Flashback: Seaboard World Containership

No doubt a Boeing PR shot – those look very much like the Cascade Mountains in the background.  This looks like Seaboard World’s first 747-200 Freighter, delivered way back on July 31, 1974 – just nine days before Richard Nixon resigned the Presidency.    At the time, there were only a tiny number of 747 freighters and convertibles flying, even though the aircraft had been designed from the start as a freighter, and Seaboard was the first U.S. Carrier to have one and the first to operate several international routes with the 747F, including JFK-LHR.  This aircraft was the first 747 to be delivered as a freighter with the nose and side door present from construction.

The “Containerships” flew throughout the 1970s for Seaboard, but were repainted into Flying Tigers colors after Seaboard merged with FT in 1980.  This particular aircraft continued in the Flying Tigers fleet until the carrier was acquired by FedEx, with whom it flew until 1996 when it was sold to Atlas Air. After a stint with Air Freight Express, this plane became the vividly-hued magenta, gold, and white freighter of short-lived Spanish charter carrier Pronair, who folded in 2009.  It was last seen stored at Valencia-Manises in 2010.

Originally posted by contributor Richard Ziskind.