Convair 880, c/n 35, was originally delivered to TWA in 1960 as N828TW. After TWA withdrew it from service in 1974 its ownership, along with that of the other ex-TWA Convair 880s, began a long and complicated saga, passing through several owners until all of them, except this example and Elvis Presley's "Lisa Marie," were broken up.
Ship 35 is stored at the Mojave Air & Space Port, formerly known simply as Mojave Airport. I took these photos when I was helping its current owner move it to a new location. The last time this rare aircraft had been moved was at least 12 years ago!
For more about Convair 880 c/n 35, see:
www.convairjet.com/CV880_cn35.html
In this photo, the nose landing gear wheels have been removed as part of the preparation for towing.
Tags: Convair 880 Convair c/n 35 N828TW TWA classic jets Mojave Air & Space Port MHV desert jets boneyard Mojave Air and Space Port Mojave airport KMHV Mojave airplane graveyard aircraft storage aircraft scrapping
Convair 880, c/n 35, was originally delivered to TWA in 1960 as N828TW. After TWA withdrew it from service in 1974 its ownership, along with that of the other ex-TWA Convair 880s, began a long and complicated saga, passing through several owners until all of them, except this example except this example and Elvis Presley's "Lisa Marie," were broken up.
Ship 35 is stored at the Mojave Air & Space Port, formerly known simply as Mojave Airport. I took these photos when I was helping its current owner move it to a new location. The last time this rare aircraft had been moved was at least 12 years ago!
For more about Convair 880 c/n 35, see:
www.convairjet.com/CV880_cn35.html
Tags: Convair 880 Convair c/n 35 N828TW TWA classic jets Mojave Air & Space Port MHV desert jets boneyard Mojave Air and Space Port Mojave airport KMHV Mojave airplane graveyard aircraft storage aircraft scrapping
Convair 880, c/n 35, was originally delivered to TWA in 1960 as N828TW. After TWA withdrew it from service in 1974 its ownership, along with that of the other ex-TWA Convair 880s, began a long and complicated saga, passing through several owners until all of them, except this example except this example and Elvis Presley's "Lisa Marie," were broken up.
Ship 35 is stored at the Mojave Air & Space Port, formerly known simply as Mojave Airport. I took these photos when I was helping its current owner move it to a new location. The last time this rare aircraft had been moved was at least 12 years ago!
For more about Convair 880 c/n 35, see:
www.convairjet.com/CV880_cn35.html
These wheel bearings would have been discarded if replacements had been available, but they weren't, and the plane didn't need to speed down a runway... it merely had to roll a few hundred yards at a walking pace. They were cleaned in solvent, coated with grease and re-installed
Tags: Convair 880 Convair c/n 35 N828TW TWA classic jets Mojave Air & Space Port MHV desert jets boneyard aircraft maintenance tapered roller bearings wheel bearings dirt sand contamination Mojave Air and Space Port Mojave airport KMHV Mojave airplane graveyard aircraft storage aircraft scrapping
Stewart & Stevenson A/S 32U-30 Aircraft Tow Tractor
Manufactured by Stewart & Stevenson
I believe that this tractor was originally procured by the US Air Force, but I couldn't find markings with specific procurement date, contract number, etc. It did have residual markings that indicated it had been sold as surplus in 2009.
I believe that the same model, known simply as the U-30, has also been sold directly to the civilian market.
U-30 (Wikipedia):
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U-30_Tow_Tractor
Mojave Air & Space Port, California
Tags: Stewart & Stevenson A/S 32U-30 U-30 aircraft tow tractor aircraft tug tractor tug military vehicle Mojave Air & Space Port Mojave Air and Space Port Mojave airport KMHV MHV Mojave boneyard airplane graveyard aircraft storage aircraft scrapping
Here I am, about to move the Convair 880 from its resting place of 12 years to its new location, a few hundred yards north and west.
Tags: Stewart & Stevenson A/S 32U-30 U-30 aircraft tow tractor aircraft tug tractor tug military vehicle Mojave Air & Space Port Mojave Air and Space Port Mojave airport KMHV MHV Mojave boneyard airplane graveyard aircraft storage aircraft scrapping