Neil's Nostalgia

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• Convair Corner •

also a few Canadair builds

Some images from my collection - Photographer's name © and date when known

• Page One •

To go to a larger image, please click on the appropriate interactive thumbnail.
One of my favourite aircraft - I have quite a few. I'll start this section off with a recent sighting and an image sent by a colleague.
ZK-CIB Convair 580 (PAC166) Air Chathams at Christchurch - NZCH on her last revenue flight - Aaron Murphy © 12 September 2021
I flew in this aircraft on 27 - 28 August 1966! It was still N8444H a Convair 440-42 (327A) back then.x
Here is N8444H Convair 440-42 (327A) of North Central Airlines awaiting my presence at Cleveland - Hopkins -KCLE, Ohio. 0n 27 August 1966 I flew on her operating as flight "NC806" for the twenty-nine minute journey to Detroit - Metropolitan. By 28 August 1968, I was at Aberdeen, South Dakota. I had just come off N8444H operating North Central Airlines "NC763" completing leg number twelve on this particular airframe in two days, it was a good time to get off and stretch my legs as I had to travel two more to Bismark, and finally end up at Minot. N28341 Douglas DC-3 Dakota (3278) was gracing the small ramp. My heart goes where the wild goose goes, well "Herman" anyways!
This aircraft was rebuilt from c/n 96 a Convair 340-42A. Her career started in 1953 heading to Philipppine Airlines as PI-C342, but ended as N8420H still a Convair 340 on 20 October 1955 at Shereveport, Louisiana where she was damaged by fire. Rebuilt as a Covair 440 she served as N8444H; was converted to a Convair 580 (PAC166) 01 May 1969 then after service with Republic Airlines went to TG-MYM before returning to the US and N8444H until she whent to C-FCIB then on to ZK-CIB with Air Transport (Chatham Islands) on 10 June 1996. Lo and behold, when I was in New Zealand on 30 October 2010 at Auckland, forty-four years later, our paths crossed yet again.
ZK-CIB now a sprightly 68 year old, departing after last flight to Wellington on 22 July 2021. Photo from Air Chathams website. Still some charters to do, so not really retired yet.
Finally retired on Saturday 21 May 2022. Flew Auckland - NZAA to Wanaka - NZWF. Photo: via BOBH - BringOurBirdsHome.
109157 (CL66B-9) CC-109 Cosmopolitan, 412 Squadron - Canadian Armed Forces at Toronto-CYYZ. Photo: Fred Guthrie © 02 September 1977 - Rainer Haufschild Collection
109157 (CL66B-7) CC-109 Cosmopolitan, 412 Squadron - Canadian Armed Forces at Munich-Riem, Photo: RW © February 1977 - Rainer Haufschild Collection
109157 (CL66B-7) CC-109 Cosmopolitan, 412 Squadron - Canadian Armed Forces at Toronto-CYYZ. Photo: Fred Guthrie © 03 September 1976 - Rainer Haufschild Collection
109157 (CL66B-7) CC-109 Cosmopolitan, 412 Squadron - Canadian Armed Forces at Kingston - CYGK. Photo: Neil Aird © Date unknown
C-FNRC Convair 580 (473) alighting at Ottawa / Uplands - CYOW, after a mission over Orleans area. Photo: Rod Digney © 22 January 2016
N240HH (47) Convair 240-1 at Syracuse - KSYR . Photos: Neil Aird © 28 April 1989
D-ACAD (198) Convair 340, GENERAL AIR - Hannover - EDDV, Germany - Photo: Rainer Haufschild © 02 May 1970 - Aird Archives
N14417 () Convair 240, Flamingo - USA - Photo: Bruce Drum © June 1972 - Rainer Haufschild Collection - Aird Archives
C-FAUF Convair 580 (24) at Toronto - CYYZ. Photo: Neil Aird © c.1993
C-GKFY Convair 580 (91) at Saskatoon - CYXE. Photo: Neil Aird © 19 July 1990
C-FPWS Convair 640 (441) at Saskatoon - CYXE. Photo: Neil Aird © 19 July 1990
C-FPWY Convair 640 (108) at Saskatoon - CYXE. Photo: Neil Aird © 19 July 1990
ZK-KFL Convair 580 (372) at Auckland - NZAA. Photo: Neil Aird © 30 October 2010
OO-TVG Convair 440-75 Metropolitan (404) delta air transport at Antwerp/Duerne - EDBW, Belgium - Photo: Unknown photographer © 03 August 1972 - Rainer Haufschild Collection
LN-KLB Convair 440-75 Metropolitan (320) SAS "Ivar Viking". Photo: Neil Aird © 18 September 1964.
LN-KLD Convair 440-75 Metropolitan (323) SAS "Ragnar Viking". Photo: Tom Baillie © 24 August 1962
LN-KLG Convair 440-75 Metropolitan (506) SAS "Sigurd Viking". Photo: Gordon Macadie © 23 September 1961
OY-KPF Convair 440-75 Metropolitan (502) SAS "Ingemund Viking". Photo: Neil Aird © 20 August 1964.
SE-BSS Convair 440-75 Metropolitan (358) SAS " Holger Viking". Photo: Neil Aird © 20 August 1964
SE-BSX Convair 440-75 Metropolitan (396) SAS " Sverker Viking". Photo: Neil Aird © 22 January 1968. I flew to Gothenburg on "SK494". The image above shows my cabin crew arriving in a beat up Bedford van! - SE-BSX served from 1957-1973 and was broken up at Oslo-Fornebu in 1975
OY-KPD (393) Convair 440 Metropolitan "Ravn Viking" of SAS. Movements were always pretty few and far between at Prestwick, so it was nice to have something parked to enjoy in detail. You really became aware of what it took to turn a plane around. The passengers even walked by the public enclosure and you could see their friends wave and sometimes have parting chat with each another. What a pleasant time it was - unless it was pouring rain. This Convair later served with the Swedish domestic line Linjeflyg as SE-CCV, then over to Canada as CF-GLM with Great Lakes Airlines. N24DR is the current registration. I saw it again in Sweden and in Canada. Photo: Neil Aird © c.1961
C-FRDE Convair 580 (11) at Ottawa / Uplands - CYOW, Ontario. Drug runner - ex N73108; HK-3616X, later C-FTYV before being scrapped. Photo: Neil Aird ©
C-FARO Convair 580 (382) of AIR NIAGARA at Kingston - CYGK, Ontario. Ex: OO-SCV; N73168. Photo: Neil Aird © c.1998
C-GTFC Convair T-29B (279) Tran Fair at Mingan - CYLP 18 August 1993. Photo: Neil Aird © 1993
LN-LAU Convair 240-5 (64) Norronafly. This Convair quite made my day, ex VH-TAQ of TAA, then N9853F of another TAA, Trans Arabian Airlines. I believe she still operates as N295M of Bahama Air Ferries in Florida. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXPhoto: Neil Aird © 05 May 1959
52-5787 Convair MC-131A Samaritan (53-07) USAF 322AD, a regular visitor to Scottish Airports from Rhein-Main AFB. I first logged her at Turnhouse on 22 August 1963. Shown here landing and preparing to depart Prestwick. Photos: Gordon Macadie ©
OH-LRG Convair 440 (63) FINNAIR at Tampere / Pirkkala - EFTP.

Photo: Pena Peltonen © 24 August 1968 - Rainer Haufschild Collection - Aird Archives

N3445; I-DOGI; OH-LRG; N3756Z; N138CA.

OH-LRC Convair 440 (75) FINNAIR at Tampere / Pirkkala - EFTP.

Photo: Pena Peltonen © March 1970- Rainer Haufschild Collection - Aird Archives

N999TZ; RP-C362; wfu Manila 1984.

N53RB Convair 580 (79 / PAC20) on a visit to Toronto - CYYZ.

Photo: Fred Guthrie © January 1976 - Rainer Haufschild Collection - Aird Archives

PI-C-431; N3431; N5128H; N424BJ; N53RB; N2261N; C-GKFZ; 9Q-CEJ w/o.

N91704 Convair VT-29B-CO (239) at Lansing - KLAN, Michigan.

Photo: Rainer Haufschild © 20 October 1978 - Aird Archives

Delivered to USAF 51-3811 28 May 1952. To Davis-Monthan PCN TB293; N91704; Siezed as "VY-LLA" at Ft. Lauderdale by US Customs - Sold as scrap July 1981.

50-193 Convair T-29A-CO (223) at Pease AFB., New York.

Photo: Unknown photographer © 16 May 1970 - Rainer Haufschild Collection - Aird Archives

Delivered to USAF 51-3811 31 August 1951. N1184G; Stored Van Nuys - September 1981 - May 1990. Dismantled and ended up in El Mirage Yard.

N95 Convair ET-29C-CO (331) of the FAA at Frankfurt-Rhein Main, Germany

Photo: Rainer Haufschild © 07 April 1977 - Aird Archives

Delivered to USAF 52-1092 21 August 1953. N252;N247; N250; N95; 52-1092; N45787 stored Tucson February 1985, cx July 1988.

LN-KLT Convair 240-27 (310) ex Polaris at Antwerp / Deurne - EBAW, Belgium.

Photo: Daniel Ruhier © 30 April 1968 - Rainer Haufschild Collection - Aird Archives

Delivered to USAF 51-7898 06 May 1953. N40CE; N406E; LN-KLT, stored at Bergen-op-Zoom February 1980. Scrapped.

HB-IMQ Convair 340-68 (213) tellair at Basel / Mulhouse - LFSB.

Photo: Unknown photographer © 1969 - 1970 - Rainer Haufschild Collection - Aird Archives

D-ACOH delivered 28 October 1954. HB-IMQ; D-ACOH; TI-1092C; TI-LRH; N478KW; stored Carlsbad November 1987 - October 1991, cx October 1990.

PH-CGD Convair 640F (104) MARTINAIR HOLLAND at Salzburg - LOWS, Austria.

Photo: Rainer Haufschild © 27 August 1968 - Aird Archives

PH-TGD delivered 03 September 1953. PH-CGD; N111TA; N861FW; C-GCWY; N640CM.

HB-IMG Convair 440-11 (360) SWISSAIR at Zurich / Kloten - LSZH, Switzerland.

Photo: Unknown photographer © December 1969 - Rainer Haufschild Collection - Aird Archives

HB-IMG delivered 29 August 1956. CF-GLC scrapped 1976.

N4809C Convair 340 (95) Glenn Aire at Fort Lauderdale - KFLL, Florida.

Photo: via Bo-Göran Lundkvist © March 1973 - Rainer Haufschild Collection - Aird Archives

N4809C delivered 24 July 1953. Crashed 14 July 1978 South Caicos.

VH-BZG Convair 340-36 (33) HAWAIIAN AIRLINES (leased to Ansett) at Melbourne's Essendon - YMEN, Victoria, Australia.

Photo: Unknown photographer © 21 November 1956 - John Mounce Collection - Aird Archives

N5507K delivered 17 December 1952. VH-BZG; N5507K; N5100; N5127; N5127H; HR-SAY; XA-LIG; N5599J; N771PR.

N5129 Convair 580 (PAC29 / 430) at Dayton - KDAY, Ohio.

Photo: Unknown photographer © August 1972 - Rainer Haufschild Collection - Aird Archives

N77U delivered 04 June 1957. N85U; N127RC; N1270V; N5129; N303K; N161FL.

OO-PVG Convair 440-62 (468) delta air transport at Salzburg / Maxglan - LOWS, Austria.

Photo: Rainer Haufschild © 21 April 1973 - Aird Archives

PP-YRI delivered 22 January 1958. EC-WTC / EC-ATC; OO-PVG; N44828 crashed 16 December 1984, hit ditch on landing.

EC-ARQ Convair 440-62 (457) AVIACO

Photo: Unknown photographer © Date unknown - Rainer Haufschild Collection - Aird Archives

PP-YRI delivered 13 September 1957. EC-WRQ / EC-ARQ; TAM-48.

C-FPWU Convair 640 (10) WORLDWAYS at Toronto - CYYZ, Ontario, Canada.

Photo: Rainer Haufschild © 18 October 1978 - Aird Archives

PP-YRI delivered 22 January 1958. N727A; N7263; CF-PWU; C-FPWU; N2569D; N860FW.

LN-KLU Convair 240-0 (141) POLARIS at Oslo / Fornebu, Norway.

Photo: Fred Barnes © 15 August 1968 - Aird Archives

N94267 delivered 11 February 1949. N566R; N333H; N166NK; LN-KLU; N564MA; N777DC. Crashed 01 April 1978 Unguia Choco, Colombia.

VH-PDV Convair 580 (PAC9 / 507) Pionair at Hamilton Island - YBHM, Queensland.

Photo: Kihei Kitagawa © 23 September 2008 - Aird Archives

N5124 delivered November 1959. C-GTTE; ZK-KSA; VH-PDV; C-GYXC.

C-FKFA Convair 580 (PAC168 / 100) CONAIR at Palmer - PAAQ, Alaska.

Photo: Kihei Kitagawa © 25 June 2009 - Aird Archives

N4810C delivered 13 August 1953. C-GFHD; N5807; C-FLVY; C-GKFA.

C-FMGC Convair 580 (PAC97 / 121) at Toronto - CYYZ, Ontario.

Photo: Neil Aird © Date unknown

PH-TGH delivered 21 October 1953. N4407; N5824; N531SA; C-FHEM; C-GJTU; C-FMGC; N905GA..

N640R Convair 640 (Aviolanda Conversion - 332) at El Paso - KELP, Texas.

Photo: Neil Aird © 21 May 1998

HB-IMC delivered 26 June 1956. PH-MAL; N640R.

C-FFKF Convair 580 (PAC52 - 179) CONAIR at Kamloops - CYKA, British Columbia.

Photo: John W. Olafson © 08 August 2011

N73153 delivered 18 May 1954.

C-FEKF Convair 580 (PAC64 - 80) CONAIR at Kamloops - CYKA, British Columbia.

Photo: John W. Olafson © 08 August 2011

N3425 delivered 30 June1953. N73301. C-FEKF w/o Runway excursion Manning, AB., 05 May 2016. Canx 25 August 2016.

Note: Author flew three legs in this aircraft on 28 August 1966, when it operated as "Frontier flight 509" - 2:08 flight time. Minot-Bismark-Rapid City-Denver.

N3420 Convair 640 (GD6 - 64) at El Paso - KELP, Texas.

Photo: Neil Aird © 21 May 1998

N3429 delivered 09 April 1953.

HB-IMM Convair 440-11 (412) SWISSAIR at Basel - LFSB, Switzerland.

Photo: Fred Barnes © 10 June 1967 - Aird Archives

HB-IMM delivered 28 March 1957. Converted to 640 in 1968. Undercarriage collapsed Tromso, Norway 17 July 1973. Destroyed by vandels.

51-7902 Convair VT-29B-CO (314) at Berlin / Templehof, Germany.

Photo: Rainer Haufschild © 01 May 1965 - Aird Archives

Delivered to USAF 51-7902 29 May 1953. N2823F instructional airframe.

53-3535 Convair T-29D-CO (52-81) at Berlin / Templehof, Germany.

Photo: Unknown photographer © 11 July 1970 - Rainer Haufschild Collection - Aird Archives

Delivered to USAF 53-3535 14 June 1955. To MASDC Davis-Monthan AFB 15 April 1975. Southwestern Alloys 26 October 1977.

52-5806 Convair C-131A-CO (53-26) at Berlin / Templehof, Germany.

Photo: Unknown photographer © 25 May 1964 - Rainer Haufschild Collection - Aird Archives

Delivered to USAF 52-5806 21 December 1954. 5806 USCG; N344MM. w/o 30 June 1997 16km short of San Juan Airport, PR.

C-FKFB Convair 580 (PAC32 - 57) CONAIR at Abbotsford - CYXX, British Columbia.

Photo: Fred Barnes © 28 May 2004

N73129 delivered 30 March 1953. N117GS; N73129; N568JA.

141018 Convair C-131F (301) at CFB Shearwater, Nova Scotia

Photos: Ken Marshall © 20 September 1986 - Aird Archives

Delivered to USN 14 March 1956. To MASDC Davis-Monthan 29 September 1986; N4444F.

C-FKFZ Convair 580 (PAC95 - 151) Kelowna Flightcraft landing at Kelowna - CYLW, British Columbia.

Photo: John W. Olafson © 29 July 2016 - Aird Archives

N11151 delivered 18 February 1954. N5823; C-FKFZ.

C-FKFA Convair 580 (PAC168 - 100) Kelowna Flightcraft out to pasture at Kelowna - CYLW, British Columbia.

Photo: Neil Aird © 13 May 2001

N4810C delivered 07 August 1953. C-GFHD; N5807; C-FLVY; C-FKFA.

N244 Convair ET-29C-CO (381) of the FAA landing at Berlin / Templehof, Germany.

Photo: Unknown photographer © 15 May 1969 - Rainer Haufschild Collection - Aird Archives

Delivered to USAF 52-1142 22 April 1954. N247; N248; N244; N12241. Cancelled January 1985.

52-5798 Convair C-131A-CO (53-18) at Berlin / Templehof, Germany.

Photo: Rainer Haufschild © 1966 - Aird Archives

Delivered to USAF 52-5798 24 September 1954. To MASDC Davis-Montan AFB 16 July 1975. 5798 USCG; N4505D; N7029Z.

51-5133 Convair VT-29B-CO (264) at Berlin / Templehof, Germany.

Photo: Unknown photographer © 07 September 1974 - Rainer Haufschild Collection - Aird Archives

Delivered to USAF 51-5133 16 September 1952. To MASDC Davis-Monthan AFB 20 January 1975.

49-1912 Convair CT-29A-CO (180) at Berlin / Templehof, Germany.

Photo: Rainer Haufschild © 16 August 1965 - Aird Archives

Delivered to USAF 49-1912 16 September 1952. To Bradley Air Museum, destroyed by tornado 03 October 1979.

N93 Convair ET-29C-CO (344) of the FAA on display at Berlin / Tempelhof, Germany.

Photo: Ralph Mateufel © 07 September 1974 - Rainer Haufschild Collection - Aird Archives

Delivered to USAF 52-1105 29 October 1953. N28; N247; N248; N93; 52-1105; N45783.

52-5796 Convair C-131A Samaritan (53-16) at Davis-Monthan - KDMA, Tucson, Arizona.

Photo: Lewis Grant © 09 April 1983 - Aird Archives

Delivered to USAF 52-5796 07 September 1954. USCG5796; N3984A, N327UW.

49-1933 Convair CT-29A (200) at Berlin / Templehof , Germany.

Photo:Rainer Haufschild © 02 April 1965 - Aird Archives

Delivered to USAF 49-1933 28 December 1950. N83783.

D-BELU Convair 240 (78) FLUGDIENST.

Photo: Unknown photographer © Date unknown - Rainer Haufschild Collection - Aird Archives

PH-TEB delivered 30 August 1948. D-BELU. Crashed 31 July 1960 Rimini, Italy (landing).

141016 Convair C-131F (299) UNITED STATES NAVY at AMARG / Davis-Monthan AFB., Tucson, Arizona.

Photo: Neil Aird © 16 April 2009

Delivered 31 January 1956. Stored 14 February 1985. Celebrity row display aircraft.

JA5130 Convair 240 (97) TOA Airways - 東亜航空 at Hiroshima - RJOA, Japan.

Photo: Toshiyuki Toda © 1967 - Rainer Haufschild Collection - Aird Archives

NC90848 delivered 09 September1948. CF-CUY; JA5130 18 June 1964. wfu 30 September 1967, Scrapped cx 02 July 1971.

HB-IMG Convair 440-11 (360) SWISSAIR at Hannover - EDDV, Germany.

Photo: Rainer Haufschild © 27 April 1968 - Aird Archives

HB-IMG delivered 29 August 1956. CF-GLC scrapped 1976.

OO-SCT Convair 440-12 (381) of SABENA.

Photo: Unknown photographer © Date unknown - Rainer Haufschild Collection - Aird Archives

OO-SCT delivered 10 December 1956. N73167 (PAC146); N566EA.

OH-LRD Convair 440-40 (317) of FINNAIR at Helsinki, Finland.

Photo: Unknown photographer © 07 September 1969 - Rainer Haufschild Collection - Aird Archives

OH-LRD delivered 23 February 1956. N137CA.

OH-LRH Convair 440-98 (497) of FINNAIR at Basel / Mulhouse - LFSB, Switzerland.

Photo: Unknown photographer © 19 October 1971 - John Mounce Collection - Aird Archives

OH-VKN delivered 06 February 1958. OH-LRH; LN-KLV; C-GRNB; N8021P; C-GRNB; N202RA.

HB-IMB Convair 440-11 (327) SWISSAIR at London - EGLL, United Kingdom.

Photo: Unknown photographer © 1958 - John Mounce Collection - Aird Archives

HB-IMB delivered 07 June 1956. CA+034; 12+02; YU-ADU; N47098; XA-KEH. Crashed 21 May 1981 Cerro Penarete, 58 km south of Oaxaca, Mexico.

ZS-LYL Convair 580 (PAC162 - 39) when with CHC.

Photo: Unknown photographer © October 2003 - John Mounce Collection - Aird Archives

N4803C delivered 16 January 1953. TAM-70; N81MR; N511GA; ZS-LYL.

N94215 Convair 600 (26) of Texas International at Ryan Field / Tucson - RYN, Arizona.

Photo: Karl Krämer © 07 November 1976 - Rainer Haufschild Collection - Aird Archives

NC94215 delivered 30 November 1948. N94215; Scrapped at Tucson 1993.

EC-AQK Convair 440-86 (406) of AVIACO at Palma - LEPA, Spain.

Photo: Unknown photographer © 22 August 1968 - Rainer Haufschild Collection - Aird Archives

N1R delivered 14 March 1957. EC-AQK; TAM-45. w/o 24 January 1978 San Ramon.

N28DR Convair 440 (158) at Boston - KBOS, Massachussets.

Photo: Ken Marshall © 06 July 1985 - Aird Archives

XA-KOU delivered 16 February 1954. SE-CRO; N28DR. Canx 09 June 1994.

N9307 Convair 440-86 (421) of EASTERN AIRLINES.

Photo: Unknown photographer © October 1968 - John Mounce Collection - Aird Archives

N9307 delivered 10 May 1957. N447JM; CP-1574.

C-FPWS Convair 640 (441/GD28) of TimeAir at Edmonton - CYXD, Alberta.

Photo: Stephan Barth © 21 June 1989 - Aird Archives

N8486H delivered 29 October 1957. JA5055; N45004; CF-PWS; C-FPWS. Ended up at Springbank, Alberta.

N44826 Convair 440-62 (349) of Air Resorts airlines at Las Vegas - KLAS, Nevada.

Photo: Stephan Barth © July 1983 - Aird Archives

N8465H built 25 June 1956. PP-YRH; EC-WTG/EC-ATG; OO-UVG; (OO-NVG); OO-VGU; N44826. Broken up at Carlsbad c. January 1997.

5783 Convair HC-131A (53-3) of United States Coast Guard at Opa-Locka - KOPF, Florida.

Photo: Gary Vincent © June 1981 - Aird Archives

52-5783 delivered 29 April 1954. N2493F.

x
N566EA Convair 580 (PAC144 - 381) of Era at Anchorage - PANC, Alaska.

Photo: Neil Aird © 11 September 2004

OO-SCT delivered 10 December 1956. N73167; N566EA; ZK-CIF.

N640CM Convair 640F (104) C & M Airways at El Paso - KELP, Texas.

Photo: Roger Syratt © 09 October 1997

PH-TGD delivered 03 September 1953. PH-CGD; N111TA; N861FW; C-GCWY; N640CM.

N148JR Convair 240-27 (232) RHOADS at Seymour - Freeman Municipal - KSER, Indiana.

Photo: Roger Syratt © 20 September 2007

51-3804 delivered June 1953, converted to VT-29B Samaritan. N54502; N151PA; N351JD; N148JR.

Along the fence line in National's Yard - N31250 C-131B (252) ex 53-7800 PCN CS017 - not long for this world - Photo: Neil Aird © 16 April 2009
More will be added from time to time.