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Post by Erik Ingram - HJG on Sept 2, 2020 16:47:54 GMT
Here's a trio of FedEx 727s in the original "purple people-eater" livery; I did one a while back, but it's much more faded-looking as many of them appeared after time in service. First up is N107FE from 1984, as it looked right after delivery, with a somewhat unusual window configuration. Next is N118FE circa 1993, by which time some 727s had gotten a small logo on the tail (which also appeared on all of their widebody aircraft). Finally, here's C-FBWX as operated by FedEx's Canadian contractor, Morningstar Air Express:
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Post by darrenvox on Sept 2, 2020 21:50:28 GMT
well done
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Post by Erik Ingram - HJG on Sept 3, 2020 20:16:51 GMT
And another South Pacific 727; this is N319NE of Asia Pacific Airlines circa 2005. Based in Guam, they handle charter cargo operations throughout Micronesia and other regions of the Pacific. The 727s were retired around 2017, and these days they use a fleet of 757 freighters in network service.
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Post by aerofoto - HJG Admin on Sept 3, 2020 21:05:18 GMT
Think DHL are the parent company for their operations (ASIA PACIFI AIRLINES) where I'm located .... down here in the "underworld" (AKL/NZAA) Mark C AKL/NZ
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Post by Erik Ingram - HJG on Sept 6, 2020 4:18:33 GMT
Thanks everyone! Yes, I think you're right about DHL and Asia Pacific being affiliated; I think that's also the present-day manifestation of the Continental Micronesia cargo arrangement represented by that 727 I painted recently. Going back to the military birds (albeit not quite the same as before), here's a USAF VC-137B 58-6972 as it looked while serving as Air Force One on President Kennedy's European trip in June 1963. At the time, the Air Force was experimenting with with red-orange markings also seen in various capacities on its KC-135s and other transports; this scheme was painted on at least two of the VC-137s (6970 being the other), and possibly the third, though I haven't found pictures of it. Needless to say, it was a short-lived project, and the standard scheme was used on their replacement, VC-137C 62-6000 (which had been delivered to the Air Force by this time, but was undergoing interior fitting and equipment testing). 6972 was eventually retired to Boeing's military facility in Wichita, Kansas in 1996 and scrapped later that year owing to significant corrosion issues.
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Post by aerofoto - HJG Admin on Sept 6, 2020 20:42:22 GMT
Certainly a colourful hybrid .... unusual among normally "sober" military/government liveries Mark C AKL/NZ
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Post by darrenvox on Sept 8, 2020 15:56:12 GMT
GOOD JOB
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Post by Erik Ingram - HJG on Sept 8, 2020 22:02:41 GMT
Next off the press is a rare-but-familiar American bird; in early 1968, AA management commissioned Massimo Vignelli to modernize the airline's branding and livery. The design was finalized by that summer, and after further approval, the first proof-of-concept aircraft, this Boeing 720B registered N7528A, was repainted accordingly. While management was generally happy with it, they felt that the tail treatment was a little awkward-looking, so within a few weeks, the "scissor eagle" was added between the two As on the tail. This, of course, would become AA's livery for the next 45 years with very minor updates along the way. The anti-glare section of the nose was also revised before the livery was introduced fleetwide, so this represents a very short-lived chapter in AA's history. It left American in 1974, and after a series of owners, its engines and pylon assemblies were used to convert KC-135 57-2598 to an E model in September 1986. The remainder of the aircraft was finally scrapped in November 1991.
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Post by aerofoto - HJG Admin on Sept 8, 2020 23:16:06 GMT
HMMM .... that's actually a different version of the "experimental) AA livery/ies of the mid to late 60's than I was actually anticipating when I saw it on your list. There was another rare ("rarer") version that .... according to my memory of the image I saw presented here during 2006 (and which I can't now find) featured "a different treatment of the fuselage cheat lines" (I think the blue and red striping were merged without the white band .... again from memory). The story is this "other" experimental livery was only ever applied to 1 aircraft .... another B720-B .... and did not feature the airlines classic, if not symbolic, Eagle Logo either. The story also related that CR SMITH (a former AA president whom had, by the mid to late 60's, taken up an FAA appointment) still wielded sufficient influence at AA and apparently vehemently objected to the absence of the Eagle logo from the livery .... and got his way .... with the airlines Eagle logo eventually taking up residence on the tail of their aircraft when the definitive 1969/70 era livery began to be applied fleet wide. It'd be interesting if anyone knows this other livery and can locate and post and image of it here .... so .... be prepared for this one Erik ... .if it may interest you Mark C AKL/NZ
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Post by Nathan Ford - HJG on Sept 10, 2020 10:39:10 GMT
Loving that Kiwi International 🥳
Nathan
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Post by aerofoto - HJG Admin on Sept 10, 2020 11:15:13 GMT
A statement obviously by someone whom appreciates the good things in life .... quality .... and "finesse" .... and whom particularly appreciates the efforts of those whom "TRY".
"Those whom try, although they may fail, may ultimately be greater heroes than those for whom the bands play" .... quotation by Amelia EARHEART !
I think Australia once had its own "KIWI" .... in the form of "COMPASS".
These contesting airlines {and that takes guts that I really admire} might not have survived .... BUT .... history has recorded them for what they set out to do and try to achieve.
Mark C AKL/NZ
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Post by darrenvox on Sept 11, 2020 13:15:02 GMT
well done erick
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Post by Erik Ingram - HJG on Sept 14, 2020 18:47:01 GMT
Getting into the bigger 707 variants, here's a unique one operated by the US Navy. After acquiring their fleet of E-6s in the early '90s, they wanted to have a dedicated trainer aircraft to avoid racking up too many hours on the brand-new planes outside of operational missions. Two ex-TAP 707-320Bs, including 165342, were then leased around 1994 and designated TC-18Fs, though I've never seen photo evidence of the second one. This one was retired in 2001 and replaced with a pair of former US Air 737-200s, and later a leased Lauda Air 737-600 once the E-6 fleet had gotten a cockpit upgrade (an adapted form of the 737NG cockpit). This is 165342 as seen around 1997.
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Post by aerofoto - HJG Admin on Sept 14, 2020 22:32:02 GMT
She might be "a plain Jane" .... BUT .... she's still a "HISTORIC" bird .... and which is what the "H", in HJG, is all about Mark C AKL/NZ
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Post by Erik Ingram - HJG on Sept 15, 2020 18:11:01 GMT
That's always the goal! I was extremely surprised to come across this one the other day, but military aircraft are always good for unexpected subjects! The E-8 Joint STARS program was launched in 1985 to develop a system of finding and tracking enemy ground movements ahead of advancing troops; as such, it was a cooperative effort between the Air Force and the Army. Grumman was named as the primary contractor for the radar system, and the 707 was selected as the platform. N770JS was one of the first two developmental aircraft, and is seen here as it looked around 1989 in a hastily-applied variation on the "Shamu" scheme used on KC-135s of the time. Despite not having fully completed the development and testing program, these two aircraft (designated E-8As) were used in the first Gulf War and proved highly successful, prompting an expanded order for production aircraft. N770JS was originally delivered to Qantas in 1968, and was later upgraded to a full E-8C and re-delivered as 86-0416.
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