DC3 with an actual throne for a King?

[Versatile]

This seems interesting enough. Does this AC still exist? Anymore to the story?


(FDR) the American president gave the Saudi king a DC-3 airplane that was specially outfitted with a rotating throne that allowed the king always to face the holy site of Mecca while he was in the air.



http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/26/opinion/b ... ?hpt=hp_t4

[mike furline]

http://susris.com/2010/02/26/king-abdul ... saba-book/
http://www.wheelerfolk.org/military/08flight/indx.htm
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mauriziopa ... 9057762180
http://www.flickr.com/photos/38016434@N05/9546942681/

[Versatile]

http://susris.com/2010/02/26/king-abdulaziz-his-plane-and-his-pilot-saba-book/
http://www.wheelerfolk.org/military/08flight/indx.htm
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mauriziopa ... 9057762180
http://www.flickr.com/photos/38016434@N05/9546942681/

Thanks for the links. Interesting subject.

[Zachary]

We had the pleasure of interviewing Joe Grant for EAA's Timeless Voices of Aviation oral history program in 2009. He doesn't talk about the throne specifically, but he does talk about flying King Abdulaziz. Very interesting gentleman. He passed away in 2010 at the age of 102!

http://www.eaavideo.org/video.aspx?v=38024742001

[Brad]

I went in the airplane when it was in the Lockheed hangar in Riyadh in the early-mid 90's. I could have missed it I guess but I didn't see a throne.

[airnutz]

I could have missed it I guess but I didn't see a throne.

Not literally a throne, but in the lavatory. I read it on the internet!