Friggin’ non-bump time out post, grumble grumble. 
Yes, that’s true, Crusoe - Stork bought some of the components from Dasa. What I should have said is that IIRC, Fokker Aerospace is the only still remaining independant part. But wherever the old Fokker entities may reside within Stork, the truth is simple: they do not build airplanes anymore.
Very cool website. A few questions popped in my head while looking around.
I tried to Google the answers myself to no avail.
-
How often do they change the paint schemes? Many of the jobs seemed promotional to me, so I would imagine often, however wouldn’t painting a 747 be a laborious undertaking?
-
They hand polish AF-1 before every flight?
-
The South African Airways 747 with the 5th engine. They said it was being taken to the destination for repair. Wouldn’t it be easier to throw the engine into a cargo plane? I didn’t even know a 747 was capable of carrying a 5th engine. (it is off I assume)
Any thoughts Dopers?
Painting a 747 is a hell of a job, so a paint job usually lasts a coupe of years, I imagine. But you don’t have to respray an entire plane to get a new look, as this custom tail fin on a BA 747 demonstrates.
Sometimes, they do go the extra mile, and you wonder how much this must have cost: an Air France Concorde in Pepsi colour scheme!
The AF1 tidbit about the handpolish was new to me too. Could be a BIT of an exaggeration, but I bet it gets a good clean before a diplomatic flight.
The SA 747 with the 5th engine is not too uncommon. Yes, the engine is switched off, and is just mounted on a wing. You could send a cargo plane, but if one of your 747’s is stranded in Frankfurt with a busted engine, and you’ve got another one flying there the next day anyway… all it does is increase drag, so it’ll cost some more fuel. Still, cheaper than sending an extra cargo plane! I think it’s kinda cool, actually.
Some of these pics are SO cool.
A Dutch aviation museum has bought a Lockheed Constellation, which they are restoring in Arizona. It’s nearly ready, and will be flown to the Netherlands under its own power. They’ve been working on it for 5 years, and it will be one of six flying Connies in the world.
Here it is, test-flying over the Arizona desert. I can’t wait to see this thing once it arrives here!
What a beauty.
Thanks Coldie.
In addition to increased drag, would the performance of the plane be affected any other way?
Do they use certain pilots that are trained for handling a plane with an addition deadweight engine?
I honestly don’t know, WE.
I’d imagine a similar drag is simulated on the other wing by adjusting, uh, those spoiler thingies.
(No, I’m no expert, just an enthusiast, why do you ask?)
In any case, I’m sure there’s a way to artificially balance the plane, to the exent that it handles the same left and right, so the net effect is probably just a rather heavy and somewhat slow 747.
Thought ya might know. That Juliana airport in St. Martin is insane, I plan on going there with a coupla six packs and to work on my tan someday.
Are you speaking of the paint job on AF1? It’s been largely unchanged since Raymond Loewy redid it for JFK back in 1963. Slight changes appeared (IIRC, the presidential seal was moved) in the switch from 707 to 747, but the overall design is now almost 40 years old. It’s a beaut, IMHO.
There are more planes than just the two in the presidental fleet. There was a story on them in Flying magazine a few years ago. I don’t recall how many there were, though. But I didn’t realize they had two 747’s.
Seems that the predecessor 707 that was used up until 1990 was also a twin couple. Planes before that were “single”.
And yeah, the AF1 paint scheme is absolutely stunning.