Basic Eastern Airlines colours, TriStar demonstrator

The star of the 1972 THF open days is arriving!

Demonstrated by Lockheed, with BEA tail marks and Eastern Air Lines cheatline.

Prior to delivery to eastern Airlines, this TriStar did a world tour. Seen here landing for the first time at Heathrow on 28L in front of the purpose built BEA TriStar hangar. It was very low over the threshold, maybe on Automatic Landing?

About to turn onto 9L for departure with a sister ship behind it heading for runway 12. Delivered to Eastern 11/72, Delta bt and rr N782DA 1/92. Retired in '97.

Part of this Lockheed demonstrator's world tour was a promotional flight for Court Line at Manchester prior to delivery to Eastern (23.11.72). She became N782DL with Delta in 1.92, was retired to Mojave in 11.96 and scrapped in 9.02. This is probably my most valuable TriStar slide and I was lucky to be there at the time

Hazy morning pushback for this L1011 which first flew November 10, 1972 and was demonstrated in Europe by Lockheed before entering Eastern service. After Eastern shut down, the Tristar was added to Delta Air Lines' fleet on December 30, 1991 as N782DL Sold to Avtel Services on October 9, 2001 and stored at Mojave, CA, it was broken up there by September 2002.