News 2024, 7-

De Havilland Comet Collection by Operators is complete

The G-APDJ Comet 4 in basic BOAC colors and with Qantas titles marks the completion of the Comet collection. Although Qantas never purchased a British Comet, they did wet-lease six Comet 4s from BOAC between November 1959 and May 1963. This was to enhance their Sydney-Singapore-London service. The planes retained their original BOAC paint but had 'QANTAS' printed on the upper fuselage and the wing slipper tanks.

A new ad to the de Havilland Comet Collection

This Comet 4 of Ghana Airways is now part of the Zoggavia Collection, completing the Comet operators' lineup.

In the early 1960s, BOAC leased Comet 4s to several airlines. One such example was G-APDA, which operated for Ghana Airways from 1961 to 1962. The West African airline had previously leased Boeing Stratocruisers and Bristol Britannias from BOAC.

De Havilland Comet 3 G-ANLO World Tour
2 December to 28 December 1955.

The task of the Comet 3 was two-fold: to provide a vehicle for Mk.4 development (and, in the process, speed up the Certification program) and, secondly, parallel with this work, the airplane can be used as a promotional tool. 

Nothing illustrates G-ANLO's public relations potential better than the round-the-world trip taken by John Cunningham and Peter Buggé and De Havilland executives, engineers, and pilots of BOAC and Qantas.

The Comet flew from Hatfield to Cairo, then made stops at various locations, including Bombay, Singapore, Darwin, Sydney, Auckland, Nadi, Honolulu, Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, and London Heathrow Airport to complete the world tour.

British Aviation after World War II

While 52 companies in Britain designed and produced their own aircraft and engines in 1950, today, there are less than 10.

Zoggavia offers insight into the rise and fall of British aviation history. At its peak in 1950, Britain was a leader in the development of jet airliners and turboprop engines. Interestingly, most privately developed aircraft had greater international success than the characteristics specified by the Brabazon Committee or required by the state-owned airlines BOAC and BEA. Politics and, to some extent, poor management also played a part in the decline of a once-thriving industry.

Find out more, here:

Zoggavia's Comet webpage

Ever since I became interested in aviation, the history of the Comet has been a significant fascination for me. I was captivated by its elegant appearance, the groundbreaking technological advances made in the 1940s, and the tragic events that caused the abrupt end of commercial jet travel in the early 1950s.

Despite de Havilland's efforts, the Comet failed to capitalize on its initial successes, and with only 114 aircraft built across all series, the pioneer of modern air travel was nearly forgotten.

Afterwards, the Comet had a second life as the Hawker Siddeley HS.801 Nimrod maritime patrol aircraft, serving until 2011—more than 60 years after the first flight of the Comet 1 in 1949.

Comet Website by Zoggavia includes:

- The development and history of the Comet family

- Information about civilian and military owners with links to corresponding Comet photos

- Technical data

- The true background of the Comet disaster

It also features an additional Nimrod page with a photo gallery.

The Cometra website covers the formative years of the Comet
and the development of the Mk.4 and it’s introduction into airline service.

The first Firebomber

The first fee-fall (uncontained) water drop ever made on a real wildfire is, generally credited to, a 170-gallon tank Stearman cropduster modified with a drop door, on 13 August 1955. However the the first TBM ever tanked, the Paul Mantz Air Services TBM-1C N9394H made two operational drops on the Jamison Fire (near Lake Elsinore, CA) on 1 September 1954, one year earlier.

The WW II Navy bomber type crashed while borate bombing a forest fire killing the Pilot Joseph Anthony of Paul Mantz Aviation operating on behalf of the Fire Service on 19 August 1958.

In the meantime, Zoggavia added more images of Firebombers to the Gallery.

Attention slide collectors!

Zoggavia auctions rare and often one-of-a-kind slides from our collection. You can find these slides on marketplaces such as AirlineSlides and eBay.

They are accessible through Zoggavia's Store/Bid page.

Additionally, we promote exceptional slides along with background information on Zoggavia's Facebook page. 

We regret to inform you that the slide is no longer available. However, you have the option to purchase a high-resolution scan for your specific needs, here.

- The Art of Aviation Photography - Clutter and open doors

When I started photographing planes, I aimed for clear weather, no people, and minimal clutter. Now, I focus on capturing the lively airport atmosphere, from fashion to the people, unloading the planes. Where you can almost smell avgas and oil. The possibilities are endless.

Zoggavia Collection maintains a special Gallery - Airport Scenes - with 1000+ images,  taken on busy airports, showing the planes being serviced, people disembarking and embarking, fuel trucks, and much more.

Check out the images grouped by the following categories:

Scenic  -  Night  -  Snow  -  Refueling  -  Terrace 

Or use your own criteria:

Mackey International Airlines 

Zoggavia contributed images from the 60ies and 7oties to the Airways Magazine article about Mackey:

The original Mackey Airlines was founded by Colonel Joseph Mackey in 1946. It was later merged into Eastern Airlines in early 1967. Following this, Colonel Mackey established a new commuter carrier called Mackey International on February 1, 1969. The airline gradually expanded, developing a large route network that served the Bahamas and the British West Indies from the Florida gateways of Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach. Sadly, after a period of decline, the airline merged with Charter Airlines in 1979 and stopped all flights in 1981.

Aircraft types operated included: Beech 99, Twin Otter, Convair 440, Convair 340, Shorts Skyvan, Douglas DC-6, Piper Navajo, Convair 580, and Douglas DC-8.

Helicopter Services into Manhatten 

New York Airways was established in 1949 as a mail and cargo carrier. Over time, it expanded its services to cater to passengers traveling to and from major airports in the greater New York City area.

From its humble beginnings with the Sikorsky S-55 helicopter, which could accommodate eight passengers, New York Airways rapidly expanded its fleet. In 1956, the Sikorsky S-58, capable of carrying up to 12 passengers, was added. This growth continued with the introduction of the Vertol V-44, which could carry 20 passengers, and the Boeing Vertol BV 107-II, seating 25 passengers. The airline's last aircraft, the Sikorsky S-61, could accommodate up to 25 people, marking a significant milestone in its fleet expansion.

Unfortunately, the carrier ceased operations in 1979 due to unfortunate circumstances and tragic events.

TAN - Transportes Aereos Nacionales

TAN was established in August 1947 and initially operated charter cargo flights between Tegucigalpa and Miami, FL. The airline expanded its services to include scheduled passenger and cargo flights to various destinations in the US and Latin America. Over the years, it entered into agreements with other airlines, like Lanica, added new aircraft to its fleet, and eventually merged with SAHSA in 1991.

50 years ago - when a Finnish DC-6 flew regular freight schedules throughout Europe

In the summer of 1974, I had the opportunity to fly on a unique Finnair cargo flight aboard a swingtail modified DC-6. Our journey took us from Helsinki to Amsterdam and then to London Heathrow. The cargo handling process at Heathrow was efficient, and we departed as the only piston-engined aircraft heading back to Helsinki, where we landed in the afternoon.

Zoggavia British Eagle images in the Airways Magazine

The Airways Magazine shared a captivating story in its July issue about one of the largest and most renowned independent airlines in Great Britain. Exceptional and rare images provided by Zoggavia complement the narrative, adding depth and richness to the overall experience. 

One of the designs based on the Bristol Britannia - Canadair's CL-44

In 1952, the Royal Canadian Air Force sought a new logistics support aircraft to replace its aging DC-4M/C-54GM North Star fleet. Canadair used the Britannia's design, for which the manufacturer held the license, to develop the CL-44, officially entering service on 19 July 1960 as the CC-106 Yukon. Canadair built only 12 Yukons, mainly serving with the 437 Transport Squadron, with an additional two operated by the 412 Transport Squadron as VIP transport aircraft.

Although Canadair aimed to attract passenger airlines with the CL-44, there was little interest due to the preference for jet aircraft. However, cargo carriers found the CL-44 more profitable to operate due to its significantly lower fuel consumption compared to jet-powered aircraft.
Canadair equipped the CL-44 with a "swing tail" mechanism to appeal to cargo airlines for quicker loading and unloading. Despite efforts to attract cargo airlines, only three carriers ordered the CL-44: Seaboard World Airlines, Flying Tiger Line, and Slick Airways. Canadair built 39 CL-44s, 12 for military use and 23 for cargo operations. Loftleidir Icelandic later stretched the planes to accommodate 189 passengers, making the CL-44 the largest commercial aircraft flying over the Atlantic Ocean at the time. Unfortunately, the Canadair CL-44 was involved in 21 hull-loss incidents over its lifetime.

Zoggavia represents most of the CL-44s operated by first and second-tier airlines throughout its career.

The Scandinavian Convairs - SAS

Scandinavian Airlines System, SAS, purchased 20 Metropolitans to replace the DC-3 and Saab Scandia on short-haul flights because they lacked pressure cabins. SAS was one of the first customers of the CV-440 variant, initially using it for inter-Scandinavian and European flights before moving it to domestic services. Most of the aircraft were taken over by Linjeflyg towards the end of their service life. This model is the only SAS aircraft that has never been involved in an accident.

When I was in Copenhagen and Malmö, I got to see and take pictures of the last SAS Metros in action. I also managed to collect some vintage shots over time. They're all part of the Zoggavia Collection. Check them out and enjoy!

The Vickers Viscount - Britain's most successful airliner

The first production, Vickers Viscount, took its maiden flight in August 1952. The type was put into service in April of the following year, replacing the Ambassadors and DC-3s with the UK’s second national carrier, British European Airways, which operated short-haul flights. Both passengers and operators preferred the Viscount thanks to its reductions in vibration, noise, and panoramic windows, the latter mainly due to its economic advantages. Vickers quickly offered stretched versions with increased capacity, further contributing to its popularity. Over 60 operators purchased the Viscount in 40 countries, and it successfully entered the US market with 147 sold to American carriers. In total, 445 Viscounts were built by Vickers, and the last was not retired from commercial service until 1996. Its immense success kept the Weybridge factory busy for years and solidified Vickers’ position as the largest aircraft manufacturer in the UK.

The Vickers Viscount had a profound impact on Capital Airlines. According to data from ATDB.aero, this type of aircraft made up a significant portion of the carrier's fleet, with 81 out of 251 aircraft being Viscounts, accounting for almost a third of their fleet. The majority of these (76 aircraft) were Viscount 745Ds, with the remainder comprised of three Viscount 744s and two Viscount 812s.

Capital ordered other British-built aircraft, such as the De Havilland Comet 4 series (four Mk.4 and 10 Mk.4A aircraft) and the 5 Bristol 175 Britannia 305, but due to financial challenges, it never took delivery of them.

Capital merged into United on 1 June 1961.

Dedicated Website to the Vickers Viscount