Tweet
~~National airlines have rarely been a bastion of operating profit, but prior to the deregulation of domestic and international markets they were the primary means of air travel. This resulted in airlines often following the fortunes of the nations they represented along with pretty much every country having its own national carrier regardless of its size. Not necessarily common-sense (though you could at least guarantee minimum levels of service) but a boon for the aviation enthusiast who got to see a much wider range of airlines.
During my childhood in the 80s, on the rare occasion I could get my dad to drive me up to Heathrow (Gatwick was my local and my dad was not a spotter) I was always thrilled by the variety of airlines on show. Nowadays trips to Heathrow are boring in comparison, with a much decreased variety of operators (and aircraft) despite the growth of air travel (not to mention the decreased opportunities for viewing too). This is partly because of the purchasing of slots by premium airlines but also by the general decline of the national carrier concept.
Africa was an especially exciting location for interesting airlines. With Britain's colonial ties and business centre most English speaking African nations could be seen there. Some of the more affluent airline's could afford new equipment so for example Ghana Airways, Air Zaire and Nigeria flew DC-10s, SAA 747s and Egyptair A300s, but well into the 90s most African flag carriers based their fleet around what they could afford.
Near universally these were second-hand Boeing 707s. Retired in large numbers by the US majors during the 70s and early 80s most went on to have second careers in the third world - often in beautiful liveries. Sadly African nations and their airline's seemed to succumb to rampant corruption (and the effects of wars) as the 80s went on and few of the Sub-saharan airline's remain with us today.
Recently I've been expanding my collection of African 707s. I just got two new ones from Waffle's collection sale. I thought I'd lost them when they didn't turn up on schedule but after a brief sojourn in Thailand they finally arrived at my door. So here are the nine 707s that represent national carriers of the dark continent in my collection - ordered roughly North to South:
Royal Air Maroc CN-RMB
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RAM was formed in July 1953 with the merger of two smaller airlines dating from the late 40s and didn’t take its current name until June 1957 when the government took a 67.73% share. By April 1960 the first jet, a Caravelle, had joined the fleet of 4 L-749s, 4 DC-4s and 3 DC-3s. By 1969 all routes to North Africa and Europe used Caravelles but these were replaced by 727s and 737s in the 1970s. In 1975 the first second-hand 707s arrived. RMB was the second having previously been N382US delivered to Northwest in May 1968. 4 707s would wear the Moroccan registry whilst several others were leased at times. The 707s survived into the early 90s when they were replaced by a single 747 and 757s. RMB was sold to Omega Air as N149DM and converted to a freighter. She was sold to Skymaster in 1997 as PT-WSM and was withdrawn in 2005.
Royal Air Maroc Boeing 707-320C by rstretton, on Flickr
Royal Air Maroc Boeing 707-320C by rstretton, on Flickr
Libyan Arab Airlines 5A-DAK
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kingdom of Libya Airlines began operations in December 1965 with Caravelles and F-27s, but was renamed to Libyan Arab when the King was ousted in 1969. A pair of new 727-200s arrived from 1970 followed by nine others from 1975. In addition a single 707 was acquired fitted out with a VIP interior and operated for the Libyan Government in LAA colours. This was 5A-DAK and she has served consistently with LAA since in spite of the airline’s travails centred on the Libyan State’s involvement with the Lockerbie bombing. She was still in service as late as 2003 though her present whereabouts are unclear.
Libyan Arab Airlines Boeing 707-320C by rstretton, on Flickr
Libyan Arab Airlines Boeing 707-320C by rstretton, on Flickr
United Arab Airlines SU-AOU
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Between 1958 and 1961 there was short-lived political union of Egypt and Syria leading to the Egyptian airline Misrair becoming UAA. Even after the split UAA kept its name and by then was operating a fleet made up of Comet 4s, Viscounts and DC-6s. The airline had wanted to buy 707s since 1961 but was only able to take delivery of its first in late 1968. AOU ‘Khopho’ was the first and by mid 1970 4 were in the fleet. The airline was renamed to Egyptair in October 1971 and dalliances with Soviet Il-62s and TU-154s were short-lived whilst the 707 fleet grew. AOU continued in service until the early 90s when she found her way to Zaire for New ACS as 9Q-CJM (later CRA). In the mid 90s she operated for Express City, Zaire Airlines and Congo Airlines. By 2002 she was with Hewa Bora Airways as 9Q-CKB and was written off when she crashed on landing at Kinshasa during a thunderstorm in April of that year.
United Arab Airlines Boeing 707-320C by rstretton, on Flickr
United Arab Airlines Boeing 707-320C by rstretton, on Flickr
Somali Airlines 60-SBS
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Somali Airlines was founded on 5th March 1964 after the country’s independence and was supported by Alitalia. Initial services were domestic using DC-3s, Cessnas and later Viscounts on regional services. A Boeing 720 arrived in 1974 for the London service followed by a pair of ex-AA aircraft in 1976. By 1985 the fleet consisted of two 707-320Cs and two F.27s; with routes operated from Berbera and Mogadishu to Abu Dhabi, Cairo, Frankfurt, Jeddah, Nairobi and Rome. SBS and its sister SBT were both originally Lufthansa aircraft, SBS having been D-ABUL ‘Duisburg’, delivered in December 1966 and leased to Condor for 8 months in 1984. The 707s were replaced by A310s in 1988/89 but the disintegration of the Somali state ended the airline’s operations in 1991. SBS became EL-AJU and served with Liberia World, but only until October 1990 when she was sold and used for spares for the USAF’s KC-135s.
Somali Airlines Boeing 707-320B by rstretton, on Flickr
Somali Airlines Boeing 707-320B by rstretton, on Flickr
Somali Airlines Boeing 707-320B by rstretton, on Flickr
Sudan Airways ST-AFA
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sudan Airways was formed as early as 1946 using De Havilland Doves. By the early 1950s a fleet of DC-3s flew services to regional destinations and in 1959 Vickers Viscounts started long-haul flights to London. It wasn’t until November 1972 that the first jets joined the fleet when a pair of British Midland 707s was leased in. These stayed with the carrier until the delivery of its own 707s in 1974 of which AFA was the first. A pair of 737-200s arrived in 1975 and several other 707s were leased during the 1970s but it wasn’t until the 1980s that 5 more were gradually picked up. ST-AFA has spent her whole career in Sudan and though seemingly in and out of service she was seen operating as late as 2006 at Sharjah.
Sudan Airlines Boeing 707-320C by rstretton, on Flickr
Sudan Airlines Boeing 707-320C by rstretton, on Flickr
Sudan Airlines Boeing 707-320C by rstretton, on Flickr
Cameroon Airlines TJ-CAA
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Founded on 26th July 1971 as the national carrier replacing Air Afrique, Cameroon Airlines started flying in November with a pair of 737s. A 707 was leased from Air France in December for Rome and Paris services and its own 707 arrived late in 1972 as TJ-CAA. A single 747-200 arrived in 1982 for the European services however the owned 707 remained in service until 1987. Cameroon Airlines itself was plagued by financial difficulties and a poor safety and maintenance record. In late 2005 it was banned by the French authorities and was replaced in 2006 by Camair-Co as national carrier. It lingered on until March 2008 when it was finally wound up. This 707 joined IAI of Israel as 4X-BYR and then the Israeli Air Force as 4X-JYB/255. By 2008 she had been withdrawn from use apparently having served in an ELINT capacity earlier in her air force service.
Cameroon Airlines Boeing 707-320 by rstretton, on Flickr
Cameroon Airlines Boeing 707-320 by rstretton, on Flickr
Cameroon Airlines Boeing 707-320 by rstretton, on Flickr
Air Rwanda 9XR-JA
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Société Nationale des Transports Aériens du Rwanda, or Air Rwanda, was formed on 15th July 1975. The fleet was initially built around DHC-6s, Piper Aztecs and Islanders until in 1979 F-BLCF was purchased from Air France and registered 9XR-JA. The aircraft had originally been delivered to the French airline on 15th March 1967 and served as Air Rwanda’s only jet aircraft throughout the 1980s. In 1994, the airline was forced to cease flying to domestic destinations because of the Rwandan Genocide, whilst internationally the airline reduced its network to include only Kigali, Bujumbura and Entebbe. In 1996 the airline was rebranded as Rwandair and its sole equipment, the 707, became 9XR-VO. She became P4-ESP when she was sold to Espace Aviation in 1996 and was broken up at Manston from 1999 onwards.
Air Rwanda Boeing 707-320C by rstretton, on Flickr
Air Rwanda Boeing 707-320C by rstretton, on Flickr
Air Rwanda Boeing 707-320C by rstretton, on Flickr
Zambia Airways 9J-AEB
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Zambia Airways was formed in 1964. Leased DC-8s started international services in 1969 but in 1975 several 707s joined the fleet. 9J-ADY, AEB, AEL and AEQ were eventually added through the 70s along with five others leased at various times. A DC-10 arrived in 1984 by which time long-haul routes connected Lusaka with London, Frankfurt, Rome, Amsterdam and Bombay. In 1992 the Zambian government made the airline responsible for its own debt and within two years it had collapsed. AEB was originally N370US delivered to Northwest in August 1966. She operated a short lease to Aer Lingus in 1975 as EI-ASM and was sold to Florida West in 1989 as N720FW. Withdrawn in 1992 several sales fell through and she was broken up in 1998.
Zambia Airways Boeing 707-320C by rstretton, on Flickr
Zambia Airways Boeing 707-320C by rstretton, on Flickr
TAAG Angola D2-TOM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Angolan flag carrier began operations in July 1940 using Dragon Rapides. After independence in 1975 the fleet was mixed with Il62s, 707s, 737s and F-27s. Six 707-320s were acquired including a pair that were formerly operated by Western Airlines. D2-TOM was originally N1503W delivered in July 1968. The 707s formed the core of TAAG’s long-haul fleet into the 1980s though Tristars were leased from TAP also. Services to Cuba were commonly operated due to the two countries close ties. It was not until 1997 that a 747-300 was purchased to enable TAAG to operate long-haul routes with its own equipment. By then the 707s had been withdrawn with TOM suffering an accident in 1988 at Luanda that wrote her off.
TAAG Angola Boeing 707-320C by rstretton, on Flickr
TAAG Angola Boeing 707-320C by rstretton, on Flickr
TAAG Angola Boeing 707-320C by rstretton, on Flickr
During my childhood in the 80s, on the rare occasion I could get my dad to drive me up to Heathrow (Gatwick was my local and my dad was not a spotter) I was always thrilled by the variety of airlines on show. Nowadays trips to Heathrow are boring in comparison, with a much decreased variety of operators (and aircraft) despite the growth of air travel (not to mention the decreased opportunities for viewing too). This is partly because of the purchasing of slots by premium airlines but also by the general decline of the national carrier concept.
Africa was an especially exciting location for interesting airlines. With Britain's colonial ties and business centre most English speaking African nations could be seen there. Some of the more affluent airline's could afford new equipment so for example Ghana Airways, Air Zaire and Nigeria flew DC-10s, SAA 747s and Egyptair A300s, but well into the 90s most African flag carriers based their fleet around what they could afford.
Near universally these were second-hand Boeing 707s. Retired in large numbers by the US majors during the 70s and early 80s most went on to have second careers in the third world - often in beautiful liveries. Sadly African nations and their airline's seemed to succumb to rampant corruption (and the effects of wars) as the 80s went on and few of the Sub-saharan airline's remain with us today.
Recently I've been expanding my collection of African 707s. I just got two new ones from Waffle's collection sale. I thought I'd lost them when they didn't turn up on schedule but after a brief sojourn in Thailand they finally arrived at my door. So here are the nine 707s that represent national carriers of the dark continent in my collection - ordered roughly North to South:
Royal Air Maroc CN-RMB
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RAM was formed in July 1953 with the merger of two smaller airlines dating from the late 40s and didn’t take its current name until June 1957 when the government took a 67.73% share. By April 1960 the first jet, a Caravelle, had joined the fleet of 4 L-749s, 4 DC-4s and 3 DC-3s. By 1969 all routes to North Africa and Europe used Caravelles but these were replaced by 727s and 737s in the 1970s. In 1975 the first second-hand 707s arrived. RMB was the second having previously been N382US delivered to Northwest in May 1968. 4 707s would wear the Moroccan registry whilst several others were leased at times. The 707s survived into the early 90s when they were replaced by a single 747 and 757s. RMB was sold to Omega Air as N149DM and converted to a freighter. She was sold to Skymaster in 1997 as PT-WSM and was withdrawn in 2005.
Royal Air Maroc Boeing 707-320C by rstretton, on FlickrRoyal Air Maroc Boeing 707-320C by rstretton, on FlickrLibyan Arab Airlines 5A-DAK
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kingdom of Libya Airlines began operations in December 1965 with Caravelles and F-27s, but was renamed to Libyan Arab when the King was ousted in 1969. A pair of new 727-200s arrived from 1970 followed by nine others from 1975. In addition a single 707 was acquired fitted out with a VIP interior and operated for the Libyan Government in LAA colours. This was 5A-DAK and she has served consistently with LAA since in spite of the airline’s travails centred on the Libyan State’s involvement with the Lockerbie bombing. She was still in service as late as 2003 though her present whereabouts are unclear.
Libyan Arab Airlines Boeing 707-320C by rstretton, on FlickrLibyan Arab Airlines Boeing 707-320C by rstretton, on FlickrUnited Arab Airlines SU-AOU
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Between 1958 and 1961 there was short-lived political union of Egypt and Syria leading to the Egyptian airline Misrair becoming UAA. Even after the split UAA kept its name and by then was operating a fleet made up of Comet 4s, Viscounts and DC-6s. The airline had wanted to buy 707s since 1961 but was only able to take delivery of its first in late 1968. AOU ‘Khopho’ was the first and by mid 1970 4 were in the fleet. The airline was renamed to Egyptair in October 1971 and dalliances with Soviet Il-62s and TU-154s were short-lived whilst the 707 fleet grew. AOU continued in service until the early 90s when she found her way to Zaire for New ACS as 9Q-CJM (later CRA). In the mid 90s she operated for Express City, Zaire Airlines and Congo Airlines. By 2002 she was with Hewa Bora Airways as 9Q-CKB and was written off when she crashed on landing at Kinshasa during a thunderstorm in April of that year.
United Arab Airlines Boeing 707-320C by rstretton, on FlickrUnited Arab Airlines Boeing 707-320C by rstretton, on FlickrSomali Airlines 60-SBS
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Somali Airlines was founded on 5th March 1964 after the country’s independence and was supported by Alitalia. Initial services were domestic using DC-3s, Cessnas and later Viscounts on regional services. A Boeing 720 arrived in 1974 for the London service followed by a pair of ex-AA aircraft in 1976. By 1985 the fleet consisted of two 707-320Cs and two F.27s; with routes operated from Berbera and Mogadishu to Abu Dhabi, Cairo, Frankfurt, Jeddah, Nairobi and Rome. SBS and its sister SBT were both originally Lufthansa aircraft, SBS having been D-ABUL ‘Duisburg’, delivered in December 1966 and leased to Condor for 8 months in 1984. The 707s were replaced by A310s in 1988/89 but the disintegration of the Somali state ended the airline’s operations in 1991. SBS became EL-AJU and served with Liberia World, but only until October 1990 when she was sold and used for spares for the USAF’s KC-135s.
Somali Airlines Boeing 707-320B by rstretton, on FlickrSomali Airlines Boeing 707-320B by rstretton, on FlickrSomali Airlines Boeing 707-320B by rstretton, on FlickrSudan Airways ST-AFA
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sudan Airways was formed as early as 1946 using De Havilland Doves. By the early 1950s a fleet of DC-3s flew services to regional destinations and in 1959 Vickers Viscounts started long-haul flights to London. It wasn’t until November 1972 that the first jets joined the fleet when a pair of British Midland 707s was leased in. These stayed with the carrier until the delivery of its own 707s in 1974 of which AFA was the first. A pair of 737-200s arrived in 1975 and several other 707s were leased during the 1970s but it wasn’t until the 1980s that 5 more were gradually picked up. ST-AFA has spent her whole career in Sudan and though seemingly in and out of service she was seen operating as late as 2006 at Sharjah.
Sudan Airlines Boeing 707-320C by rstretton, on FlickrSudan Airlines Boeing 707-320C by rstretton, on FlickrSudan Airlines Boeing 707-320C by rstretton, on FlickrCameroon Airlines TJ-CAA
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Founded on 26th July 1971 as the national carrier replacing Air Afrique, Cameroon Airlines started flying in November with a pair of 737s. A 707 was leased from Air France in December for Rome and Paris services and its own 707 arrived late in 1972 as TJ-CAA. A single 747-200 arrived in 1982 for the European services however the owned 707 remained in service until 1987. Cameroon Airlines itself was plagued by financial difficulties and a poor safety and maintenance record. In late 2005 it was banned by the French authorities and was replaced in 2006 by Camair-Co as national carrier. It lingered on until March 2008 when it was finally wound up. This 707 joined IAI of Israel as 4X-BYR and then the Israeli Air Force as 4X-JYB/255. By 2008 she had been withdrawn from use apparently having served in an ELINT capacity earlier in her air force service.
Cameroon Airlines Boeing 707-320 by rstretton, on FlickrCameroon Airlines Boeing 707-320 by rstretton, on FlickrCameroon Airlines Boeing 707-320 by rstretton, on FlickrAir Rwanda 9XR-JA
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Société Nationale des Transports Aériens du Rwanda, or Air Rwanda, was formed on 15th July 1975. The fleet was initially built around DHC-6s, Piper Aztecs and Islanders until in 1979 F-BLCF was purchased from Air France and registered 9XR-JA. The aircraft had originally been delivered to the French airline on 15th March 1967 and served as Air Rwanda’s only jet aircraft throughout the 1980s. In 1994, the airline was forced to cease flying to domestic destinations because of the Rwandan Genocide, whilst internationally the airline reduced its network to include only Kigali, Bujumbura and Entebbe. In 1996 the airline was rebranded as Rwandair and its sole equipment, the 707, became 9XR-VO. She became P4-ESP when she was sold to Espace Aviation in 1996 and was broken up at Manston from 1999 onwards.
Air Rwanda Boeing 707-320C by rstretton, on FlickrAir Rwanda Boeing 707-320C by rstretton, on FlickrAir Rwanda Boeing 707-320C by rstretton, on FlickrZambia Airways 9J-AEB
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Zambia Airways was formed in 1964. Leased DC-8s started international services in 1969 but in 1975 several 707s joined the fleet. 9J-ADY, AEB, AEL and AEQ were eventually added through the 70s along with five others leased at various times. A DC-10 arrived in 1984 by which time long-haul routes connected Lusaka with London, Frankfurt, Rome, Amsterdam and Bombay. In 1992 the Zambian government made the airline responsible for its own debt and within two years it had collapsed. AEB was originally N370US delivered to Northwest in August 1966. She operated a short lease to Aer Lingus in 1975 as EI-ASM and was sold to Florida West in 1989 as N720FW. Withdrawn in 1992 several sales fell through and she was broken up in 1998.
Zambia Airways Boeing 707-320C by rstretton, on FlickrZambia Airways Boeing 707-320C by rstretton, on FlickrTAAG Angola D2-TOM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Angolan flag carrier began operations in July 1940 using Dragon Rapides. After independence in 1975 the fleet was mixed with Il62s, 707s, 737s and F-27s. Six 707-320s were acquired including a pair that were formerly operated by Western Airlines. D2-TOM was originally N1503W delivered in July 1968. The 707s formed the core of TAAG’s long-haul fleet into the 1980s though Tristars were leased from TAP also. Services to Cuba were commonly operated due to the two countries close ties. It was not until 1997 that a 747-300 was purchased to enable TAAG to operate long-haul routes with its own equipment. By then the 707s had been withdrawn with TOM suffering an accident in 1988 at Luanda that wrote her off.
TAAG Angola Boeing 707-320C by rstretton, on FlickrTAAG Angola Boeing 707-320C by rstretton, on FlickrTAAG Angola Boeing 707-320C by rstretton, on Flickr
Comment