The aircraft was built in 1953 as CV.340 PH-TGD, later PH-CGD, for KLM and was converted to CV.640 by Aviolanda in Holland during its time with Martin's Air Charter. Its last operator was Aeronaves TSM in Mexico as XA-URL and it was last tracked flying for them in January 2019.

photo : Pol van Damme

I found this photo in my father's album, probably taken by him during a visit to Schiphol in September 1957.

Reregistered N861FW in June 1983.

Inspired by reading Martinair's early history in Propliner, I decided to squeeze what quality I could out of this slide, one of my first ever (and unfortunately not Kodachrome). A familiar sight at Southend after conversion from Cv-340 in 4.66, it's good to see she was still alive and well, stored by C&M Airways at El Paso as N640CM in the late 2000s

KLM's Convair 340 is operating the Schiphol-Ringway-Dublin and return schedule. 613 (City of Manchester) Meteor T.7 and Vampire FB.5s are on their apron in the background.

"Pieter Breughel" served KLM from September 1953 until sale in October 1963, after re-registration as PH-CGD in April 1954. Sold to Martins Air Charter and converted by Aviolanda to CV640F freighter.