ex French AF 230

Photographed after I disembarked from it having arrived on flight VF320 from Southend. Note that at this time it carried British United Airways titles (not British United Air Ferries).

Delivered in December 1958. Crashed and written off landing at Ankara 2 Feb 69.

Delivered new to Hainan in March 2008. Due COVID-crisis stored at Bejing(PEK) in June 2020. Returned to service in January 2023.

Taken with a cheap kodak box camera.

Photographer: Unknown. K25 slide scan. Built August 1953 as N34953 for Flying Tiger Line but converted to passenger configuration as JA6202 for Japan Air Lines November 1953. Reconfigured to freighter as 5N-AFT for Pan African 1965, Air America N1535 1969, Saber Air 9V-BCI 1970, Fragtflug TF-OAE 1972. Struck trees 6 May 1974 during visual turn on night approach to Nuremberg and crashed with loss of three crew. Investigation findings were poor general technical state, engine and instrument failure, probable exceeding of max gross weight, icing and an alcoholized captain. In Saber Air colours.

Painted in the mainline Sabena colors, operated by the regional brand Delta Air Transport. These 146 flew in many different colors during the 90s.

Flew several years for Federal Express, but never got painted as such. After transfer to Fedex it first remained in Flying Tiger c/s with Fedex sticker. Here it is seen all white just after the transfer to Atlas Air. View from the then just opened restaurant in the terminal of Brussels Airport, which was a great improvement at the time.

The second Brussels Aero Show took place just a few weeks before the outbreak of WWII. Britain displayed this 'Speed Spitfire', the heavily modified 48th Spitfire I. It had demonstrated a top speed of 657 km/h (408 mph) but this was not good enough for a world speed record attempt. Its radiator was then replaced with an evaporative cooling system. Meanwhile though the He 100 V8 and the Me 209 brought the world speed record to 746 km/h and 755 km/h (469 mph) which the Type 323 could never touch. K9834 was converted to a photo recce Spitfire but it range was too short to be of use. In the background is the Reid and Sigrist RS.1 Snargasher trainer, G-AEOD.