Replacing an earlier scanned slide with a better version 12-May-15, plus Topaz DeNoise AI 18-Oct-23.

Caledonian Airways were operating the Libyan Haj Pilgrimage in early 1969. Three weeks flying the pilgrims out to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, then a week while the Haj was on and another three weeks bringing them all back. In the week in between the Caledonian staff positioned out to Gatwick, and then back again on Kingdom of Libya Caravelles.

5A-DAE was delivered new to KLA Kingdom of Libya Airlines in Apr-67. After the coupe in Sep-69, KLA was renamed Libyan Arab Airlines.

This aircraft had a short flying life, it was withdrawn from use at Tripoli in Apr-75 after only 8 years in service and was eventually broken up.

Tags:   jet airliner jetliner 5A-DAE SE.210 Caravelle 6R Sud Aviacion KLA Kingdom of Libya Airlines

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Replacing an earlier scanned slide with a better version 09-May-15, plus Topaz DeNoise AI 17-Aug-23.

This was taken at Sebha, Libya, about 600miles south of Tripoli, where Caledonian was operating Haj Pilgrimage flights for Kingdom of Libya Airlines. If you look closely you will see that the No:3 prop is feathered and the aircraft wasn't about to go anywhere anytime soon.... (and thereby hangs a tale.. much too long to tell here...). There was no catering, no fuel and the red Land Rover was THE Fire Service! To say the least, it was an 'interesting' day.

Named: "County of Perth".

Delivered new to Canadian Pacific Air Lines in Aug-58 as CF-CZW, it was leased to British Eagle International in May-64 for the summer season, becoming G-ASTF.

It was returned to Canadian Pacific in Oct-64 and reverted to CF-CZW. It became G-ASTF again when it was sold to Caledonian Airways in Feb-66.

It was retired from service in Nov-69 and stored at London-Gatwick. A service life of only 11 years, not long by todays standards. It was broken up at Gatwick a year later, in Oct-70.

Tags:   G-ASTF Bristol Britannia 314 Caledonian Airways aircraft airplane airliner jetprop turboprop propliner aviation broken up

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Replacing an earlier scanned slide with a better version 16-May-15, plus Topaz DeNoise AI 12-Oct-23.

Sneaky photo taken at Tripoli from behind a GPU.

Originally built as a B720-060B, ordered by Ethiopian Airlines as ET-AAG. The order was cancelled and the aircraft first flew using the Boeing registration N93136.

It was converted to B720-068B standard and delivered to Saudi Arabian Airlines as HZ-ACA in Dec-61. It was sold to Overseas International Distributors in Oct-79 and stored at Van Nuys, CA, USA.

It was re-registered N2628Y in Dec-81 and sold to Sonico Inc. They ferried it to Moses Lake, WA, USA, where it was stored again and used for spares. It was finally broken up there in Oct-82.

Tags:   HZ-ACA Boeing B720-068B Saudia Saudi Arabian Airlines aircraft airplane airliner jet jetliner aviation broken up

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Replacing an earlier scanned slide with a better version 12-May-15, plus Topaz DeNoise AI 27-Mar-23.

Kingdom of Libya Airlines, leased from/operated by Aero Transport Italiani (ATI).

I had just flown from Tripoli to Sebha in this machine to handle some Caledonian Haj flights on Bristol Britannia's. I'd only been with Caledonian for 4 days and suddenly I was in Tripoli, 5 days later I was at Sebha in the middle of the Sahara. It was also in Sebha that I met Colonel Ghaddafi - but that's another story...

First flown with the Fokker temporary registration PH-FFP, this aircraft was originally ordered by Alitalia but not taken up. It was delivered new to ATI Aero Transporti Italiani in May-64 and immediately leased to KLA Kingdom of Libya Airlines.

It was returned to ATI in Nov-69 after the coupe which brought Col Gaddafi to power. It was sold to KLM Royal Dutch Airlines as PH-KFG in Mar-75 and transferred to NLM Cityhopper two months later.

It was sold back to Fokker in Nov-90, leased to Aircraft Finance & Trading BV and stored at Woensdrecht, Netherlands. It was sub-leased to the F-27 Friendship Association between Nov-93/Feb-94 and again between Mar-95/Aug-96.

It was sub-leased to WDL Flugdienst in Sep-96, still as PH-KFG, becoming D-BAKF in Apr-98. It was eventually retired and stored at Cologne, Germany, in late 1999 (or early 2000?).

Tags:   I-ATIM Fokker F.27 Friendship 200 KLA Kingdom of Libya Airlines (ATI) (Aero Transport Italiani) aircraft airplane airliner jetprop turboprop propliner

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Replacing an earlier scanned slide with a better version 12-May-15, plud Topaz DeNoise AI 03-May-23.

One of my favourites, an Alitalia Cargo DC-9-32F taken at Tripoli in 1969

Built as a freighter and delivered new to Alitalia Cargo in May-68. It only served with Alitalia for 4 years before being sold to ONA Overseas National Airways as N938F in Feb-72.

It was sold to Evergreen International Airlines in Oct-76 and the US Navy bought it in Aug-84, serialled Bu163037. After 32 years in service it was retired and stored in 2000.

Tags:   I-DIKG DC-9-32F Douglas aircraft airplane jet freighter Alitalia Cargo cargo aviation permanently retired

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