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Boeing 737-7ES Wedgetail at Victorville, July 9, 2005 |
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The Royal Australian Air Force Boeing 737-7ES Wedgetail AEW&C prototype, N378BC flew from Boeing Field, Washington to Boeing's facility at the Southern California Logisitics Airport at Victorville on Saturday, July 9, 2005. It is equipped with the Northrop Grumman Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array (MESA) radar. It has much of the capability of the E-3 Sentry packed in a smaller airframe.
At 9:40 AM, ATA (formerly American Trans Air) 757-33N, N556TZ took off from Runway 35 for Chicago. ATA 757-33N, N560TZ waited to depart from Runway 21. Both 757s had arrived from Robert Gray Army Air Field at Fort Hood, Texas earlier in the day. American Trans Air leases them from Wells Fargo Bank Northwest (WFBN). Boeing delivered N556TZ on August 8, 2002. It carries Boeing construction number 32590. Boeing delivered N560TZ on June 18, 2003. It carries Boeing construction number 33525.
The Royal Australian Air Force Boeing 737-7ES Wedgetail AEW&C prototype, N378BC turning onto final for Runway 35 at 9:53 AM. This Wedgetail is the first of six. It carries construction number 33474. It first flew as N378BC on November 15, 2002, and it will serve the RAAF as A30-001.
Wedgetail
Wedgetail .
Wedgetail
Link to the Boeing Company page about the Wedgetail 737.
Link to the airforce-technology.com page about the Wedgetail 737.
Immediately after it landed, a second ATA 757-33N, N560TZ departed from Runway 21 for Los Angeles.
Former Camaroon government Boeing 767-216ER, N769BC. It carries Boing construction number 23624. It was delivered to International Lease Finance Corporation as N4528Y on June 30, 1986. Lan Chile leased it as CC-CJV until February 23, 1995. Transbrazil leased it as PT-TAH until November 10, 1999 when it received a temporary registration of N151LF. Air Madagascar leased it as 5R-MFE on April 8, 2000. UBN registered it as N769BC on January 23, 2003. The Camaroon government leased it as TJ-AAC on March 23, 2004, but retired it later that year. USB registered it as N769BC on March 18, 2005. The chain link fence is ten feet tall, so bring a ladder to shoot pictures over the fence when you visit.
This 10 Tanker Air Carrier DC-10-10 carries McDonnell-Douglas construction number 46942. It was originally delivered to National Airlines as N69NA Betty on June 25, 1975. When National airlines merged with Pan Am on January 7, 1980, it was renamed Clipper Starlight. American Airlines bought it on November 5, 1983 and re-registered it as N161AA in April 1984. First Security Bank of Utah bought it in September 1984 and leased it back to American airlines. It was withdrawn from use and stored at Marana Airpark on April 11, 1994. Hawaiian airlines leased it on January 9, 1996. Omni Air International bought it on November 8, 1997. It was retired at Tulsa, Oklahoma on November 9, 1997. It arrived at Mojave on October 1, 2002. BC Aircraft Leasing of Las Vegas, Nevada acquired it on March 17, 2004. Air tests of the water drop system were performed on May 6, 2004, September 24, 2004, April 18, 2005 and May 20, 2005. It demonstrated its water drop capabilities at the Paris Airshow in June.
Former Delta Airlines L-1011-385-3 Tristar 500 N754DL has been pulled out of the boneyard. It carries Lockheed construction number 193Y-1181. It was delivered to Pan Am as N504PA on November 11, 1980. Delta registered it as N754DL on September 20, 1984. It arrvied at Victorville on October 16, 2000.
Former Phuket Air (Thailand) 757-2Q8, N719BC was leased by Phuket last November. BCC Equipment Leasing Corporation registered it as N719BC on June 22. It carries Boeing construction number 25131. It was delivered to ILFC on June 2, 1992. LADECO leased it as CC-CYH until March 20, 1996 when it was transferred to Lan Chile. LAPA leased it as LV-WTS until May 13, 2002. It was stored at Victorville on June 20, 2002. Phuket Air leased it as HS-KAA on November 3, 2004. BCC Equipment Leasing Corporation (BELC) registered it as N719BC on June 22, 2005. It arrived at Victorville the day before I shot this picture.
Tower Airlines 747-131, N608FF is missing the upper half of its fuselage now. It carried Boeing construction number 19672. It was originally delivered to TWA as N93106 on April 3, 1970. It was withdrawn from use on March 24, 1992. Tower Air acquired it on March 25, 1992 and gave it its current registration. Tower retired it on May 18, 1997. It arrived at Victorville on August 25, 2000.
It looked like this on June 17
The Wedgetail was parked on the taxiway at the north end of the airport. There were several vehicles and a light stand around it.
A portable stairway was sitting under the open right front passenger door of the Wedgetail.
The Boeing NT-43A Radar Test Bed is another 737 modified with sophisticated radar.
The Southern California Air Logistics Center was formerly George Air Force Base. It is home to a Boeing test facility, Heavylift Helicopters, and a large number of retired airliners.
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