Does anyone know the story behind the SIlver bullet?

*Sorry! for the life of me I can't figure out how to attach a photo*

admluvs2fly wrote:

Does anyone know the story behind the SIlver bullet?

*Sorry! for the life of me I can't figure out how to attach a photo*

Are you talking about a 727-200 from Braniff 3 silver with scarlet Braniff International titles.

This?

Well, it was originally built for AA, hence the bare metal.

I believe that Braniff leased it from AA for some time

Max Q wrote:

I believe that Braniff leased it from AA for some time

Even the orange cheatlne precisely covers the blue/white/red American cheatline. I actually saw this plane at high altitude one day from the Bay Area enroute DFW-HNL when it was in service with BN.

My personal webpage of airline fleets (compiled from published sources like The Aviation Hobby Shop, The Aviation Data Centre, etc) shows N9666 was leased by BN from Jan '78 - June '80.

aeromoe wrote:

Max Q wrote:

I believe that Braniff leased it from AA for some time

Even the orange cheatlne precisely covers the blue/white/red American cheatline. I actually saw this plane at high altitude one day from the Bay Area enroute DFW-HNL when it was in service with BN.

My personal webpage of airline fleets (compiled from published sources like The Aviation Hobby Shop, The Aviation Data Centre, etc) shows N9666 was leased by BN from Jan '78 - June '80.

It was in anticipation of deregulation at the end of the year, this aircraft routinely showed up on the circle PDX-SEA-HNL-PDX-SEA flights that started in Oct 1978.

RWA380 wrote:

aeromoe wrote:

Max Q wrote:

I believe that Braniff leased it from AA for some time

Even the orange cheatlne precisely covers the blue/white/red American cheatline. I actually saw this plane at high altitude one day from the Bay Area enroute DFW-HNL when it was in service with BN.

My personal webpage of airline fleets (compiled from published sources like The Aviation Hobby Shop, The Aviation Data Centre, etc) shows N9666 was leased by BN from Jan '78 - June '80.

It was in anticipation of deregulation at the end of the year, this aircraft routinely showed up on the circle PDX-SEA-HNL-PDX-SEA flights that started in Oct 1978.

That's a neat tid-bit of info to know...thanks for posting!

It looked pretty good I think but I liked the genuine ‘Big Orange’ more !

aeromoe wrote:

My personal webpage of airline fleets (compiled from published sources like The Aviation Hobby Shop, The Aviation Data Centre, etc) shows N9666 was leased by BN from Jan '78 - June '80.

Is your site aeromoe fleets bn1, with lavender background?
Is so, it is a great source for Braniff fleet data.

BN leased this aircraft when they were awarded DFW-LGW. BN famously flew one 747 ("Big Orange") every day between DAL / DFW and HNL. BN needed a second 747 on short notice when they were awarded DFW-LGW, and made AA an offer too good to refuse.

The airplane was leased from American (which was getting rid of 747's when Braniff was awarded the DFW-LGW route - they only had the 747-127 (Big Orange/Great Pumpkin) at the time and needed a second 747 for that route. Later, after deregulation, Braniff acquired a number of 747's, both used and new, for their new international routes.

TW also had a "Silver Bullet" for a VERY short time.

Background
For a ten-month period (during 1980-1981), one of TWA's Boeing 727-231 jets stood out from the rest of the fleet by displaying a polished bare-metal paint scheme. Aircraft N64339 was the test case for TWA's "Operation Skinny", a program to reduce aircraft weight, thus reducing fuel consumption. After the ten-month trial, the bare metal scheme was not adopted. Although less fuel was burned, the costs of maintaining the bare metal skin for the entire fleet were determined to be too high. Additionally, opinions received during the trial showed the public favored TWA's planes continuing to be painted white, with their predominantly red tail. N64339 's unique appearance ended in June 1981, when it was repainted to look like its sibling TWA aircraft.

Source: https://twamuseumguides.blogspot.com/

citationjet wrote:

aeromoe wrote:

My personal webpage of airline fleets (compiled from published sources like The Aviation Hobby Shop, The Aviation Data Centre, etc) shows N9666 was leased by BN from Jan '78 - June '80.

Is your site aeromoe fleets bn1, with lavender background?
Is so, it is a great source for Braniff fleet data.

Yes, thanks. I don't know why I picked lavender for that background...it was a BN pastel color back in the day...WAY back in the day.

aeromoe wrote:

My personal webpage of airline fleets (compiled from published sources like The Aviation Hobby Shop, The Aviation Data Centre, etc) shows N9666 was leased by BN from Jan '78 - June '80.

Your site is incredible. I cannot tell you how many times I have referenced it over the years!

departedflights wrote:

aeromoe wrote:

My personal webpage of airline fleets (compiled from published sources like The Aviation Hobby Shop, The Aviation Data Centre, etc) shows N9666 was leased by BN from Jan '78 - June '80.

Your site is incredible. I cannot tell you how many times I have referenced it over the years!

Thank you. I just wish I had the ambition to update it!

TWA302 wrote:

TW also had a "Silver Bullet" for a VERY short time.

Background
For a ten-month period (during 1980-1981), one of TWA's Boeing 727-231 jets stood out from the rest of the fleet by displaying a polished bare-metal paint scheme. Aircraft N64339 was the test case for TWA's "Operation Skinny", a program to reduce aircraft weight, thus reducing fuel consumption. After the ten-month trial, the bare metal scheme was not adopted. Although less fuel was burned, the costs of maintaining the bare metal skin for the entire fleet were determined to be too high. Additionally, opinions received during the trial showed the public favored TWA's planes continuing to be painted white, with their predominantly red tail. N64339 's unique appearance ended in June 1981, when it was repainted to look like its sibling TWA aircraft.

Source: https://twamuseumguides.blogspot.com/

Don't want to take thread off topic, but just as a note, the bare metal TWA 727 (N64339) was the same 727 painted in regular colors 4 years later in the 1985 TWA 847 hijacking. It flew on with TWA for another 10+ years after that.

slcguy wrote:

Don't want to take thread off topic, but just as a note, the bare metal TWA 727 (N64339) was the same 727 painted in regular colors 4 years later in the 1985 TWA 847 hijacking. It flew on with TWA for another 10+ years after that.

It also had the double globe livery until 1980, one of the last to wear it.

http://youtu.be/ydfsPlNIMw0?t=187

DL_Mech wrote:

slcguy wrote:

Don't want to take thread off topic, but just as a note, the bare metal TWA 727 (N64339) was the same 727 painted in regular colors 4 years later in the 1985 TWA 847 hijacking. It flew on with TWA for another 10+ years after that.

It also had the double globe livery until 1980, one of the last to wear it.

http://youtu.be/ydfsPlNIMw0?t=187

This aircraft also looks very similar to the TWA paint scheme of the late 1940's when they became Trans World Airline. I thought it was a retro when I first saw it.

slcguy wrote:

Don't want to take thread off topic, but just as a note, the bare metal TWA 727 (N64339) was the same 727 painted in regular colors 4 years later in the 1985 TWA 847 hijacking. It flew on with TWA for another 10+ years after that.

Wow... okay.... and wasn't THAT 727 the final 727 flight for TWA? That aircraft definitely had quite the history.

Thank you all . This is just the information that I wanted . There was an episode of Rockford Files where he goes to HNL and passes that exact a/c.

Thank you all . This is just the information that I wanted . There was an episode of Rockford Files where he goes to HNL and passes that exact a/c.

aeromoe wrote:

departedflights wrote:

aeromoe wrote:

My personal webpage of airline fleets (compiled from published sources like The Aviation Hobby Shop, The Aviation Data Centre, etc) shows N9666 was leased by BN from Jan '78 - June '80.

Your site is incredible. I cannot tell you how many times I have referenced it over the years!

Thank you. I just wish I had the ambition to update it!

I found what I believe is an error on your site.
In the index at the bottom under Pastel colors, OC is shown for both Ochre and Orange. I believe Orange should be OR.

departedflights wrote:

slcguy wrote:

Don't want to take thread off topic, but just as a note, the bare metal TWA 727 (N64339) was the same 727 painted in regular colors 4 years later in the 1985 TWA 847 hijacking. It flew on with TWA for another 10+ years after that.

Wow... okay.... and wasn't THAT 727 the final 727 flight for TWA? That aircraft definitely had quite the history.

Yes it was! Sorry I forgot it was the last 727 that flew for TWA. I knew that. Memory getting bad with age LOL.

citationjet wrote:

aeromoe wrote:

departedflights wrote:

Your site is incredible. I cannot tell you how many times I have referenced it over the years!

Thank you. I just wish I had the ambition to update it!

I found what I believe is an error on your site.
In the index at the bottom under Pastel colors, OC is shown for both Ochre and Orange. I believe Orange should be OR.

By golly you're absolutely right. I shall make the change. Thanks for pointing this out!