Playing taps over the diesel 8

[The Inspector]

When ATI air cargo retires it's last 4 DC8-63's to replace them with modified 757's there will only be 2 flying DC-8s in the U.S. Right now there are 36 total still operating world wide.
The '8' has soldiered on for 54 years, curiously enough all the ATI birds are still equipped with straight pipe JT-4's not CFM's (they came out of EMERY AIR FREIGHT bankruptcy). The two left flying in the U.S. will be one with NATIONAL and a very rare -72 with NASA (the - 72 was a -62 refitted with CFMs originally built in very tiny numbers for JAL and UAL for long thin routes like Chicago to Tokyo with extra tanks in the inboard leading edges and extra outboard tanks) I worked on a -72 that belonged to EVERGREEN. Being a flight engineer on an 8 instantly qualified you to engineer a steam locomotive.

I'll miss the 8's, until you figured out it really was designed to be worked on and quit fighting it, it would kick your butt all over the hanger, they were tougher than Martian Algebra and could really take a beating, they were tiring to fly being typically Douglas 'fly-by-wire ( thats 7 strands x 9 wraps). IF you tweeked ANY rigging the entire airplanes rigging had to be checked "blue dots and golden rivets' because it was all interconected via bridle cables in a Kharmalike design.

It's one of only three different commercial airliners to ever bust Mach, and the other two were supersonic airliners not a bulbous round nosed old trash hauler.

So long old friend! they could never wear you out so they had to push you out.

[StudeDave]

I've got two flights on one of these under my belt...

ATI on my way to Diego Garcia
ATI on my way home from Diego Garcia

Both were quite 'fun' and enjoyable.

[Jack Frost]

RE: DC-8 Fly by wire. Twenty plus years ago a United Airlines management pilot told me that when he was set up to check out in the 8, he sent a note to a friend who was instructing on the 8 in the UAL training command, asking him to send him all he needed to get ready for the school. A few days later a heavy box arrived with two dumbbells in it and a note saying that getting your muscles in shape was the best practice and the rest would be easy!

Jack

[myteaquinn]

Here's the National DC-8-71 taken at KYIP last summer.

[The Inspector]

Here's the National DC-8-71 taken at KYIP last summer.

-71 or -73? Anyone know who the original operator was or current N#? looks like N 872***

[WallyB]

-71 or -73? Anyone know who the original operator was or current N#? looks like N 872***

71F, New to United (N8069U -61) in 1969 converted -71 in 1983 then to Spook Air (aka Southern Air) N872SJ, LAN Chile, MAS Cargo and National. Re-registered N872CA 2011.

[The Inspector]

The ex UAL 8's weren't very desirable in the after market because of a unique UAL design requirement, the waste basket baggage loading through the bottom of the aircraft instead of a conventional side installed cargo door for each pit. That's one reason why UPS passed on them when they came on the market, too slow to load/unload.
That is one pretty airplane

[TD McCoy]

Soft spot in my heart for Douglas Products in general..but I'm a bit prejudiced...

[bdk]

I hope someone has the foresight and wherewithal to save some of these!

[The Inspector]

EVERGREEN had Ship 1 @ Maranna for years but I believe it went to the beer can factory.

Boeing managed to scam the L.A. press on May 30, 1958. The 30th was the date of Ship 1's first flight, so every bit of the L.A.press and TV was gathered @ LGB to record for posterity the first flight I'm not 100% certain but I believe it was Tex who hatched a plan, an 'ordinary test flight' (if a bit early) of a 707 out of KBFI that just 'happened' to wind up in the area of Long Beach just about when the 8 was supposed to lift off. The 707 was set up on a buzz job altitude and throttles advanced so the JT-3D's were pouring out coal smoke, the press all started snapping pictures and grinding cameras as the airplane roared past and swooped into the heavens, then they started heading for their cars to meet press and programming deadlines. At the time with only the 707 flying and the DC-8 looking the same to the press people, I'll take that thunder of yours thanks.................

[Flying Pencil]

So, everyone considers the DC-8 better then 707?

[The Inspector]

So, everyone considers the DC-8 better then 707?

Worked on both types and taught mechanics how to be Long Beach Cable Car operators, the 8 made more sense (except the fuel transfer system), was tougher than Martian Algebra, Consolidated Air Freight launched a 54F out of PDX with the MCD unlatched, the door flew up and open on rotation and they flew around for several minutes with it flapping up and down, the crew landed, the door was cycled, latched and the crew was told 'GITOUDDAHERE, you're 45 minutes late'.
I had a running joke with the 757 instructor he 'Red cable, Green cable' me 'My guys really have to know how to fly, not just type 90WPM on the FMC's'. Rigging was a beeyatch (still have my RAM rigging document, ya never know).
I 'got' the 757 guy one day, there was an awful hail storm in Dallas, one of our customers who flew both types had one of each on the ramp and they got nailed with bigger than golf ball sized hailstones. The DC-8 needed to replace one (1) trim tab and it went back to making money, the '57 needed temporary repairs to ferry it to KPAE (LOTS of 500 MPH metal tape) so it could be treated to a full spa day in the plastic control surfaces repair shop.
Things that helped kill off the 8 was the lack of teeny spares or people who could make them in small lots, DOUGLAS farmed out lots of DC-8 sub work to guys running small machine shops in their garage or basement making 'widgets' in the 50's. contract completed, no more work, guys died off and no one kept up a chain of folks who could do the jobs. The Brown stripe Guys got PMA to make critical parts like MLG 'porkchops' and other machined parts to keep their fleet running and to make some extra bucks off their competitors.

[SaxMan]

How many 707s are still out there (KC-135s and the various military derivatives excluded)?

I guess the 707 versus DC-8 is similar to the C-46 versus C-47...which is going to be the last one that still is out there earning its keep?

[The Inspector]

According to the GOOGLE machine a total of 2 in what could be considered scheduled airliner service, both in Iran, down from 10 back in 2011.