Caravelle still flying – photos

Some good news about Le Caravelle Club; their site is back online and yesterday there apparently was a brotherly visit to Arlanda by the Flying Veterans and their DC-3 SE-CFP.

http://www.lecaravelleclub.com

I always liked the sort of rounded triangle windows they had, its seemed a very curvy plain, no sharp angles

This beautiful bird never operated in this part of the world, such a shame

Well, some news for everybody. The photographer has participated on the Swedish Aviation Historical Society’s forum with some info regarding the photos.

He is part of a Swedish Air Force contingent at Kindu responsible for running the airport operations. It is a haven for old and almost forgotten beauties – IL-76, B707, B727, L-100/C-130, turboprop DC-3, AN-8, AN-12, AN-24 and such.

Some of the photos he took were rather impressive and it turns out the Captain of the Caravelle jokingly promised to do a lowpass over him right after take-off. The photographer didn’t think of it and took his bike to the runway end for some t/o shots.

After having used half the runway, the Caravelle took off, raised the gears and then remained at a very low level. Apparently the aircraft passed over him at some 4-8 metres!

The photographer’s name is Daniel and he apparently filmed the whole thing. He will return with more info on the SAHS forum, as the aircraft is there every Sunday. If any of you are fluent in Swedish, you can read it for yourselves at http://f16.parsimony.net/forum28824/messages/10918.htm.

Very nice, especially since the Swedish Le Caravelle Club seems to have disbanded or disappeared. Their website is no longer available, but their Caravelle III is still at Stockholm-Arlanda together with one derelict 10B (SE-DEC), the former III SE-DAA which doesn’t have a nose and is used for tow training, and SE-DAF, the former SAS Caravelle III which was given to the museum in 1974 and has been at Arlanda ever since. It still carries its original SAS livery with pride.

Sonnenflieger, very impressive, I liked them a lot, very nostalgic 🙂

The nose section design was bought off de Havilland for the early series I – III, to save engineering costs as it was a well designed piece already. For the later series Caravelle (6, Super Caravelle 10 and 12) the windows had to be enlarged for FAA certification IIRC, otherwise United wouldn’t be allowed to import and operate their ordered Caravelle 6N’s.

OK you history buffs:

Is it true that the cockpit section of the Caravelle was based on that of the Comet? Or is it just one of those old stories?

the cockpite windows and basic nose shape are similar to the comet. But I’m not sure if that is true

OK you history buffs:

Is it true that the cockpit section of the Caravelle was based on that of the Comet? Or is it just one of those old stories?

i flew on one once years ago when i was a kid from Heathrow to Split with JAT

A beautiful aircraft! Have flown on 3 over the years, Sterling, Transeuropa and Transwede.

Thanks for that link. Its great to see that there is at least one of these birds still flying today, and in great nick too.

This pic —> dont you think it has a concorde look to it?

I actually see a smiling aeroplane, with the windscreen being the eyes, the lights being the nostrils and the curved shadows beneath the mouth… :p

I really want to go to the museam at Orly. It sounds fab!

I will be visiting France (Dinan) in three weks time on an exchange and I don’t think I’ll be too popular with my classmates if I suggest going there!

Almost 4h drive from Dinan …

I really want to go to the museam at Orly. It sounds fab!

I will be visiting France (Dinan) in three weks time on an exchange and I don’t think I’ll be too popular with my classmates if I suggest going there!

Ahhhh. Memories of Hispania’s teardrop windowed beauties transporting holidaymakers from BHX to the Costa’s in the mid 80’s 😎

If you pass next to ORY some day, there are a Caravelle and a Concorde next to each other on the south side of the airport.
Take the N7. There is a Mercure as well.

Thanks for that link. Its great to see that there is at least one of these birds still flying today, and in great nick too.

This pic —> dont you think it has a concorde look to it?

Great – thanks for that link 🙂

Wow!

I didn’t know those lovely birds were still flying around.
Nice to know they still are!!

Well, just when you thought the hope was up for a Caravelle that’s still flying…

Here are 29 photos of an operational Caravelle 11R freighter, taken on 26 April this year in Kindu, Congo, by a Swedish UN serviceman.

http://gallery60190.fotopic.net/c163536.html

Registration is 3D-KIK but it isn’t listed on neither Airfleets.net nor AeroTransport Data Bank…strange.

What a superb surprise!

To see such a beautifull old gal still in use.

What a treat!

What a nice a/c