07/08/2020 at 14:45 • Filed to: Planelopnik, planelopnik history, Boeing, boeing 707, boeing b-52, b-52, history, Old pictures, old planes are old | ![]() | ![]() |
Three 707s and a B-52 at Boeing Field, 1958
This came across my tumblr feed this morning, and it’s too important not to share. Did a GIS, and found a description on Wiki:
“POISED ON THE FLIGHT LINE in Seattle, Wash., Are the first three 707-121 aircraft with Pratt & Whitney JT3C6 engines awaiting delivery to Pan American World Airways in 1958. Aircraft !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! (foreground) was the jetliner which inaugurated the first regular US jet transport service on Oct. 26, 1958 with a flight between New York and Paris. “ Left side view from slightly above of Boeing Model 707-121 (r / n !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! ) on the Boeing factory flight line in Seattle, Washington. In background are seen r / n N710PA (center) and beyond, r / n !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! ; a U.S. Air Force Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is seen at far left background.
711 and 710 both had long careers; both were scrapped in 1984. 709, however, was !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! after being struck by lightning while in a holding pattern for Philadelphia Int’l.
I’m assuming that’s an R/B-52B at the back, but the tail number isn’t clear enough to read.
![]() 07/08/2020 at 14:48 |
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Man, that lightning strike is depressing. Any safety enhancements come out of that beyond “try not to get struck by lightning”?
![]() 07/08/2020 at 14:49 |
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Forgot that Pan AM flew BUFFs... were those to Saigon back in the day?
![]() 07/08/2020 at 14:52 |
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This was the crash that lead to “make sure the aircraft can handle lightning strikes” regulations.
Of course, the regulators could have made that change before a crash, but that would require foresight .
07/08/2020 at 14:55 |
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There were several recommendations made by the investigation board:
AFAIK, the elimination of Jet B is the one most linked to the accident, though I expect the others were also acted on as well.
![]() 07/08/2020 at 15:02 |
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Tombstone technology FTW.
![]() 07/08/2020 at 15:03 |
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Carried more cargo than pax, so not that profitable.
![]() 07/08/2020 at 15:05 |
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But not a single refused or “returned” shipment. Imagine.
07/08/2020 at 15:23 |
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Also, the JT3C6 (J57) was used on an almost comical array of aircraft:
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The JT3D (TF33), which descended from the J57 was also widely used, and is still flying on various military aircraft (mostly C-135 variants) :
![]() 07/08/2020 at 15:54 |
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That’s a great shot.
![]() 07/08/2020 at 15:55 |
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Yet another case of the conflict that arises when the agency that is mandated to regulate aviation is also tasked with promoting it.
![]() 07/08/2020 at 16:43 |
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Just like the ValuJet flight that started that whole maybe wee need smoke detectors
and not transport hazmat on commercial flights.
![]() 07/09/2020 at 15:11 |
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One of my uncle’s NASA projects was to fly backseat in a F-106 while it flew into thunderstorms to gauge the effects of li ghtning strikes on avionics. since his usual “ride” was a Cessna 195, it was quite an upgrade for him
![]() 07/09/2020 at 15:21 |
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That sounds exhilarating. Of course I get air sick in a small plane so I can only imagine how miserable I’d be.