Here’s something I’ve wondered for a long time. Once upon a time Pan Am had a 707-321B called N880PA.
Then came the phase-out and this particular frame was retired to Davis-Monthan in 1984, where it still is although now in partly dismantled condition but with the “original” markings still intact.
There is one mystery, however. As can be seen below on, the titles say PAN AMERICAN on the recent photo from Davis-Monthan taken in April 2004 – but on the only in-service photo of N880PA on Airliners.net, taken at Helsinki in 1980, the same aircraft wears the later PAN AM titles. I think the shortened titles were introduced around 1970, when the 747 came into service.
So, why and when did this 707 have its shorter titles replaced with the original, earlier, titles? Any ideas?
First photo: N880PA at Davis-Monthan AFB, April 2004
Second photo: N880PA at Helsinki, 1980
By: Bmused55 - 30th October 2004 at 11:31
Skymonster, a treasure trove of information.
The info you can dig up amazes me!
By: Bmused55 - 30th October 2004 at 11:31
Skymonster, a treasure trove of information.
The info you can dig up amazes me!
By: Sonnenflieger - 30th October 2004 at 11:24
Wonder if there are any photos of it at Le Bourget somewhere… there would be, considering the number of books about the 707 and Pan Am that are around…
By: Sonnenflieger - 30th October 2004 at 11:24
Wonder if there are any photos of it at Le Bourget somewhere… there would be, considering the number of books about the 707 and Pan Am that are around…
By: Skymonster - 30th October 2004 at 09:55
I’ve done some further checking in my “Big Book of 707s”. I was mostly right…
N880PA c/n 20019, l/n 767
Pan American World Airways Dec68 “Clipper Emerald Isle”
ATASCO leased Dec81
Guyana Airways subleased Dec81
Stored JFK Dec82
Refurbished by Pan Am as “Clipper America” and operated flight PA114 JFK-Gander-Le Bourget 27Oct83 to commemorate 25th anniversary of 1st 707 transatlantic service
Boeing sold Apr84 ferried to Davis Monthan
Andy
By: Skymonster - 30th October 2004 at 09:55
I’ve done some further checking in my “Big Book of 707s”. I was mostly right…
N880PA c/n 20019, l/n 767
Pan American World Airways Dec68 “Clipper Emerald Isle”
ATASCO leased Dec81
Guyana Airways subleased Dec81
Stored JFK Dec82
Refurbished by Pan Am as “Clipper America” and operated flight PA114 JFK-Gander-Le Bourget 27Oct83 to commemorate 25th anniversary of 1st 707 transatlantic service
Boeing sold Apr84 ferried to Davis Monthan
Andy
By: Sonnenflieger - 30th October 2004 at 07:07
That I did not know anything at all about. Thanks very much for that piece of information, Skymonster!
By: Sonnenflieger - 30th October 2004 at 07:07
That I did not know anything at all about. Thanks very much for that piece of information, Skymonster!
By: Skymonster - 29th October 2004 at 23:42
880 was the aircraft used to comemorate ??th anniversary of the first trans-Atlantic service by 707, from JFK to Paris Le Bourget – can’t remember which anniversary but it was just before PA retired the 707 so it might have been something like 30th, but whatever it was 880 was repainted for that event so that it looked “period” to represent the first service aircraft, and then shortly after retired to Davis Monthan.
Andy
By: Skymonster - 29th October 2004 at 23:42
880 was the aircraft used to comemorate ??th anniversary of the first trans-Atlantic service by 707, from JFK to Paris Le Bourget – can’t remember which anniversary but it was just before PA retired the 707 so it might have been something like 30th, but whatever it was 880 was repainted for that event so that it looked “period” to represent the first service aircraft, and then shortly after retired to Davis Monthan.
Andy
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October 29, 2004 at 11:05 pm