Model Aircarft in my Collection 6: N6260C- DC6

Model Aircarft in my Collection 6: N6260C- DC6 

Old workhorse that fell foul with the law.

Model Image

History of N6260C

N6260C is (was) a DC-6A aircraft delivered to Pan American in June 1953. It remained in service for 5 years before being sold to Los Angeles Air Service (LAAS) in September 1958. LAAS was absorbed into the Transamerica and was operated by various airlines in the group including Slick Air and Hawaiian Air Lines. It was then sold to Aaxico leasing company (exact date unknown likely about 1965). It was leased to Ariana Afghan Airlines and operated on the weekly Kabul to London (Gatwick) route until the mid 1970's (registration YA-DAO). It was then leased to various airline and cargo services over short periods with registrations YS-38C, HR-TNQ and finally to a leasing company in Miami when it carried the registration N8057X. In its guise as N8057X it fell foul of the law and was last sited after being impounded at Great Inagua (Bahamas) in 1982. Although not sites it still appeared on the impounded asset register in 2008.

Photos of N6260C

As N6260 - Hawaiian 

As YA-DAO Ariana Afghan

As HR-TNQ

As N8057X

Model Aircrafts in My Collection 5: Qantas VH-SUM - Short 360

Model Aircrafts in My Collection 5: Qantas VH-SUM - Short 360

Model Image

Gemini Jets - VH-SUM

 

Model History:

VH-SUM was a Short 360 short haul twin turboprop plane manufactured by Short Bros in Ireland. Usually configured to carry 33-36 passengers with a crew of three. Due to the small fuel tank,s at full load the aircraft had a range of less than 400km and speed of about 350km/h. It was mainly used for short haul flights to mining towns with hubs in Brisbane, Townsville and Cairns. The Short 360 as it was known was also used for a short duration for flights between Melbourne and Mildura.

The early history of VH-SUM is somewhat unclear. It was manufactured in 1987 and registered as G-BNFD probably to Gill Air via the leasing company Lynrise. It then appears as EI-BTK with Philippines Airlines. It was finally sold to Qantas and appeared on the Australian register as VH-SUM in 1996. It was sold to Air Cargo Carriers in December 2005 with registration change to N372AC. The aircraft was converted to carry cargo with larger fuel tanks. During a demonstration flight two AIC Short 360 aircrafts  (N372AC and N3735W) were involved in a mid air collision with N3735W crashing with loss of three lives and N372AC making a crash landing with no loss of life. Unfortunately both planes were damaged beyond repair and scrapped.

Aircraft Images

As VH-SUM

 

As EI-BTK Philippines Airlines

Crashed as N372AC



Model Aircrafts in My Collection 4 : ZS-GAJ Global Aviation DC 9

ZS-GAJ Global Aviation DC 9

Model Photo:

Model History:

Started life as PK-GNO with Garuda International - Delivery 13/8/76

Leased to Marpati Air in Feb 1994

Sold to leasing company and de-registered.

Re-registered as N209ME

Leased to Midwest Express Airlines / Midwest Airlines on 6/2/96

Withdrawn from Service ~2003 and stored

Sold to Global Aviation and leased to Air One Nine as 3D-MRW July 2006

Returned to Global Aviation in 2008.

Leased to FIFA for the 2009 for the World Cup Trophy Tour as ZS-GAJ

Current status - Stored.

Images:

As PK-GNO Garuda

As PK-GNO Merpati

As N209ME - Midwest Express

As 3D-MRW Air One Nine

As ZS-GAJ - Global Aviation

Model Aircrafts in My Collection 3: Qantas 707 VH-EAG

Model Aircrafts in My Collection 3

Gemini Jets - Qantas 707 VH-EAG

Model Photo

History of VH-EAG

Production Date:  April 2, 1968

First Flight: April 30, 1968

Entered Australian Register as VH-EAG on May 16, 1968 (Named "City of Hobart")

Delivery Flight: May 18, 1968

First commercial Flight: June 23, 1968

Renamed "Alice Springs" Feb 22, 1974

Utilised for 2 relief flights - Cyclone Tracey Dec 27 and 29 (Evacuating 497 Passengers. Fitted with 171 seats!)

Operated final Scheduled Qantas 707 Service Syd-Akl-Syd on Mar 25, 1979

Operated UNSCHEDULED flight QF16 Syd - Mel on Mar 26, 1979. Carried 104 passengers standed in Sydney due to air controllers strike.
Operated the very last Qantas 707 flight QF16P Mel-Syd on Mar 26, 1979 (Return flight to QF16) carrying 4 British Air staff (also stranded due to strike).

Sold to RAAF - Registration changed to A20-627 (Named Windsor Town)
Converted to combined passenger/tanker configuration.
Retired from service and stored RAAF Richmond, Feb 21 - 2001.
Used for parts between 2001 and 2009
Scrapped Dec 2009
Cockpit section not scrapped - donated to Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS), Wollongong 

Photos of VH-EAG (Boeing 707)

There are numerous photos of the aircraft available on the web - below are links to a few.

VH-EAG Kingsford Smith Airport - 1979

Being Scrapped

Model Aircrafts in My Collection 2: Gemini Jets DC 8 - Northwest Airlines N804US

Model Aircrafts in My Collection 2:

1:400 Gemini Jets DC 8 - Northwest Airlines N804US

Model Number: GJNWA230A

Model Photo:

History of N804US

N804US DC8-32 MSN 45605/95

Delivered to Northwest Orient 22.09.60.

Sold to National Airlines 28.10.63, named "Joanne" 1972. (Registration change to N7183C)

Leased to Aerovias Quisqueyana  30.05.74.

Returned to National Airlines 28.11.74.

Sold to Overseas National Airlines 01.12.75. 

Leased to Caledonian Airlines

Returned to ONA June 77

Sometime thereafter, it was ferried to Wilmington Airborne Park (KILN) and scrapped

Photos of the Actual Airplane (Links to higher res images)

As N804US - Northwest

 

As N7183C - National Airlines