The 'metamorphosis' of DC-8 N8008D

[Deleted]

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

[Tom/CalClassic]

A sad end to a significant aircraft.

[aerofoto]

DC-8-51 N8008D was sub-leased to LUFTHANSA from TRANS INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES for a very short term .... from November 5th 1965 until December 1965.

Here's "an extract" (only) from a history I compiled about "this particular aircraft" .... sorry the imagery's all been "PHOTOBUCKETED" , but, due to "other priorities and changing personal circumstances" I've simply not had time to address this although it doesn't otherwise affect the historical facts ....

THE FIRST AND LAST PRODUCTION DC-8 AIRCRAFT

Today .... 62 years ago .... on "MAY 30TH 1958" .... DC-8 SHIP ONE N8008D, C/N # 45252, L/N # 01, "the first production DC-8 aircraft", departed Long Beach, California, on its maiden flight .... and a legend in world civil aviation was born.

This first ever DC-8 flight was crewed by DOUGLAS AIRCRAFT COMPANY chief test pilot Hiemie HEIMERDINGER, co-pilot William MAGRUDER, flight engineer Paul PATTON, and flight test systems engineer Bob RIZER.

T/O weight for this debut/maiden flight was restricted to 198,000 LBS .... and the aircraft was rotated, at 128 KTS, after a T/O roll of some 3,250 FT.



The T/O noise was later described by spectators as being "excruciatingly loud" as the aircraft's 4 JT3C-6 turbojet engines accelerated SHIP ONE down the Long Beach RWY, to launch the aircraft into the blue California skies, ahead of 4 plumes of thick jet black exhaust smoke .... which became a typical and distinguishing characteristic of early water/methanol injected turbojet engines of the late 1950's/early 1960's era.



This historic event was witnessed by an ensemble of some 100,000 official and non-official spectators.

DC-8 SHIP ONE remained airborne for 2 hours and 7 minutes during its debut sortie .... performing a shakedown run out over the Pacific Ocean, during which it was climbed to an altitude of 21,000 FT and achieved a cruising airspeed of some 350 KTS prior to landing at Edwards AFB, California, and from where all future DC-8 flight testing was conducted in advance of the types FAA certification .... which for the DC-8-11 was awarded on August 31st 1959.

The DC-8 was an extension of the famous DOUGLAS line of "DC" TYPE civil aircraft .... as well as becoming "the first" of what later became the equally distinguished DOUGLAS/McDONNELL-DOUGLAS line of "DC" TYPE jetliners too .... having succeeded the DC-2, DC-3, DC-4, DC-6, and DC-7 flight line .... to ultimately challenge BOEING and GENERAL DYNAMICS/CONVAIR for domination in the (then) new world market for first generation civil jet transports which began to transform/revolutionize global air travel from 1958.

From 1958 until 1961 DC-8 SHIP ONE was used in support of DOUGLAS's extensive flight testing program in aid of FAA aircraft type certification, and development of it's initial short fuselage DC-8-20, -30, -40, and -50 successors .... and which resulted in wingtip, wing chord, wing leading edge, wing slot, and a 1.5* (degree) cruise flap setting modifications being progressively applied throughout this line in order to address early under-performance issues evident with the original DC-8-11/12.

During 1960 DC-8 SHIP ONE was upgraded to DC-8-50 specification and used to flight test the first of the (then) new generation P&W JT3D SERIES fan-jet engines which powered all production DC-8-50 and SUPER 61/-62/and -63 aircraft versions.

DC-8 SHIP ONE first flew in fan-jet powered form on December 20th 1960 .... and was awarded FAA certification, as the DC-8-51, on October 10th 1961.



Beyond its DOUGLAS service life as a flight testing and development aircraft DC-8 SHIP ONE was eventually reconfigured with a standard PAX interior and commenced a civil career .... flying with a number of commercial operators (mostly under leases) throughout the 1960's, 70's, and 80's.

These included a DOUGLAS lease to NATIONAL AIRLINES (N8008D) from June 21st 1961 until May 26th 1962.



Then its sale to TRANS INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES (N8008D) on June 20th 1962 .... and with whom this aircraft remained until January 1967.



During its TIA service DC-8 SHIP ONE was also sub-leased to LUFTHANSA GERMAN AIRLINES (N8008D) from November 5th 1965 until December 1965 ....



.... and also leased to CANADIAN PACIFIC AIRWAYS (CF-CPN named "Empress of Santiago") from February 10th 1966 until January 10th 1967.



TIA eventually sold DC-8 SHIP ONE to DELTA AIR LINES (N8008D/Fleet # 800) and whom operated this aircraft from January 10th 1967 until March 23rd 1979 when it was sold to FB AYER & ASSOCIATES aviation brokers.





The aircraft was then leased to AEROMEXICO (XA-DOE named "Quintana Roo") from April 1st 1979 until July 1st 1982.



Upon the conclusion of its AEROMEXICO lease DC-8 SHIP ONE resumed its former US civil registration .... "N8008D" (although its Mexican identity .... "XA-DOE" .... was never removed from the aircraft) and was withdrawn from service, and stored at Marana, Arizona, USA, having accumulated some 60,918 hours flying time with 32,411 cycles.

It remained in long term storage at Marana until 2001. During this period the aircraft acquired "TAC COLOMBIA" titles, but, never entered service with the Colombian airline .... whom eventually sourced CARAVELLE jetliners instead.

FB AYER & ASSOCIATES then sold DC-8 SHIP ONE to FINE AIR subsidiary AGRO AIR (N8008D) on May 24th 1989 but the aircraft remained in storage at Marana.

Sometime during the late 1990's it was again sold .... to FINE AIR (N8008D/XA-DOE) .... whom acquired the aircraft for spares recovery in order to facilitate the maintenance and servicing of its DC-8-50F fleet. FINE AIR was merged into ARROW AIR during 2000, but, the latter, being a DC-8 SUPER 62F and SUPER 63F operator, had no requirement for DC-8-50 components.

Sadly, "this historic aircraft" was sold for scrap and eventually broken-up at Marana during 2001 .... rather than enduring a more dignified end of life existence as permanent exhibit within an aviation park or museum which it could, and perhaps should, have been afforded had its scrap value not exceeded, by some considerable margin, what most were able, or willing, to pay in order to ensure the preservation of "this historic jetliner" for the appreciation of both present and future generation aviation-minded communities.

Throughout its career DC-8 SHIP ONE was most easily identified by its original DOUGLAS AIRCRAFT COMPANY registration (excluding its period of service on foreign civil air registers whilst operating for both CANADIAN PACIFIC AIRWAYS and AEROMEXICO) .... if not by its original DC-8-10 type engine pylons which later supported P&W JT3D fan-jet engines from December 1960.

AND .... here's a link to "the full" article as last edited by me ....


DC-8 Dedication - The First And The Last & Development
tonymadgehjg.proboards.com/thread/9759/dc-dedication-first-last-development


Mark C
AKL/NZ