Post by viscount on Nov 7, 2009 20:42:56 GMT 1
THE CONVAIRLINERS AT LIVERPOOL AIRPORT
Probably my favourite looking passenger aeroplane of the piston engined era, the clean, smooth lines, modern nose-wheel arrangement and streamlined piston engines combined to make a very attractive aircraft. The Convairs have appeared at Speke over a long period of time, although, with the exception of a few years visits have never been numerous.
I only ever managed to fly in one - and that was from Manchester on a very late night TAS AEF charter on Cv.440 LN-MAP of Nor-Fly in late May 1978.
I know that a review of visits by Convairs will bring back memories of the 'golden years' from the balcony for those old enough to have been around at the time. For those who are too young, then www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convair_CV-240_family and www.wikipedia.org/wiki/C-131_Samaritan will supply plenty of background information on the type.
Over the years the Convairliners progressed from the initial Cv.240 (type first flight 1946), through the slightly stretched Cv.340 and Cv.440, along with military T-29 and C-131s, which were all piston powered. The later Cv.640 (Darts) and Cv.580 (Allison 501) were turbine powered conversions, that extended the life of the type until quite recent times. There were other marks/conversions such as Cv.540, Cv.600, CL-66/CC-109, but these never called at Liverpool.
The Fifties
1950
The first visit of type has been traced by Phil Butler right back to 20th May 1950 and PH-TEF a Convair Cv.240 of K.L.M. with individual aircraft name 'Frans Hals', most probably a diversion.
1952
On 21st February, KLM diverted a Cv.240 flight into Liverpool due to weather at Manchester. Operated by PH-TEC.
1950-1957
Unfortunately there is no available full record of aircraft visiting Liverpool until 1958. Therefore there are very possibly unknown visits during the Fifties. I cannot find any 1958 visits in 'Northern Aeronews' magazine of the MGAE, but have found just the one for the following year. Many thanks to PHB for finding the two earlier visits listed above.
1959
A USAF Convair T-29B 0-91941 called on 5th May, routing from Sculthorpe to Dishforth, operated by the 47th BW. For those unfamiliar with USAF registrations at the time, the 0- prefix to the registration signified 'obsolete' for an aircraft over 10 years old, so 49-1941 must only recently had had the serial presentation changed. At the end of the entries I'll list the full fiscal year registration for all the USAF visitors, and an indication of their fate.
The Sixties
1960
Two civilian Convairs called in 1960. On 29th March a Cv.340 PH-CGI of KLM called, from and to Amsterdam. Presumably a divert, but such information has been lost in the mists of time. This was followed on 15th October by a Cv.240 of LOT SP-LPD from and to Amsterdam. This was a few days before LOT sent an equally exciting Il-14 into Speke.
The were no Convairliner visits in 1961.
1962
On 10th October KLM visited again, this time with Cv.340 PH-CGH on flight KL8409 from & to Amsterdam.
1963
Two KLM Cv.340 aircraft visited during June. On 5th June PH-CGH operated from and to Amsterdam, while on 11th June PH-CGF operated a charter on behalf of the Ford Motor Company for the opening of the Halewood plant. Executives arrived from Southend and departed for Cologne. Towards the end of the year, on 16th November, Sabena Cv.440 OO-SCL diverted in due weather at Manchester, routing from Birmingham to Brussels.
1964
Visits by Cv.340's continued with Martin's Air Charter's PH-CGD on 1st May routing Amsterdam to Southend. Sabena too called again, with their Cv.440 OO-SCP on 23rd November, from & to Brussels, possibly football related charter?
1965
Speke spotters did not have to wait long in 1965 for their first Convair as USAF C-131D 42814 as 'MAC814' called on 18th January, routing from Wiesbaden in West Germany to Northolt. The other two visits by Convairs in 1965 were both by aircraft that had visited before. PH-CGD of Martin's Air Charter called on 13th October, from & to Amsterdam, while OO-SCL of Sabena arrived on 30th November, departing on 2nd December, operated from & to Brussels, almost certainly an Anderlect FC football related charter.
1966
Although the aircraft had been to Liverpool before, this was the first visit by a turbo-prop engined Convair Cv.640. Now with Martinair, PH-CGD visited on 12th and again on 14th December and night stopped. Both visits were football charters, from & to Amsterdam. This was a first visit by the Dart engined conversion, the Convair Cv.640. The aircraft was converted Spring 1966 and had previously visited as a Cv.340/440.
1967
First to call in 1967 was a USAF VC-131D 50294 on 27th February, Northolt to Birmingham. The same aircraft called again later in the year on 18th September Northolt to Shawbury.
The USAF brought in a first visit on 3rd April by a C-131A(M) Samaritan (although always refered to at the time as a MC-131A). The Samaritans were used for hospital medical flights. The aircraft had a prominent 'Red Cross' logo on the tail to signify their role. 0-25788 called a couple of times in April, however from mid August the Samaritans became very regular visitors with a twice weekly operation, usually on Tuesday and Thursday - an operation which was to last for around five years and were connected with the US Army medical storage facility at Burtonwood. A core of the same 5 aircraft were used throughout this period, with additional airframes appearing in 1968 and 1971. One of the regular 5 has been mentioned above, the other four being 0-25805 first visit 16th August from & to Mildenhall; 0-25806 first visit 28th August from Prestwick to Mildenhall; 0-25787 on 25th September from Ballykelly NI to Mildenhall and 0-25790 on 9th October from Aberdeen to Mildenhall. Last flight of the year was on 27th December with 0-25788 from & to Mildenhall.
In all my excitement over the foundly remembered Samaritans, nearly omitted the sole civilian Convair of 1967, another visit by Martinair's Cv.640 PH-CGD, arrived 6th November and night stopped, routed from Luton to Amsterdam.
1968
The record year, with no less than 12 different aircraft, up from 7 the year before and down to 7 again in the subsequent two years.
Civilians first, with a number of visits (ships crew changes?) by Polaris of Norway with their Cv.240s. First was LN-KLT on 21st February, from Luton to Oslo. LN-KLU called on 4th April as flight PD451 from Kristiansund to Oslo, and calling again 4th July from Oslo to Edinburgh Turnhouse. On 6th April LN-KAP from Oslo to Antwerp. Much later in the year Martinair yet again used their Cv.640 PH-CGD on 2nd October and night stopped, operating from Amsterdam to Brussels.
The USAF Samaritan operation continued throughout the year, 0-25805 was first of the year on 3rd January, Prestwick to Mildenhall, while last visit of the year was 28th December with 0-25806 from & to Mildenhall. All five of the regulars: 0-25787, 0-25788, 0-25790, 0-25805 & 0-25806 appeared frequently, however they were joined by 0-25796 from 30th September for a few weeks, first appearing from Prestwick to Mildenhall, 0-25797 from 14th October for a few visits, again first appearing from Prestwick to Mildenhall and finally 0-25801 for just a very few visits from 18th November, again appearing from Prestwick and departing to Mildenhall. Final visit of the year was operated by regular, 0-25806 on 18th December from & to Mildenhall.
1969
Martinair appeared on a charter flight again in 1969, but this time with Cv.640 PH-MAL pm 22th May, as usual from & to Amsterdam. The C-131A(M) Samaritan operation continued, however only the 'core' five aircraft were used during the year: 0-25787, 0-25788, 0-25790, 0-25805 & 0-25806. The one variation was Convair VT-29B 17899 on 23rd July from Filton to Northolt, possibly subsituting for a C-47 communications flight.
The Seventies
1970
The regular five Samaritans continued to call throughout the year with: 0-25787, 0-25788, 0-25790, 0-25805 & 0-25806. Civilians involved Cv.640 HB-IMM of SATA operated a day return charter from and to Montpellier with guests for the opening of the new Massey Ferguson plant on 11th June. On 21st July Martinair's Cv.640 PH-CGD revisited, from Amsterdam to Le Harve, reappearing later in the day on the return routing.
1971
After 7 different aircraft appearing in both 1969 and 1970, 1971 was the second best year, with 10 different aircraft (1968 being the record with 12).
The regular Samaritans continued to operate, with 0-25787, 0-25788, 0-25790, 0-25805, 0-25806, while new to Liverpool was 0-25804 which appears to have visited just the once, on 18th January from Prestwick to Mildenhall. The flights continued at a rate of one or two a week throughout the year with the last flight operated by 0-25787 on 27th December from Mildenhall to Prestwick. This was the last visit by a C-131A(M) Samaritan to visit Speke. Another VT-29D apeared in the form of 0-25832 twice on 10th June, from Northolt to Prestwick and later from Leeds to Northolt.
Of interest to the enthusiast the West German Air Force brought in a visit by Cv.440 12+04 on 19th January from Cologne and onwards to Warton using the flight's Diplomatic Clearance Number 'DCN4363' as a call-sign.
Martinair's Cv.640 PH-CGD appeared at least twice during the year. On 13th June it called from Amsterdam to Rotterdam and later in the day the reverse routing, while on 27th June Amsterdam to Le Harve, returning with the reverse routing later in the day. This was to be the last visit by the civilian Convairliner most frequently seen at Liverpool - and the only aircraft to appear before and after turbine conversion. Martinair also brought Cv.640 PH-MAL into Liverpool again, on 7th August a charter operated from Amsterdam and out to Rotterdam, only to reappear later the same day on the return routing.
1972
Although the Samaritan flights had finished, two further American military Convairs appeared during the year. VT-29B 0-17899 reappeared after several years, operating on 3rd April from Mildenhall to London/Heathrow. The other was the first of a number of visits over the next ten years by the U.S. Navy's communications VC-131F aircraft, which had replaced their C-117A Super Dakotas. 141021 routed from Mildenhall to Northolt on 3rd September. Final aircraft was Cv-640 HB-IMM of SATA making a reappearance on 16th October and night stopping, routing from Zurich to London Gatwick.
1973
A new visitor, LN-MTT a Cv-440 of Stellar called on 1st July from Torp to Oslo/Gardermoen. A week later on 7th July LN-MTT operated on a reverse routing. A little over a month later the USAF provided 0-15159 a T-29B routing Mildenhall to Northolt on 20th August.
Down from 3 aircraft in 1972, to just 2 in 1973, fell to none in 1974, the first break in visits since 1961. However fortunes changed in 1975 with a return to 3 aircraft.
1975
13801 a VT-29B called early in the year, on 17th January, routing from EDAT (code for a military field in Germany) to Filton, using the call-sign 'Clue 41'. Later in the year the USN returned with NAF Mildenhall based 141009 which on 6th November routed Prestwick to Mildenhall.
Sole American civilian to call at Liverpool, an executive aircraft, was Cv.440 N5DG registered to Maspeth Seven Leasing Corporation which arrived on 14th September and night stopped. It routed London Heathrow to Paris/Le Bourget, transporting Alice Cooper on tour.
With less aircraft around Europe, visits to Liverpool by Convairliners did not appear every year. I'll title only those years, although the type in twenty years time was to rise to 4 different aircraft in a year - quietly the Convairliner series has proved to be a very prolonged type in service.
1978
In connection with a visit by USS Guadalcanal to Liverpool Docks, USN C-131F 141009 called again, this time on Monday 16th October, routing from Brawdy to Dublin.
1979
On 4th April Nor-Fly of Norway brought in their Cv.440 LN-MAP routing from Torp to Cambridge on a charter.
On Thursday 6th December NAF Mildenhall's C-131F 141023 diverted in at 1552 with engine trouble while en route Lisbon to Prestwick. On Friday 7th NAF Mildenhall's other C-131F 141009 operated from & to Mildenhall with spares and mechanics. 141023 eventually left on Sunday 9th for Mildenhall after repair.
The Eighties
1982
Although NAF Mildenhall had lost their Convair VC-131F's during 1981 when replaced by UC-12F's, they continued in service with NAS Sigonella, Naples. VC-131F 141020 visited on Wednesday 3rd February with a visiting USN Admiral. He arrived from Newcastle and left the following day for Northolt. Flights operated with call-sign 'Catburg 1020'. Unnoticed at the time, this was the last visit to Liverpool by a piston engined Convairliner.
1984
On a ship crew change charter Nor-Fly's Cv.580 LN-BWG on Tuesday 17th April operated from & to Stavanger as flight WN627/628, at Liverpool 1305-1405. First visit by an Allison engined conversion, the Cv.580 - the only version to visit from this point in the story.
1985
Another new operator, ScanBee of Sweden, brought Cv.580 SE-IEY to iverpool on a Ford's freight charter inbound on 17th January, landing at 2358 from Saarbrucken, it left at 1715 the next day for Gothenburg empty.
1987
By now Liverpool, from late April 1986, was operating all commerical flights from the South Airfield site and new terminal.
Convair Cv.580 LN-BWG called again, now operated by Partnair. On Tuesday 10th November operated a ship's crew change charter, from Oslo/Gardermoen to Tronheim, using flight numbers PAR864/864E, on the ground 2122-2217.
1988
Cv.580 LN-BWG now in full Ryanair scheme called f&t Dublin on scheduled flight RYR870/871 on Saturday 16th July at Liverpool 0951-1046. Named "Spirit of Cladagh", it was only in use with Ryanair for three months, and only called at Liverpool just the once.
The Nineties
1991
By now the few Convairliners based in Europe were used on freight and small package overnight delivery work. DHL in Belgium built up a small fleet of Cv.580s and during the 'Nineties made infrequent visits to Liverpool.
OO-DHB was used on a Ford charter with motor parts inbound on Wed 15th May, from Saarbrucken to Brussels, at Liverpool 2257-16/0019 with call-sign BCS961 operated by European Air Transport in DHL colours.
1994
OO-DHH a Cv.580 of DHL diverted in from EMA in the early morning of 16th March along with other small parcel flights. Arrived fom Paris and departed to EMA once the weather had cleared. Operated as BCS5944. OO-DHC diverted into Liverpool on Wednesday 12th October at 0425 from Paris CdG, but the intended destination of Coventry was covered in fog. At 2148 OO-DHC departed to continue its journey to Coventry. Flight numbers BCS5960/5659.
1995
No less than four European Air Transport Convair Cv-580s visited in the same month on extra flights. On Thursday 13th April OO-HUB from Nuremburg to Brussels as BCS7930/7932, day-stop at Liverpool 0504 until 2305. Two called at either end of Thursday 20th April, with OO-DHD again Nuremburg to Brussels, on flight numbers BCS7930/5930 at Liverpool 0207-0254; while on the same flight routing, the same evening as BCS7930/5932 was OO-DHI on the ground 2138 until 2222. Finally, on Tuesday 25th April OO-DHJ routed from Nuremburg, but to Luton as BCS7930/5414, on the ground 0232-0331. I cannot locate any further Cv.580 flights in subsequent months.
1997
OO-DHE
1998
CS-TMM of Agroar operated into Liverpool in the early hours of Friday 28th August, arrived as GRR127 at 0336, departing to Evora at 0536, after only 2 hours on the ground here. Presumed car parts carried inbound.
New Century
2000
It would appear that the final visit to Liverpool by a Convairliner, actually a Cv.580 was a reappearance by CS-TMM in Agroar Cargo titles on Wednesday 19th July at 0316 from Valencia on a Ford's freight charter, departing empty for Coventry at 1258. Flight numbers GRR123/124.
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Not too many airliner types have had an operational span of fifty years through Liverpool, 1950 to 2000. Quite a story and probably only exceeded by the Dragon Rapide (34-08), Dakota (39-07) and just recently the F-27 Friendship (58-09) has joined the Liverpool Airport half century club.
If I get time, I'll try and find out and add more about the DHL visits in the Nineties. Hope you have enjoyed the memories of past eras.
As with other aircraft covered in these reviews, feel free to post illustrations of these aircraft at Liverpool.
While I am fairly certain I have every aircraft in each year covered, it is possible that I don't have every visit.
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