N90804 and N9734Z, with N90802 on the far right, at their home base in October 1987.

When International Air Response (formerly T&G) moved their base of operation from Chandler Memorial to Coolidge Municipal Airport, they scrapped many of the redundant propliners that had been stored on the field. The forward fuselage of this aircraft was saved and moved to Coolidge and later to Mesa-Falcon Field where it was noted in 2013. It was named "African Queen" after being almost shot down by a SAM-7 heat seeking missile over the Western Sahara Desert on December 8, 1988. It was flying with DC-7C N284, which crashed after being hit by a SAM-7.

Ex BOAC, N90804 went on to fly with a travel club and then become an aerial sprayer. It was on a spraying mission to Africa in December 1988 when it was hit by a SAM-7 and damaged. Its sister ship was also hit and crashed. N90804 ended its days derelict at Chandler - Gila River Memorial Airport. Photographer's name unknown.

I worked on this airplane in 1967 when it was in service with Saturn Airways. We've both put a few miles on since that time.

This airplane got its name "African Queen" when it was almost shot down by a heat seeking missile in Africa a number of years ago.