Douglas C-54A-5-DO Skymaster HZ-AAF which crashed at Jeddah on 25.9.59 photographed at Heathrow in 1958 by Brian Stainer. Note the support under the tail bumper which allowed overweight aft during loading.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Douglas DC-4 / C-54 / R5D Skymaster - СШАUSA - 1942

The airliner which crashed 24.9.59 after leaving Bordeaux was DC-7C c/n 45366 F-BIAP, the first of three for Transports Aeriens Intercontinentaux (TAI), the others being 45367 F-BIAQ and 45446 F-BIAR. The DC-7C was the last of the Douglas piston engine airliners and was powered by four 3,400 hp R-3350-18EA-1 Turbo-Compound 18-cyl 2-row radials (also fitted to Super Constellations) which for Wright were the last of the piston engine radials. From now on the big airliners were all jet powered.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Douglas DC-7 - СШАUSA - 1953

The bulk of the remains of a Vickers Viking, almost certainly F-BFDN c/n 248 of Airnautic which ran out of fuel and ditched 200 metres off the coast of Corsica on 5.9.59. The two crew members, the only occupants, swam to the shore. Divers have visited the wreck and this and other photographs were published in Germany, possibly in 1993.
5.9.59 Airnautic Viking F-BFDN c/n 248 carrying equipment for the American Jerome Robbins Ballet Company from Athens to the Edinburgh Festival ran out of fuel and crashed in the sea in bad weather 200 metres off Traliceto, Corsica at 1145 GMT. The two crew, who had intended to refuel the Viking at Bastia, swam ashore uninjured. The ballet company danced to acclaim without their props.
5.9.59 Further to the ditching off Corsica of Airnautic Viking F-BFDN, we have received via Dave Cotterell photocopies of fax copies of photos published in a German magazine taken by divers of an aircraft on the sea bed which is undoubtedly this Viking. As can be seen overpage, the bulk of the fuselage, wings and engine structures seem to be basically intact. Dave adds that while the equipment was being carried in F-BFDN, the members of the ballet company travelled in Viking I-RASC c/n 295 of Mediteravia.
5.9.59 The Airnautic Viking F-BFDN "... lies 700m from the beach of Mortoli, at 18m depth. The tail is 200m away, in the direction of the beach. This leads the author to think that the pilot tried to land on the beach, but realising it was too small, tried a ditching. The wreck .... now is covered with concretions". (With acknowledgement to "Naufrages en Corse" by Jean-Pierre Joncheray

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Vickers Viking / Valetta - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1945