Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2021 5:33:12 GMT -5
While doing searchs about the first Lufthansa Boeing 707 D-ABOB (was subject of my 'LH Arizona training' thread), I came across this Douglas DC-8-51 in Lufthansa colours. It is rather astonishing, as LH didn't used such an aircraft type.
Curious to know more about this aircraft, I found out, that it was originally the Douglas Ship One which flew for the first time at Long Beach on May 30, 1958.
The same aircraft was in service for a couple airlines. Interestingly 'HJG Historical Jetliners Group' proposes allmost all repaints seen for this plane.
In 1960, N8008D was converted to the DC-8-51 configuration. With a change to the more powerful JT3D-1 turbofan engines.
After the flight test and commercial certification program was completed, on 21 June 1961, Douglas leased N8008D to National Airlines, based at Miami, Florida.
One year later, 20 June 1961, it was sold to Trans International Airlines.
TIA leased the DC-8 to Lufthansa, 11 May 1965 (see picture above)
and to Canadian Pacific, 1 October 1966. It was re-registered CF-CPN and named Empress of Santiago.
TIA sold the DC-8 to Delta Airlines, Atlanta, Georgia, 1 October 1967. It reverted to its FAA-assigned registration, N8008D. Delta gave it fleet number 800.
In March 1979, Delta sold N8008D (here in 1970 version)
to F.B. Myers and Associates. On 1 April, F.B. Myers leased the it to Aerovias de México, S.A. de C.V. (Aeroméxico). The DC-8 was assigned Mexican registration XA-DOE and named Quintana Roo.
The first Douglas DC-8 was placed in storage at Marana-Pinal Airpark, north of Tucson, Arizona, 7 January 1982. In May 1989, it was sold to Agro Air, a Caribbean regional cargo airline. It remained at Marana and was used as a source of parts. In 2001, it was scrapped.
Bernard