Aircraft

The previously top-secret specially-modified former British Airways (BA) Boeing 747-200 that features in the forthcoming James Bond film Casino Royale has been shown to the public for the first time.

The aircraft, dubbed 747-XXX (which has had two fictional Hollywood registrations, N88892 and N9747P) has been used for filming since the beginning year of the Eon Productions / Sony Pictures Casino Royale, which features Daniel Craig as James Bond in his first mission as a "00" UK special agent. The filming has taken place at Dunsfold Park airfield outside London, which has also been transformed to replicate Miami airport at night for the movie.

The decommissioned 747-200 (formerly G-BDXJ) has been transformed with the two outer engines replaced with outboard wing tanks, while the inner engines have been replaced with mocked-up dual pylon-mounted engine pods under each wing near similar to those initially on the Boeing B-47 Stratojet.

Visitors at this weekend's vintage car and air show, Wings & Wheels, were treated to the first public outing of the aircraft, as pictured below. Spectators described it as "very convincing" not least since its chevron exhaust fairings are very recent.

All images: © Guiseppe Picarella