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Aviation History
1959
1959 - 0986.PDF
10 April 1959 491 BO AC TO EN FAITHFUL STRATOCRUISERS BEGIN A NEW LEASE OF LIFE By DENNIS M. POWELL RANSOCEAN \ ACK in March 1956 a brief report in a well-known Americanaviation journal stated that B.O.A.C. had commenced negotiations with the Babb Company (of New York) for thesale of its Boeing B-377 Stratocruiser fleet, and that these aircraft would probably be progressively withdrawn from Corporationservice as from the end of 1957. At the time, not surprisingly perhaps, neither party would confirm or deny this "unofficial"report. But, to quote the old proverb, "There's no smoke without fire"—even in the long and sometimes exceedingly complicatedbusiness of disposing of transport aircraft. Although on at least two occasions in 1957 the Minister ofTransport and Civil Aviation was questioned in the Commons concerning the sale and/or disposal of B.O.A.C.'s Stratocruiserfleet, it was not until publication of the Corporation's annual report for 1957-58—officially released in July last year—and a Pressconference held during the first week of August that final and absolute confirmation was given by B.O.A.C.'s chairman. Hestated that fourteen out of the sixteen aircraft were to be returned to the manufacturers on a trade-in credit basis, to be set againstthe fifteen Boeing 707s on order by the Corporation. Concurrently it was also briefly disclosed in the report that "amortization ratesfor the B-377s have been adjusted, so that their residual value next year (i.e., 1959) would be that which Boeing will pay for them inthe turn-in deal against the 707s on order." According to official statements released by Boeing, the BabbCompany were appointed exclusive agents for the sale of the 14 ex-B.O.A.C. 377s. Furthermore, it can now be disclosed that tenof these aircraft have actually been sold to Transocean Airlines Inc.It is not without interest to indulge in some "guesstimation" on the trade-in value of the 14 Strats, and how much Boeing will beallowing B.O.A.C. in this big and most certainly complicated financial deal. According to an excellent and highly informativereport by J. L. Wagner (Shell Aviation News, September 1958), the author states that "according to Wm. C. Wold Associates Inc.(the world's largest aircraft brokers) the market price for a B-377 was one million dollars in 1954, and is currently around $350,000,and by 1965 it will be as low as $100,000." Another source in the same report states that "you should not expect more than about$275,000 per B-377 in any volume" (my italics). Anyhow, Flight has already published details of the Northwest/Lockheed deal inwhich nine B-377s are involved, and the trade-in value per aircraft is $390,000 (p. 857, issue of December 5). Readers will thus beable to draw their own fair conclusions on the B.O.A.C./Boeing/ Babb transaction. At the time of writing four of the Boeings are already in servicewith Transocean, so a brief resume on this progressively expand- ing U.S. independent is appropriate. The company was originallyformed in March 1946 by an ex-United Airlines senior pilot (1931-43) and seven of his oldest friends. Orvis M. Nelson, thefounder-president, is reputed to be one of the most dynamic per- sonalities and intensely shrewd top men in the vast U.S. airlineindustry. And that, in itself, is indeed a significant fact. It seems that Nelson's reputation for efficiency (apparent in thepossibly unmatched safety record of his company's thousands of charter flights and scheduled services covering practically world-wide operations) goes back to 1946-47 when Nelson and his team ferried 150-odd Curtiss Commandos from the U.S. Pacific coastto China. Certain senior members of the industry offered to bet that one out of every dozen C-46s would have to be ditched in thePacific. In the event, however, not a single cne was lost in this big job of ferrying, which in total involved no less than 11 millionmiles of over-ocean flying. The pessimists were now convinced that Nelson and his top executives really knew how to pick their G-AKGK "Canopus" (top), delivered to Transocean on March 10, was one of B.O.A.C.'s best-known Stratocruisers, haying often carried royal and other important passengers. Seen at Oakland International in its new owner's colours is ex-B.O.A.C. Stratocruiser G-ANUM, "Clyde" crews and ground engineers, and the episode gave Transocean anearly reputation for reliability and safety. The mass emigration of 7,000-odd immigrants from the U.K. toOntario Province, Canada, was another highly successful operation executed by Transocean, this time under contract to T.C.A. andthe Canadian Government. The special immigrants fare was only £67, and this low figure was achieved without subsidy. In justunder 12 weeks (from August 2, 1947) with only four DC-4s, each seating 38 passengers with 65 lb of baggage apiece, "OperationOntario" was accomplished without any major hitch. Average turn-round of the DC-4s was 19-20 hr, and this included a com-plete 30 hr check, thus assuring a high continuity of safe opera- tions in this formidable job. The company, incidentally, waslavish in its praise of the co-operation it received from B.E.A. at Northolt during the whole of the operation. Transocean originally began operations with only two C-54s,modifying them in their own engineering base at Oakland Airport, California. When modest profits eventually started to come in thecompany bought several more C-54s (and some C-46s too), handling its own overhaul, maintenance, and modifications at thelowest possible costs. By buying these aircraft at modest prices from the U.S. War Assets Board and later selling them at fairprofits, Transocean always kept their overheads within strictly economic bounds. Correspondingly, when business boomed (e.g.,in the Korean conflict) the airline operated as many as a dozen C-54s and six C-46s at one time. Likewise, several C-54s wereleased or sold when it became necessary to do so. High load- factors, maximum utilization, complete elimination of frills; thesethings, plus Transocean's own system of securing return loads, have always enabled the company to keep its charter rates remark-ably low. The pilot's log-books of six of the eight directors, including thefounder-president, currently show an aggregate of over 140,000 flying hours. Thus Transocean is very much a "pilot's airline."And now for the Stratocruisers themselves. Those already mentioned as being in service are: — CN.15974, G-AKGH Caledonia now flying as N137A NCN. 15978, G-AKGL Cabot „ „ „ N86Q • CN.15927, G-ANUM Clyde „ „ „ N1027V CN.15946, G-ALSD Cassiopeia „ „ „ N85Q G-AKGH is affectionately remembered by thousands as theoriginal flagship of B.O.A.C.'s 377 fleet: ferried by Capt. Alan Andrew from Seattle to London Airport on November 15-17,1949,she was officially named Caledonia at a colourful ceremony held at Prestwick (in June 1950) by Lord Pakenham, then Minister ofCivil Aviation. In August of last year Caledonia left London Airport for New
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