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Aviation Memorabilia Newsletter Since 1995

Aviation Memorabilia Newsletter

Since 1995

wayne albertson articles

Quebecair DC-8's
 
In 1984 Quebecair, in an effort to enter the transatlantic charter market, leased two Douglas DC-8-63's. Also, in July 1985, they leased one DC-8-54F to try to enter the air cargo market. 
 
These attempts to increase revenue were not successful and, by July of 1986, Quebecair was acquired by CP Air and the three aircraft were returned to the lessors. The two passenger aircraft would then be leased to start up charter carrier Nationair until the early 1990's.
 
C-GQBA and C-GQBF (photos below) were both originally delivered to Iberia in 1970, leased to Aviaco in 1981 (both airlines headquartered in Spain) and then to Arrow Air in the U.S. in 1983. Quebecair acquired both in May and November of 1984, respectively. Both aircraft would to be converted to cargo configuration and continue to fly until the early 2000's until scrapped.
 
C-GQBG (pictured in the issue's header) actually began life as CF-TJR, a Douglas DC-8-54F Jet Trader, (pictured below) with Air Canada in March 1966. 
 
It was sold to United Air Leasing in March 1984 and also briefly flew for Arrow Air. Sadly, it crashed on February 15, 1992 on approach to Kano International Airport (Nigeria) while flying for MK Air Cargo d'Or of Ghana. 
 
tmb 550 cf tjr Buisman
 
CF-TJR (fin #818) at Frankfurt May 24, 1980
 
Photo courtesy of Jan Buisman
 

tmb 550 C GQBF Quebecair 
 C-GQBF - Paris May 1985
 
Photo courtesy of Alain Iger
 

tmb 550 C GQBF Quebecair Nationair
 
C-GQBF in transition livery from Quebecair to Nationair livery
Montreal - October 1986
 
Photo courtesy of  Pierre Langlois
 

tmb 550 C GQBF Nationair
 
C-GQBF after repainting in Nationair livery
Paris, France - June 1989
 
Photo courtesy of Felix Goetting
 

tmb 550 N821AX Airborne Express
 N821AX (formerly C-GQBF) in its final Airborne Express livery
Minneapolis -  St. Paul International - September 2000
 
Photo courtesy of Felix Goetting

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