Admin]

Whilst I've "an hour or so to kill" between appointments .... here's official portraits of Erik's latest B727's and MD-90-30's as follows ....


AIR FRANCE (experimental livery #1) B727-228 F-BOJD (1969)


AIR FRANCE (experimental livery #2) B727-228 F-BOJD (1970)


Both of the above are the same aircraft which featured 2 experimental variations of AIR FRANCE livery between 1969 and 1970 .... probably around the period AF began acquiring its B722's. These subjects will each use HJG's "B727-200 EARLY JT8D-7" aircraft base pack (VHF model) .... the lowest power rating and weight variation among the B722's we offer.


EVA AIR MD-90-30 B-16901 (1997)


GREAT CHINA AIRLINES MD-90-30 B-15301 (1997)


The GREAT CHINA texture in particular will use HJG's "MD-90-30 IGW" aircraft base pack. Both of these subjects could conceivable, and authentically too, use the same IGW base pack though since ell earlier produced MD-90-30's were later (by the late 1990's/early 2000's) recertified for a higher MGW .... approximating that of the IGW version.


"NICE STUFF" Erik .... a couple of surprises and otherwise filling some voids among what we offer for both aircraft types

Mark C
AKL/NZ

[darrenvox]

awesome work

[Erik Ingram - HJG]

Back to the American cargo world, here's a relative oddity among those operators. Mesa Airlines' main area of business is serving as a regional airline operating CRJ-900s and ERJ-175s for United Express (and up until recently, American Eagle), but during the pandemic, they branched out into operating 737s for DHL, including three -400s and one -800. N708DA is the only one in their house branding, and mainly flies out of Cincinnati, DHL's primary US center of operations.

[aerofoto - HJG Admin]

A couple more masterpieces by Erik .... in the form of a very recent B737-400SF and an MD-90-30 from 2002 as follows ....

MESA AIRLINES B737-4K5SF N708DA (2022)


UNI AIR MD-90-30 B-17921 (2002)


"THANKS" Erik

[Erik Ingram - HJG]

Now that there's a new member of the HJG fleet, it's time to expand on the initial livery offerings!

Starting off, here are two AirTran 737s, representing two sides of a complicated history.

The original incarnation was formed in 1993 by the merger of two smaller airlines and aimed at the Florida leisure market. It was reasonably successful on its own merits, so when ValuJet found itself with an unsavory reputation following the crash of flight 592 in 1996 and other incidents, it turned to AirTran as a merger partner in an attempt to shed it. From that point forward, ValuJet's history was not acknowledged by the new company (there's a rumor that a locked warehouse in Atlanta is filled with signage and other memorabilia bearing the ValuJet name and logo), and continued as AirTran until its subsequent merger with Southwest in 2014.

N470AT wears the original livery used by the company, which was certainly colorful to say the least!


After the merger, the airline began using this simplified and modernized livery seen on N464AT, which lasted until the mid-2000s. The 737s didn't last that long, with the last one leaving the fleet in October 2001.