Propliner Magazine

19/06/2026

19/06/2026

19/06/2026

A less than pristine Douglas DC-3 caught by the camera of William M Keel passing through Love Field, Dallas, in November 1993. N4550J (c/n 6055) enjoyed a long and varied career before being flown to Russia in July 2015 by Frank and Glen Moss in company with DC-3 N12BA. Built in 1942 as a Douglas C-47 and given the USAAF serial 41-38672 this aircraft served in Africa during World War Two, and was civilianised as F-BEFF with Aigle Azur in November 1947. Following later service with Union Aeromaritime de Transport, she was transferred to the French Air Force in November 1955. In July 1973 she resumed airline operations with Air Antilles as F-OGFJ and later flew with Air Martinique and Air Guadeloupe before arriving at Opa Locka in May 1983, where she was offered for sale and registered N4550J to F.V. Moss on October 4 1983. A decade later she was acquired by Dodson International and operated on freight charters. Cancelled from the U.S. register on September 20 2016, this aircraft was in the care of the Central Armed Forces Museum, but her current status is unconfirmed.

15/06/2026

1940-vintage Douglas DC-3A N25673 (c/n 2213) was initially delivered to American Airlines on May 8 1940. Post-war she was sold to Trans Texas Airways in November 1947, and later flew with Texas International, Tradewinds Aviation and the legendary Provincetown-Boston Airline, with whom she was registered N130PB and later N30PB. Having briefly flown in Eastern Express livery, she was stored at Hyannis by August 1988, and on May 24 1989 she was delivered to the Continental Historical Society and restored in full Continental Airlines livery as N25673. Pictured here at Love Field, Dallas, in October 1990, this beauty was donated to the Lone Star Flight Museum of Galveston, Texas, in December 2003. This image was caught by the camera of William M. Keel to whom we offer our sincere thanks for taking full advantage of the Texan sunshine.

10/06/2026

Copies of the 176-page 2026 "Propliner" Annual are available from www.propliner.co.uk

10/06/2026

Lockheed only built elegant airliners. Lockheed L-1049G Super Constellation F-BGNG (c/n 4516) spent her entire flying career on the French register. Originally handed over to Air France as an L-1049C on October 2 1953, she was acquired by CATAIR in June 1968 and subsequently flown on both passenger and freight charters. She is pictured at Liverpool (Speke) Airport on the afternoon of July 21 1970 having flown a consignment of Ford spares from Saarbrucken, following which the aircraft ferried out to Paris (Orly). During 1970 CATAIR's Super Connies flew several Ford charters between Saarbrucken and Liverpool, with the majority flown by F-BRNH beginning on March 11 1970. This image comes from the collection of the late Peter R Keating, who passed it on to Tony Eastwood, and we would like to express our thanks to Tony's family for allowing us to share this splendid view of one of the world's most beautiful airliners.

02/06/2026

A handful of Canadair CL-44Ds and CC-106 Yukons served with freight companies in South America, including former Royal Canadian Air Force Yukon OB-R-1005 (c/n 6), which was bought by Aeronaves del Peru in March 1975. Seen here seconds before touchdown at Miami by the camera of Steve Gartner, this aircraft was later damaged in an accident at Iquitos on July 1 1980. Rebuilt, she went on to serve with Vic Air Cargo in Zaire in November 1982 as 9Q-CKQ, before joining Virunga Air Cargo a year later. She was withdrawn from service at Kinshasa on October 11 1985. This splendid shot comes from the collection of Howard Lee, and we would like to thank Howard and Steve for sharing this picture with other "Propliner" enthusiasts.

29/05/2026

Aerovias operated a small fleet of Dart Heralds in Guatemala during the late-eighties/early-nineties. Series 206 TG-ASA (c/n 166) was originally delivered to Eastern Provincial Airways in Canada as CF-EPI in February 1963. Purchased by British Air Ferries (BAF), she was delivered to Southend on January 28 1975 and after crew training was placed into service on February 20 flying a service from Southend to Rotterdam. Retired from BAF service early in February 1987, she was initially stored before beginning a slow overhaul at Southend on November 14 1987. Sold to Aerovias as TG-ASA and painted in a simple blue, green and white livery she departed from Southend for Prestwick at the beginning of her ferry flight on April 21 1988. She arrived at Miami on April 26, where she was promptly repainted into the red, blue and white livery seen in the accompanying photograph, which was taken by Siegmar Fieweger at Tikal Airport in March 1990, and contributed to "Propliner" many years ago. We thank Siegmar for capturing this beauty on home territory whilst operating passenger services in a 50-seat configuration.

27/05/2026

As part of the 90th Anniversary celebrations, Aer Lingus has confir...

27/05/2026