Yet another Caravelle that found its way to Colombia for its final days of service, sold to Aerogolfo in August 1993 as HK-3957X. It had first been delivered to Sterling in June 1970 and was leased to Air Toulouse International for summer 1992 as F-GHKP. The ultimate fate of the aircraft is uncertain but was likely given false identity HK-3869 for a drug run to Mexico in mid-1994 and is said to have been buried there. The genuine HK-3869X was c/n 232 which has been preserved by the Fuerza Aérea Mexicana.

Lovely scene at Gatwick from the old roof terraces, including an Austrian Caravelle and BUA VC10. OY-STI joined Sterling new in May 1969 and on 15th January 1992 flew their last Caravelle commercial flight CPH-LUX-CPH. Leased to Air Toulouse International as F-GHKN in February 1992, it returned in September for storage at Kastrup. In August 1993 it was sold to SEC Colombia as HK-3855X but was written off on 15th March 1994 on take-off from Bogotá carrying explosives when a tyre burst. It returned after burning off fuel but overran the runway, the pilot retracting the landing gear to halt it.

First operator was UTA from August 1966 as F-BOEE, then Sterling from March 1967. Leased to TAE in March 1976 for two months as EC-CUM and sold in August 1993 for operation by Aerogolfo as HK-3858X. Scrapped late 1997

Registered N1020U to United Air Lines in February 1962 and OY-SBZ to Sterling in March 1972. Sold in January 1976 to UTA for the République Gabonaise becoming TR-LWD and leased to Air Gabon in June 1977. Ferried to Venice in September 1978 and sold to EAS for spares in May 1979. Airframe moved off airport and displayed for a time before being broken up in 2006

Joined Sterling's fleet in April 1968 as they modernised from DC-6s to Caravelles. Sold in January 1975 to the Central African Republic Government as TL-ABB and operated by Centrafrican Airlines from June 1979. To EAS as F-GCJT in April 1980 and Air Toulouse International in January 1992 as F-GHMU (my pic #738992), ending up preserved with Ailes Anciennes at Toulouse (my pic #739092)

Later F-GHKM, HK-3806X. Broken up at Barranquilla 2000

First flight 28 June 28, 1982, delivered to USAir 15 March, 1983 as N776AL. 18 May 18 1987 to OY-SBO Sterling Airways. Leased to LACSA 30 October 1989 to 5 April 1990. Back to LACSA from 8 November 1990 to 31 March 1991. Sterling Airways renamed Sterling European Airlines 1 March 1994. To Riverhouse 30 June 1998 as N891DB, leased to Allegro Airlines October 1998 to May 1999, leased to Sun Country 6 May 1999. Reregistered N291SC November 1999. September 2001 stored at Smyrna, TN and broken up by 2003.

Scrapped in 1970

Caravelles F-GHKN and F-GHKP parked behind after lease return from Air Toulouse. Sterling would cease operations shortly after

First flight March 23rd 1983 and delivered as N779AL to USAir april 6th 1983. March 1987 OY-SBI Sterling Airways. May 1st 1991 leased to Air Columbus until November 1993. March 1994 OY-SBI Sterling European Airlines transferred. June 1994 leased to Sobelair for 4 months. November 26th 1997 N697CA Champion Air. September 12th 2008 N697CA Paxair Llc Chicago. July 18th 2013 wfu and broken up after 30 years in the air. Seen arriving rwy 24 this wonderful afternoon during "Charter 1989"

Built 1968, delivered new to SAS August 16th 1968 as their first DC-9-63 LN-MOU named "Leif Viking". March 21st 1974 HS-TGX for Thai. 1984 OY-SBK for Sterling Airways, 1986 transferred to Scanair. 1989 N794AL Trans Ocean Airways. Written off February 15th 1992 at Toledo, Ohio, in bad weather while operating for Burlington Air Express. seen on final approach to arrive rwy 01 at the old Gadermoen (ENGM / GEN) wich had the responsibility for Charter planes from november 1972 until October 1998.

Built and delivered to Sterling Airways in 1969. December 1975 RP-C123 Sterling Philippines Airways transferred.. March 1979 EC-DFP TAE- Trabajos Aereos y Enlaces (leased). October 1988 OY-STF Baltic International Airlines (leased). March 1989 OY-STF Sterling Airways again. December 1991 wfu at CPH. December 1992 HK-3805X Aerosucre, later HK-3805, and back to HK-3805X again. Broken up at Barranquilla in 2000 after flying more than 30 years. Seen climbing after take-off rwy 06, only two days before the Charter 1989 season at FBU ended. Scanned from original Fuji 200ISO negative film.