CalClassic DC7 - SAS
Posted: 21 Nov 2007, 23:01
Shamelessly nicked from the SAS flightops site:
First over the Pole and Around the World
In the mid-1950´s, Douglas presented its latest -- and last -- propeller aircraft, the DC-7C. SAS ordered 14 aircraft in 1955 and the aircraft made its debut on the North Atlantic on September 8, 1956. Initially it operated as a Royal Viking deluxe with only 44 fully reclinable seats, but passenger capacity was soon increased to 68 in two classes. The DC-7C had an impressive range. One delivery flight went nonstop from Los Angeles to Stockholm in 21 hours and 44 minutes, a distance of almost 9,700 kilometers. This range allowed SAS to plan its next polar route -- to Tokyo. On February 24, 1957 "Guttorm Viking" took off from Copenhagen towards Anchorage and Tokyo. Simultaneously "Reidar Viking" departed from Tokyo. At 9:10 p.m. the two aircraft met over the North Pole. The flying time from Scandinavia to Tokyo had been reduced from 52 hours to 32 hours. By tying together the southern route and the Polar route, SAS had earned the right to put "FIRST OVER THE POLE AND AROUND THE WORLD" over the door on its DC-7C´s.
This is Guttorm Viking, painted by JensBK, aircraft by CalClassic
First over the Pole and Around the World
In the mid-1950´s, Douglas presented its latest -- and last -- propeller aircraft, the DC-7C. SAS ordered 14 aircraft in 1955 and the aircraft made its debut on the North Atlantic on September 8, 1956. Initially it operated as a Royal Viking deluxe with only 44 fully reclinable seats, but passenger capacity was soon increased to 68 in two classes. The DC-7C had an impressive range. One delivery flight went nonstop from Los Angeles to Stockholm in 21 hours and 44 minutes, a distance of almost 9,700 kilometers. This range allowed SAS to plan its next polar route -- to Tokyo. On February 24, 1957 "Guttorm Viking" took off from Copenhagen towards Anchorage and Tokyo. Simultaneously "Reidar Viking" departed from Tokyo. At 9:10 p.m. the two aircraft met over the North Pole. The flying time from Scandinavia to Tokyo had been reduced from 52 hours to 32 hours. By tying together the southern route and the Polar route, SAS had earned the right to put "FIRST OVER THE POLE AND AROUND THE WORLD" over the door on its DC-7C´s.
This is Guttorm Viking, painted by JensBK, aircraft by CalClassic