This sight takes me back to the late 1960's when I was a 9 year old kid hanging around LGB and watching DC-8s depart on and return from pre-delivery test flights.
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Taxies on "Delta" towards a Rwy 30 departure.
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Rolling on Rwy 30.
Climbs from Rwy 30 above the old commercial flight ramp in the distance from where she took her first flight in December 1967.
A real airplane is never hard to find!
(Photos by Michael Carter)
ClassicJet Tours operated a special flight today for 36 lucky aviation enthusiats aboard an Air Transport International (ATI) Douglas DC-8-62CF (Combi) between Sacramento, California and Long Beach, California .
The aircraft departed from Sacramento - McClellan Airport (MCC/KMCC) at 09:30am as "ATN207" arriving at Long Beach Airport (LGB/KLGB) at 10:34am.
Following a tour of the C-17A production facilities the group boarded the DC-8-62CF (Combi) for the return flight to Sacramento, departing Long Beach at 13:03pm as "ATN208."
This lovely DC-8-62CF (45922/335) was origianlly delivered to Scandinavian Airlines on February 29, 1968 as OY-KTE "Skjold Viking." The aircraft has served numerous carriers during its carrier; Scanair as "Turid Viking," Arista International as "Marco," Northeastern International Airways, Thai Airways International, Royal Thai Air Force as 60112, Arrow Air as N799AL, Hawaiian Airlines, Air Marshall Islands, and Zantop International Airlines prior to its current operator ATI.
Sadly she is scheduled to be retired by years end and will more than likey be broken-up, such a sad end for such a historic aircraft. I sure wish I had the finances to buy and keep this gorgeous aircraft in one piece if not flying at least preserved for future generations to enjoy and explore.
Michael Carter
Aero Pacific Flightlines
3 comments:
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Mike,
They toured the old commercial assembly buildings on the east side of Lakewood Blvd. Buildings 80-84, one old Dougloid told me, last time he saw those buildings they were filled with MD-80's and MD-11's. I remember those days, when I visited those buildings when they filmed Transformers 3, I was seriously bummed out, because I last saw those buildings that same way, prior to heading over to the C-17 for eventual layoff a few years later.
Hi Michael, I was on that trip. We had a great time and people from all over the world came in for this flight. I know there were people from Holland, United Arab Emirates, Canada, Switzerland and England, just to name a few places. It was an awesome flight. I was able to get some great shots of the Fly Douglas Jets sign and we found out that the sign is on the Historic Register and Boeing cannot tear it down. The buildings were completely empty which was very sad. Would have loved to have seen you, while I was at LGB for a very short time.
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