In the late 1940s, Canadair had a license from Douglas to build a DC-4 variant. So, they set out to improve the aircraft by using Merlin engines and pressurizing the cabin which resulted in the Canadair C-4 North Star (or Argonaut if you were BOAC). The C-4 was some 35ish knots faster than the DC-4 and could fly above the weather which the unpressurized DC-4 couldn't. Some aircraft went to the RCAF as transports, but more of the 71 built went to BOAC, Trans Canada (now Air Canada) and Canadian Pacific where they provided excellant service for a number of years before being sold off to other airlines.
A few months ago, I read where in the early '50s it was possible to take an around the world trip in the C-4, but you had to do it using three different airlines in four parts. The first part was BOAC Flight 906 from London to Tokyo with several stops along the route. Leaving on Sunday, you'd be in Tokyo on Thursday. 230 pounds sterling would get you there.
Next, after a layover, on Friday evening it was Canadian Pacific Flight 306 from Tokyo to Vancouver with a refueling stop at Shemya in the Aleutians. $695 CAD and thanks to International Date Line, you'd arrive in the very early hours Saturday morning.
From Vancouver, Trans Canada Flight 2 leaving after breakfast on Saturday would take you to Montreal with a few stops in between arriving late Saturday night. There was no mention of what this one would set you back.
After another overnight layover, you'd depart Montreal on Sunday afternoon on Trans Canada Flight 220 heading east with refueling stops at Gander and Shannon Ireland before landing back at Heathrow around noon Monday. To cross the pond was $370 CAD.
I imagine that by the time you got back to London, you would have had your fill of air travel for quite a while.
I've got the whole route written down with all the stops and figured it might be interesting to fly it. Since Jens Kristensen just released version 3 of his C-4 with all three airlines liveries, it seemed like a good time to start. So, I loaded up at Heathrow and took off for the first stop in Frankfurt, Germany. As I like to look at the scenery, I didn't take off at 8pm like the real Flight 906 did, instead taking off at 9 am when it was good and daylight.
First off some shots of Heathrow back in the day (Courtesy of California Classics retro scenery) and climbing out over London (foggy this time of year)...
Next.. Frankfurt
A few months ago, I read where in the early '50s it was possible to take an around the world trip in the C-4, but you had to do it using three different airlines in four parts. The first part was BOAC Flight 906 from London to Tokyo with several stops along the route. Leaving on Sunday, you'd be in Tokyo on Thursday. 230 pounds sterling would get you there.
Next, after a layover, on Friday evening it was Canadian Pacific Flight 306 from Tokyo to Vancouver with a refueling stop at Shemya in the Aleutians. $695 CAD and thanks to International Date Line, you'd arrive in the very early hours Saturday morning.
From Vancouver, Trans Canada Flight 2 leaving after breakfast on Saturday would take you to Montreal with a few stops in between arriving late Saturday night. There was no mention of what this one would set you back.
After another overnight layover, you'd depart Montreal on Sunday afternoon on Trans Canada Flight 220 heading east with refueling stops at Gander and Shannon Ireland before landing back at Heathrow around noon Monday. To cross the pond was $370 CAD.
I imagine that by the time you got back to London, you would have had your fill of air travel for quite a while.
I've got the whole route written down with all the stops and figured it might be interesting to fly it. Since Jens Kristensen just released version 3 of his C-4 with all three airlines liveries, it seemed like a good time to start. So, I loaded up at Heathrow and took off for the first stop in Frankfurt, Germany. As I like to look at the scenery, I didn't take off at 8pm like the real Flight 906 did, instead taking off at 9 am when it was good and daylight.
First off some shots of Heathrow back in the day (Courtesy of California Classics retro scenery) and climbing out over London (foggy this time of year)...
Next.. Frankfurt
