BOAC Historic Flight

[Garry Russell]

Hi James

BOAC ordered Concordes which is why the first one was G-BOAC

However BOAC had become British Airways two years before they entered service

In a similar vein it was BEA who ordered the TriStars a type also introduced after the merger

Garry

[speedbird591]

In a similar vein it was BEA who ordered the TriStars a type also introduced after the merger

I never knew that! Amazing what you can learn here, isn't it , James?

I worked on Tristars for a couple of years at the end of their life with BA. Two of them were regisered G-BEAK and G-BEAM. I guess that was a recognition of the fact that they were ordered by BEA - in the same manner as G-BOAC. Would that be correct then, Garry?

Ian

[Garry Russell]

Hi Ian

The original batch started G-BBAE which was BA European (Division)

Those registrations came later and I think that is just a coincidence as the last two follwed on G-BBAE-J, G-BEAK-M

There was an Eastern TriStar that toured the UK wearing Court titles at one point and the rest of the time in the UK it sported BEA titles and tail logo.

Garry

[speedbird591]

Thanks, Garry.

Hmmm, I wonder if there was a BEA Historic flight in 1975? ... :roll:
There'd be few more aircraft to choose from, but they wouldn't have had to fly so far :think:

Ian

p.s. Don't worry - I'm only joking!

[jab]

Hi Garry & Ian Thank you for that information yeah it is Amazing what you can learn on here :tab: So G-BOAC is the one at Manchester airport and those tristars you worked on are now with the RAF


all the best
James

[Garry Russell]

Hi James

The TrStars were the Europen division Ian was overseas on VC 10 and 707's

Garry

[speedbird591]

Garry's right that I worked on the 'overseas division' (long-haul) side of British Airways. But James is also right that I did work on Tristars for a short time, although they were a short-haul aircraft. It was towards the end of their life with BA and the only flights they were doing were Paris, Athens and some Middle East places. Nobody wanted to work on them because the work was boring and the opportunities for overtime payment were poor.

I had just got my promotion to Cabin Service Director and was waiting for a vacancy on 747s. As they couldn't get any volunteers for Tristars they forced some of us to join the small Tristar fleet. As we were on a long-haul contract they gave us a long-haul work pattern. The work would consist of 7 day blocks based at a hotel at Heathrow, flying to Paris and Athens, and then had 3 days off. After a year of that I got my job on 747s but still worked some Tristars for another year before they were finally retired.

The aircraft I worked on in my 30 years with BOAC and BA were VC10s, B707s, B747 classics and -400s, Tristars and 777s.

Ian

[jab]

Sorry I ment the tristars when Ian worked with them at the end of BA I always like to hear what people flew on and thats a good fleet of aircraft there Ian you worked on well apart from the 777 not so keen on them prefer the A330 :tab:

All the best
James

[Vulcan_to_the_Sky!]

Hi Ian,

Is that a DC-8 amongst those shots, It looks quite nice if it is. Would it be a HJG Model by any chance as I fancy flying it around a bit,

Great Screenshots by the way!,

James.

[speedbird591]

Is that a DC-8 amongst those shots, It looks quite nice if it is. Would it be a HJG Model by any chance as I fancy flying it around a bit

Thanks, James. I had to do a double check as I do have a few AI DC-8s flying in and out of those airports and I thought one might have got in shot. But I think you must be referring to G-AVPB, the BOAC freighter. It's the HJG model of a Boeing 707-320C painted by Tony Madge. Tony painted it for me because it was the aircraft that I flew on in about 1974 for my first trip to Bangkok (freighters used to carry a steward in those days). It was one of the most fun trips I'd been on - but that's another story!

The HJG DC-8s are of the same fantastic quality and you'll have a lot of fun flying them.

Ian