National Aeronca Association Bulletin Board

After lunch last night I stepped out from the hanger to watch two KC-135's with CFM engines (quiet) do touch and go's. The Boeing 707 is a graceful bird! Has any in the group flown 707's ?

Charles

Bet that Doug (Grumps) has. Oldest I have flown is the Vickers Viscount then the Boeing B-727.

Always liked the 707, if for no other reason than its looks. Just looks like a jet and not a "tarted up plastic" version either.

Joe

Never flew the 707, but flew the DC-8 with JT-3, JT-4, and CFM engines. That was the DC-8-51. -61,-71 Flew ex Pan Am DC-8's with JT-4's (climb like a home sick bird but really sucked up the fuel) Flew a couple of trips on the old water injected DC-8's-they would lay a smoke screen every takoff and roll forever. The CFM's were quiet go go machines. The real hummer was the CJ-805 (J79 without afterburner)on the Convair 880. But the real honey was the L-1011 with the RB211-24B's. After Rolls Royce got the engine straightened out there was no better engine airframe combination than the Lockheed L-1011. It will always be my favorite. The DC-8/DC9/880/727747 were alot of good fun flying, but the L-1011 was the champ. Saw the restored DC-7 on Utube in Eastern colors--got to drive that machine in all three seats--used to race Vicounts. The DC7 was not as manuervable as the DC-6 and was more nose heavy--My old Cessna 182 reminded me of the DC-7 with its nose heaviness. Alway ended up with full nose up trim. Then there were the DC-3/C47, C46, Convair 340/440/880. But never a 707. Flew the last DC-3 trip for my airline in 1960 but didn't go to Oshkosh this year. .

Please don't remind me of the past I get tears in my eyes--I could go on forever. I was fortunate to begin in the big piston era and then the infamacy of the jets until their total development. But now it is like a new born back to the beginning with a Champ and a Chief.

Doug

Doug,

I have always enjoyed working on the Douglas Aircraft. Have several years of overhauling flight controls, engine pylons and doors on the DC-8 and DC-9. The DC-8 was and is still my favorite. The structural engineering that Douglas used was simple and strong, even with the delicate sheet metal skins of the elevators, rudder and ailerons (.012" and .016" thick). The flaps skins were thicker, especially the inboard and the exhaust gate.

Charles

I have a good friend who retired from Eastern. He agrees that the 1011 was the Rolls Royce of aircraft, the best he ever flew. Had alot of hours in one and towards the end ,was hijacked to Cuba. (On a flight from Miami to Acupolco.)He further stated that his 2nd choice was the Super Connie which he flew on the Washinton-N.Y. City shuttle. 3rd choice was the Neptune he flew in the Navy out of Thule. JP