A quick post in connection with our DC-7B trip. We’ll put the following in context when we do some trip reports next week. In the meantime, we have a series of challenges for our Readers.
Here are the “rules” for the following questions:
- Only certificated carriers (scheduled, non-scheduled, flying clubs and cargo airlines) are “eligible” for these questions.
- In answering, list the airline, the final route and the date.
- No gun-runners, drug smugglers or mere ferry flights.
Here we go:
- What was the last international scheduled passenger flight of a DC-7? (Before the one we’re on.)
- What was the last international scheduled cargo flight of a DC7?
- What was the last international passenger flying club DC7 flight?
- What was the last international non-scheduled passenger DC7 flight?
- What was the last international passenger DC7 flight of Eastern Airlines?
- What was the last passenger flight for a DC7 (domestic or international) for Eastern Airlines?
- What were the last passenger flights in the Americas, Europe and Asia for the DC7?
- What was the last DC7F cargo flight, anywhere?
- What was the last DC7, DC7B and DC7C passenger flight, anywhere?
Have fun with these.
We had a blast on our DC7B trip…..
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I would love to be able to answer one of these questions but they’re too hard for me. I know that you Scott are travelling on a DC7 right now from Miami to the Netherlands Antilles, so that arguably could be the answer to questions 4 and 9. I’m sure you’re not smuggling drugs or running guns …
We believe our flight to be the first international DC7 passenger flight in xx years. This started the whole series of questions above. Very good, FF.
Well, I agree with FF, for #4, #7, and #9, that flight has not flown yet. Aren’t you a passenger on your international DC-7 flight, Scott?
The same can be said for DC-7F cargo ops. For questions #2 and #8 there are DC-7C/Fs still flying in Canada (and across to Alaska), South America, and Africa.
Also for #7 and #9, there is the restored DC-7B you flew on, but doesn’t trhe Red Bull DC-7B also fly pax occasionally? That would answer the “Americas” and “European” portion of #7
EA and DL were among the last scheduled operators for the DC-7 type (pax), and flew them into the early 1970s. So, I want to say about 1972 for EA and 1971 for DL. That could answer #1, and #6 as EA being both the last domestic and international flights on the pax scheduled DC-7 flights.
I don’t have a guess answer for #2 or #5.
Red Bill is a DC6B.
I can’t speak for the DC7 but I did fly on a DC-3, on a regularly scheduled flight, not international, back in 1997.
We mean the last international passenger DC7 flight before the one we’ve been on. The topic was one of the questions our group had among each other and we didn’t know the answer and neither did the operator.
We figured the aviation geeks out there would know (maybe someone can link this to airliner.net) or someone would have the time and inclination to search Google or Wikipedia or something.
OK, not a DC7, but regular service on a DC6 in Namibia. That is very cool! I know you’ll find a way to disqualify me Scott! As always, fly safe.
http://www.nca.com.na/history.htm
Some of those questions were a little testing for me, however you certainly know how to evokeaviation memories I must say I envy your being able to take the trip.
From my own piston recollections of the fifties flying as a Brit brat (Boarding school child visiting parents) five day flights on the Kangaroo route, flying on DC6’s with numerous stopovers en route, reduced to a speedy four days with the introduction of the Turboprop Bristol Brittania. Dressing up to travel, not like todays passengers who appear to dress to look like down & outs or aerial refugees.Crisp linen, Silver service, Bone china, & those Oh so cosy armchair style seats, Big almost square windows, the skipper & his frequent walks through the aircraft to chat, Stewardesses in pencil skirts who understood the word service, but Oh dear the noise those piston engines made…. turboprops seemed silent by comparison, happy days.