HS 748 - DAN AIR REMEMBERED

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EXTRA DETAILS

The Hawker Siddeley 748 was a true work horse as part of the Dan-Air fleet. As a passenger airliner on short haul services accross north Europe the type performed well. The rugged design was suited for the oil supply charters, being able to land in weather that prohibited other types from operating. As a charter aircraft the 748 flew mail services on behalf of the Royal Mail at many UK airports. The seats could be removed in very quick time. Dan-Air Engineering fitted some of the 748s with a large cargo door enabling the aircraft to carry heavy loads including replacement engines to places as far away as Gibraltar. The 748's use declined in the 1980s. Helioptors could fly from mainland Scotland to the North Sea oil rigs, which relegated Dan-Air's flights into Sumburgh and Scatsa to a fraction of those in previous years. Cabin interiors were refitted with the contemporary styles of other fleet types, but as years went on,  more and more of the aircraft, nicknamed 'The Budgie' were sold on. At the time of Dan-Air's take over only a few were left in the fleet. A far cry from the days when almost twenty of the much loved propliners criss crossed around the network.

 

The 748 interior in the 1970s (Left) and the 1980s (Right)
Both pictures can be enlarged
G-ARAY GALLERY
G-ARAY
Type: 200

Serial Number: 1535

Entered Service: 03/05/71

Last Flown: 17/10/89

Obtained From : Maersk Air (OY-DFV)

Notes: Broken up at Lasham
Notes Contributed Previously
Richard J. Church
2015-06-24 13:23:22
This aircraft entered service with Dan-Air on 18 May 71 as a Series 2/200 after its CofA was issued the previous day.  It was converted to a Series 1/200 on 15 Mar 72 and to a Series 1A/200 on 25 Jul 77.  It was withdrawn from use at LGW on 17 Oct 89 and ferried to Lasham on 31 Oct 89 where it was dismantled.  Its registration was cancelled on 02 Nov 92 and the complete fuselage was trucked out in Feb93 to an unknown destination.
G-ARMW GALLERY
G-ARMW
Type: 101

Serial Number: 1537

Entered Service: 07/04/72

Last Flown: 07/09/80

Obtained From: Skyways International

Notes: Leased to Air BVI  - Sold to Clewar Aviation
G-ARMX GALLERY
G-ARMX
Type: 101

Serial Number: 1537

Entered Service: 07/04/72

Last Flown: 20/11/88

Obtained From: Skyways International

Notes: Sold To Air BVI
G-ARRW GALLERY
G-ARRW
Type: 106

Serial Number: 1549

Entered Service: 07/04/72

Last Flown: 23/03/86

Obtained From: Skyways International

Notes: Sold to Ryan Air
G-ASPL GALLERY
G-ASPL
Type: 108

Serial Number: 1560

Entered Service: 07/04/72

Last Flown: 26/06/86

Obtained From: Skyways international

Notes: Crashed in Nailstone Read Safety Report Here
G-ASPL GALLERY
G-ASPL
Type: 108

Serial Number: 1560

Entered Service: 07/04/72

Last Flown: 26/06/86

Obtained From: Skyways international

Notes: Crashed in Nailstone Read Safety Report Here
G-ATMI GALLERY
G-ATMI
Type: 225

Serial Number: 1592

Entered Service: 13/05/75

Last Flown:  03/05/91

Obtained From: Court Line Receiver

Notes: Sold to Aberdeen Airways
Notes Contributed Previously
Richard J. Church
2015-06-24 13:48:52
G-ATMI entered service with Dan-Air 29 Jun 75 as a Series 2/225.  It was converted to a Series 2A/225 on 01 May 77.  It was leased to Air BVI from 11 Dec 81 to 17 Apr 82 and to British Airways from 02 Mar 83 to 30 Mar 83, 01 Oct 83 to 15 Oct 83, 06 Apr 84 to 19 Apr 84 and from 13 May 84 to 12 Jun 84 all as G-ATMI.   It last flew for Dan-Air from Saarbrucken to Manchester on 09 May 91 and was put in storage.  It was sold to Janes Aviation Ltd on 15 Jul 92 and was ferried from Manchester to Exeter as JAV428 on 22 Jul 92.
G-ATMJ GALLERY
G-ATMJ
Type: 2A

Serial Number: 1593

Entered Service: May 1975

Last Flown:  17/10/91

Obtained From: CAA

Notes: Obtained on lease from CC+AA. Purchased from CAA on 21/07/78 Was leased to BA
Sold to Janes Aviation, Blackpool
Notes Contributed Previously
Richard J. Church
2015-06-24 14:01:38
G-ATMJ was leased to Dan-Air by the CAA from May to Oct 75 at weekends only as a Series 2/225.  It was ferried to Manchester on 21 Jul 78 after sale to Dan-Air and was converted to a Series 2A/225.  It was ferried from Manchester to Aberdeen as DA 99MJ on 31 Jul 78 before entering service.  It was leased to British Airways from 01 Mar 82 to 31 Mar 89.  It last flew for Dan-Air from Aberdeen to Manchester on 23 Oct 91.  It was sold Janes Aviation Ltd on 15 Jul 92 and ferried to Exeter on 22 Jul 92.
G-AXVG GALLERY
G-AXVG
Type: 226

Serial Number: 1589

Entered Service: 04/10/71

Last Flown: 20/06/89

Obtained From: Skyways International

Notes: Leased to Philippine Airlines sold to Springer Airlines, Canada
G-AYYG GALLERY
G-AYYG
Type: 225

Serial Number: 1697

Entered Service: 17/06/78

Last Flown: 18/10/78

Obtained From: Mount Cook Airlines on lease

Notes: Re leased from April - September 1979 and again April 1980 - October 1981
G-AZSU GALLERY
G-AZSU
Type: 232

Serial Number: 1612

Entered Service: 07/04/1972

Last Flown: 01/06/90

Obtained From: BOAC

Notes: Sold to Aberdeen Airways

G-BEBA GALLERY
G-BEBA
Type: 233

Serial Number: 1613

Entered Service: 17/06/77

Last Flown: 29/10/84

Obtained From: Air Pacific

Notes: Leased to Philippine Airlines - Sold to Springer Airlines, Canada
Notes Contributed Previously
Lew Paterson                                                                
2015-04-02 12:16:43
Caught fire when unloading a cargo of fuel oil  14 Aug 1991 at  Big Trout Airport, ON (YTL)
G-BHCJ GALLERY
G-BHCJ
Type: 209

Serial Number: 1663

Entered Service: 04/10/79

Last Flown: 22/10/84

Obtained From: ?

Notes: Sold to Springer Airlines
Notes Contributed Previously
Richard J Church 2015-06-15 10:45:25
This aircraft was obtained from Philippine Airlines Inc and didn't enter service with Dan-Air until 13 Dec 79 after its CofA was issued on 10 Dec 79.  It was leased to SATA Azores from 31 May 81 to 16 Sep 81 as G-BHCJ and last flew for Dan-Air on 02 Oct 84.  It was leased to Philippine Airlines as RP-C1030 from 25 Oct 84 to 16 Feb 89.  It was sold to Springer Aerospace of Canada (a maintenance organisation) on 15 Jun 89 after storage at Lasham following the Philippine lease.
G-BEJD GALLERY
G-BEJD
Type: 105

Serial Number: 1653

Entered Service: 17/12/76

Last Flown: 1989

Obtained From: Aerolineas Argentinas

Notes: Cargo aircraft - Sold to Emerald Airways
G-BEJE GALLERY
G-BEJE
Type: 105

Serial Number: 1556

Entered Service: 04/12/77

Last Flown: 1989

Obtained From: Aerolineas Argentinas

Notes: Sold to Emerald Airways
G-BEKC GALLERY
G-BEKC
Type: 105

Serial Number: 1541

Entered Service: 10/02/77

Last Flown: 21/12/87

Obtained From: Aerolineas Argentinas

Notes: Sold to Avocet
G-BEKD GALLERY
G-BEKD
Type: 105

Serial Number: 1544

Entered Service: 10/12/77

Last Flown: 21/12/87

Obtained From: Aerolineas Argentinas

Notes: Sold to Air Condal
G-BEKE GALLERY
G-BEKE
Type:  105

Serial Number: 1545

Entered Service: 24/03/77

Last Flown: 1988

Obtained From: Aerolineas Argentinas

Notes: Sold to Janes Aviation, Blackpool
G-BEKF GALLERY
G-BEKF
Type: 105

Serial Number: 1542

Entered Service: 24/03/77

Last Flown: 31/07/79

Obtained From: Aerolineas Argentinas

Notes: Lost following an accident in Sumburgh report here
G-BEKG GALLERY
G-BEKG
Type: 105

Serial Number: 1557

Entered Service: 12/07/77

Last Flown: December 1981

Obtained From: Aerolineas Argentinas

Notes: Sold to Cayman Airways Ltd
G-BFLL GALLERY
G-BFLL
Type: 245

Serial Number: 1658

Entered Service:  10/02/78

Last Flown: 30/04/90

Obtained From: Avianca

Notes: Sold to Aberdeen Airways
G-BIUV GALLERY
G-BIUV
Type: 266

Serial Number: 1701
Entered Service: 27/05/81

Last Flown: 30/04/90

Obtained From: Polynesian Airways

Notes: Converted Cargo Aircraft - sold to Janes Aviation, Blackpool
Notes Contributed Previously
2015-06-24 14:24:51
G-BIUV entered service with Dan-Air on 17Jun81 in the hybrid Polynesian/Dan-Air scheme shown above. It was withdrawn from use on 01Oct81 at Manchester for the fitment of a Large Rear Freight Door. It first flew from Manchester with the door fitted on 07Mar82. It was stored at Manchester from 05Nov91 to !7Feb92. It was used for the 'Liberal Democrats' election campaign from 18Mar92 to 08Apr92 with appropriate titles before storage at Manchester from 10Apr92. It ferried to Aberdeen as DAN89UV on 05May92 and returned to service until 15Jul92 when sold to Janes Aviation Ltd. However, the aircraft continued flying on lease to Dan-Air until 15Aug92 when it ferried to Exeter.
LINKS:
Official Heritage Site for the 748
British Airliner Collection at Duxford
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2
reviews

Ian Franzen
Monday 14 Mar 2022
I worked at Dan-Air Engineering Manchester from 1976 to 1991 when this aircraft had the freight door fitted. During the conversion, with everything stripped out and the freight door hole cut, it had a warning sign on it that only 2 people were allowed on at a time because the structure would be too weak. It was able to carry larger size freight including aircraft engines, gold on pallets and rumoured to include nuclear waste flasks!
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Richard J. Church
Friday 05 Jul 2019
HS.748 G-BIUV last flown date is wrong as is indicated in the caption to the last photograph. It was sold to Janes Aviation on 15July92 but continued flying for Dan-Air until ferried to Exeter from Aberdeen on 15Aug92.
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