RTW Retro Flight #83 RAF Luqa, Malta to London Gatwick . . . 1961

BOAC flight 955 is a Lockheed L-1049H (Reg. N6504C Leased by BOAC) on a flight from RAF Luqa, Malta to London’s Gatwick Airport (LMML - EGKK). We have 3,300 gallons of fuel for the 1,114 mile flight of about four hours and five minutes. We will have moderate to heavy cloud cover for most of the flight and will be cruising above it at an altitude of 18,000 feet.

 

Thanks to:

Aircraft: Lockheed L-1049H Super Constellation. The model and original textures are by Manfred Jahn & Team. The 1955 BOAC paint is by Ken Lawson.

Propliner AI & Traffic: CalClassic & FS Aviator - Tom Gibson, Mike Stevens, Jason Krogmann, Manuel Jagmann, Bill Towers, Nikko Yaginuma, Richard Wright, Frederick Coleman, Dave Jones, Paul Haak, Marty Lochmiller, Ake Lindberg, Harland Sandberg, Richard Wright and Gary Harper. At www.calclassic.com

Scenery and Add-ons: MS FS2004 v9.1 Standard and:

- RAF Luqa, Malta Airport from the 1960s scenery package by Ian Elliot. At www.calclassic.com

- London Gatwick Airport from the 1961 Gatwick scenery package by Nikko Yaginuma and Tom Gibson. At www.flightsim.com

- Rwy12 and EZ Static Object and Scenery Libraries.

- FS2004 Classic Scenery Libraries v4a by Wolfgang Gersch at www.flightsim.com

- REX FS9 w/Overdrive & SP5 for sky, cloud, weather, water/wave, runway, taxiway, sun, grass textures and runway lighting.

- Flight One Ground Environment Pro II

- FS Genesis UT Europe.

 

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1. Flight plan filed and loading passengers.

 

2. Cockpit checks completed and engines started.

 

3. Taxiing out to runway 6 for departure we pass a squadron of Vickers Valiant bombers.

 

4. Liftoff and packing up the gear.

5. Climbing over Mellieha Bay on the northeast coast of the main island of Malta.

 

6. Climbing through 14,000 feet with the Mediterranean Sea below.

 

7. Passing over northwestern Sicily with Palermo about 35 miles off our right wing.

 

8. Leaving Sicily behind we will be cruising at 18,000 feet over the sea for the next 350 miles.

 

9. We are 50 miles from Corsica and take a look out over our right wing at the sea and sky.

 

10. Flying over the northern part of the French Territorial Collectivity of Corsica near the small Commune of Moltifao just ahead.

 

11. Approaching the far southeastern coast of Italy near the resort city of San Remo. Boat slips are seen in the lower right.

 

12. Flying over the Alps near the French, Italian border about 45 miles west of Turin, Italy.

 

More in the reply . . . . . . . . .

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13. Now well into France we see the northern tip of Lake Bourget and the Rhone River.

 

14. Ten miles from the Swiss border we see the Rhone River, the city of Geneva and Lake Geneva.

 

15. Two hundred fifty miles later and below, the River Seine snakes through the southeast suburbs of Paris.

 

16. Paris Orly Airport appears in the distance off our left side.

 

17. Now in the far northeast suburbs of Paris Le Bourget Airport just below our left wing.

 

18. About 90 miles from Paris near the town of Dieppe we see the English Channel.

 

19. We begin our initial descent midway over the channel.

 

20. We make landfall in England over Eastbourne at about 7,000 feet and turn toward Gatwick.

 

21. About 15 miles from the airport we turn to intercept our approach to runway 8.

 

22. A little over 3 miles out with flaps 80 and gear down we are lined up on approach.

 

23. Flaps 100 prior to landing and touchdown at London Gatwick.

 

24. Parked, engines and systems shut down and passengers disembarked. Thanks for flying BOAC.

Compliments again Larry, awesome flight and pics! :cool::cool::cool: I noticed the TREK-DC-4 followed you? Shall I punch their noses?

Thanks Jan. :) Yes, I can't seem to get away from those TREK aircraft. They seem to show up everywhere I go. :p

Very Nice Larry!

 

I've always hugely preferred the BOAC livery to the British Air version.

 

BTW: Keep an eye on His Peerness!! He's always trying to punch someone's nose!! Don't let him lead you astray! ;) Otherwise you might lose your ability to make dry landings too!!:rolleyes:

 

Michael

Thanks for your comments Michael. I convinced the noble airman that the TREK folks are friendlies. :D

Nice, I like all the period ai aircraft!

Glad you liked it jankees. :cool:

Another great flight, Larry, thanks for the post

Thanks for viewing Klee. Good to see you back here again. :)

Top notch job once more with your retro posts Larry, enjoyed them all! :)

Glad you liked it Adam, thanks. :)