BOAC - The Original Speedbird

[RStretton]

~~My UK collection has been growing well and my BOAC fleet has just recently been given a timely injection with three additions. So as with the Pan Am thread I thought I'd show some shots of how its has changed over the past few years.

As is well known BOAC spent a good portion of the 1950s and 60s suffering inferior British designs (or at least that's how they saw it) when they really wanted to buy American. They usually got their own way in the end but certainly the failure of the Comet 1 really caused them trouble and several aircraft types like the Avro Tudor and Handley Page Hermes were certified lemons! I feel a lot less sorry for them with the VC-10 which they effectively killed despite it being a great plane built to their specs. Anyway all this means BOAC operated a wide range of types over the years prior to the creation of BA.

Back in November 2012 I had only just allowed myself to branch out from US carriers and at the time could only sport 5 BOACs - all Aeroclassics:

BOAC Fleet November 2012 by rstretton, on Flickr

By May 2013 BOAC and BA had their own shelf area and backboard but I had only added a Gemini 747 and an Aeroclassics Comet 4 to the fleet:

BOAC Fleet May 2013 by rstretton, on Flickr

However within 6 months the BOAC fleet had grown so much that the BA aircraft had been shunted elsewhere. I now had added a second Argonaut, 2 more Super VC-10s, a JC Wings Britannia 100 and a Viscount:

BOAC Fleet November 2013 by rstretton, on Flickr

Now in April 2014 the shelf is pretty much full. I've sold the Vickers demo VC-10 and replaced it with a BOAC schemed version plus added a Gemini short VC-10, Aeroclassics DC-7C and a 707-300:

BOAC Fleet April 2014 by rstretton, on Flickr

BOAC Fleet April 2014 by rstretton, on Flickr

BOAC Fleet April 2014 by rstretton, on Flickr

In the near future I hope to add a Constellation, Stratocruiser and a Cargo DC-7C - I'm just not sure where they will fit in!

[RStretton]

~~Recently I've added a couple of BOACs from Gospodin which probably will be my last as I am out of room for BOAC frames. I've already posted about the Strat in the Strat thread but the other model is the L-749 G-ANVD 'Beverley'.

In 1946 BOAC was permitted to acquire 6 L-049s as no competitive British design was available. The fleet was expanded in 1948 with no expenditure of US dollars with the addition of five new L-749s acquired from a failed attempt to start transatlantic operations by Air Linte in Eire. These aircraft enabled Constellation service to Australia to begin in 1949. BOAC would go on to operate 25 Connies including 12 ex Capital Airlines aircraft acquired as late as 1955 (with BOAC’s L-049s going to Capital) to cover for the Britannia and Comet issues. This aircraft was originally PH-TDB ‘Batavia’ with KLM delivered in October 1947. She joined Capital as N90622 only in 1953. The Capital Connies only stayed with BOAC for 2 years and this frame was sold to Avianca as HK-650. Her last operator was Aerotransporte Peruanos Internacionales as OB-R-914. She was withdrawn in 1969 and broken up in 1975.

BOAC Lockheed L-749 Constellation by rstretton, on Flickr

BOAC Lockheed L-749 Constellation by rstretton, on Flickr

BOAC Lockheed L-749 Constellation by rstretton, on Flickr

BOAC Lockheed L-749 Constellation by rstretton, on Flickr

Here is the BOAC Fleet as of June - as you can see the BA Hybrid VC-10 has had to be moved to the BEA/BA shelf:

BOAC Fleet June 2014 by rstretton, on Flickr

BOAC Fleet June 2014 by rstretton, on Flickr

[planemanone]

The "Beverley" was a model I went on the hunt for some years ago in order to complete my Connie collection at the time. For some reason the L-749 sold out very quickly when AC released it in 1/9/2005. It was on my must have list and I finally located one on E-Bay in June 2006 and was able to get it for a reasonable price. The history of G-ANVD is interesting as it illustrates the turbulent time piston props in the 50's and early 60's. Thanks for sharing your research and posting your collection. Your photos are excellent.