Boeing 707-436

Boeing 707-436 G-APFJ

G-APFJ, serial number 17711, was delivered initially to BOAC on 22 September 1960. The aircraft - a 707-436 series - was built to BOAC specifications and fitted with Rolls-Royce Conway Mk 508 turbofan engines instead of Pratt & Whitney JT3s. Following the merger of BOAC and British European Airways (BEA) G-APFJ was leased to Malaysian Airline System in 1974. Later the same year she was incorporated into the British European Airways (BEA) Airtours division.

G-APFJ retired from commercial service in May 1977 and flown to RAF Cosford on 11 June 1981. She was broken-up during April-May 2006. Prior to destruction, G-APFJ was the UK's only preserved Rolls-Royce Conway-powered 707. Her forward fuselage was donated to the Museum of Flight in Scotland for display and is now painted in BOAC colours.

Boeing Aeroplane Company

The Boeing Aeroplane Company was founded by William E Boeing on 15 July 1916. The company was originally called the Pacific Aero Products Company. The company's first aircraft, produced in June 1916, was the single-engine biplane seaplane aircraft, the Boeing Model 1. In February 1933 Boeing introduced the Boeing Model 247, an all-metal, propeller-driven aeroplane. In 1938 Boeing introduced the Boeing 314 Clipper flying boat, which were used by Pan American World Airways and British Overseas Airways Corporation.

During the Second World War production concentrated on military aircraft, including the B17 and B29. Boeing's first post-war civilian aircraft was the Boeing 377 Stratocruiser, introduced in 1947. Taking advantage of its experience building military jets in the 1940s and 1950s Boeing developed the Boeing 707 jet airliner and the KC-135 military derivative. Subsequent jet airliners included the 737 and the jumbo jet, the 747, introduced in 1968. Boeing's latest aircraft is the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

British Airtours

In April 1969 British European Airways (BEA) formed a new subsidiary charter airline company, called BEA Airtours Ltd (Airtours). Airtours sought to target the expanding package tour market (providing flights and accommodation) with a fleet of nine Comet 4B aircraft. The first fare-carrying flight - a Comet 4B - departed Gatwick to Palma on 6 March 1970. Between 1971 and 1973 Airtours took delivery of seven former-British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) Boeing 707-436 aircraft, replacing four of Airtours' original Comet 4Bs. Following the merger of BEA and BOAC the company was renamed British Airtours and became a wholly-owned subsidiary of British Airways. In the late 1970s Airtours began replacing its older fleet with newer Boeing 737 and 757 aircraft.

By 1980 Airtours started replacing its ageing Boeing 707 fleet with smaller Boeing 737 aircraft and it wasn't until 1984 that Airtours acquired a new wide-body aircraft, a Boeing 747 (instead of receiving former BEA and BOAC aircraft). The same year, the final Boeing 707-436 aircraft was retired. The fleet adopted a version of the British Airways Landor livery, as illustrated by G-APFJ, in 1985. In April 1988 British Airways absorbed British Caledonian and Airtours adopted the Caledonian Airways brand. Caledonian Airways survived until 1995 when the airline was put up for disposal by British Airways and purchased by tour operator Inspirations.

Boeing 707-436

Designed by the Boeing Company in the United States 1,010 Boeing 707 aircraft were built between 1954 and 1978. The aircraft started life as the 367-80 series, Boeing's first concept for a military and civilian jet airliner. The first aircraft flew on 15 July 1954. The first production civilian 707 - one of sixty nine aircraft in the initial series - first flew on 20 December 1957. The production version featured a longer, wider fuselage and uprated engines.

Boeing built specific versions to suit customer requirements and subsequent versions received uprated engines and modifications to the wings and tail plane. Boeing built a shorter version - designated the Boeing 720 - for medium-range operations. The military version of the 707 was used as the US Presidential jet 'Air Force One'.

In the early 1960s the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) adopted the Boeing 707 over British designed and manufactured jets. Thirty-seven aircraft were built to BOAC specification, powered by Rolls-Royce Conway 508 turbofans. The aircraft were flown by British Airways (BA) and later, as newer aircraft were acquired, by BA's British Airtours subsidiary. Military and commerical cargo derivatives remain in service.

Specification

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