ulxima

BA had DC10 among their fleet.
I was a regular passenger back in 1998 on LGW-EBB-LGW route.

U!

PresRDC

Apparently, BA also operated DC-10s in the early 1980s, perhaps in conjunction with Air New Zealand.

My first BA flight was JFK-LGW on a DC-10 in June 1993. Flew LHR-JFK on the way back on a 747 classic (-100 or -200) and found the seats in WT on the 747 to be much less comfortable with much less legroom than the DC-10.

Jackie_414

I am an aeronautical engineer and since its launch I have loved the Lockheed L-1011. Fuel hog for sure, but it is the singular most beautiful commercial aircraft ever made, much to do with it's size. Livery had a big effect on how it looked, though. I don't like the BA livery on the aircraft, preferring the Delta livery. Just compare it to the DC-10/MD-10/MD-11 and you will see how much better looking it is than the other wide body tri-jet. And it is not just the tail design, it is the nose of the aircraft and the way the landing gear are set up. I loved flying on the L-1011. A college classmate of mine flew them all over the world and he loved the aircraft. Sometimes, when he was transporting troops on them, he would do things like tight turns onto final just to demonstrate the aircraft's abilities. The old Lockheed was a fantastic place with the Skunk Works (RTM).

Second place: Venerable "Queen of the Skies"

Third place: Concord

Honorable mention: British Comet and French Caravelle, kind of death machines, though.

Future placeholders: Boeing 780 and Airbus 350, plastic airplanes, hah hah.

oldclipper

The Handley Page Victor.

Not a civil aviation airplane, of course, but still pretty ugly!

Jackie_414

Read about the long range attacks, Black Bucks, that the Brits put together during Falkland Islands war. Then you'll be impressed with what the Victors did. Besides, military aircraft as supposed to look ugly . . . and mean!

Jackie_414

Interesting, because a sharp ATC could have saved Eastern 401. Apparently there weren't any in Miami at the time.

oldclipper

oldclipper

Your point is well taken. And no offense was intended.

askmrlee

I’m glad I’m not the only one who remembered this feature. It seemed to reduce the wait for the restroom by having them lined up. Plus they were shaped like a pizza pie slice so they were more spacious (maybe?) than other aircraft labs.

SaraJH

I adore the Tristar and a good friend of ours was a Captain in the late 70s/ early 80s. My mother had the privilege of him sitting in the right hand seat of a Piper Archer some years later when she (in the left hand seat) was coming into Bournemouth one day from Le
Touquet.
it was a very busy day and he had the radio, she doesn’t know whether it was his smooth professional dulcet times or luck but they jumped the queue and were on the ground in super quick time!

All I remember of him was that he did indeed have such a mellifluous voice and to this day it’s ‘the voice of a BA Captain’ IMO of course.

SaraJH

I don’t have a personal picture but probably not the ugliest but maybe the smallest aircraft in BA colours has to be the Piper Tomahawk that flew from British Airways Flying Club at Booker Airfield.

Zeke2010

This post brings back many good memories. Back in the mid 70's I was working for a logistics firm in Singapore and although SQ was an excellent airline even back in those days, I almost exclusively flew CX who had a fleet of these L-1011's. Mostly it was a trip to HKG every couple of months either directly or via BKK and over several years got friendly with a number of their crew members. Unlike most Asian carriers at the time, CX recruited their crews from throughout Asia but they were all based in HKG. One thing I did not know until a FA took me for a ride was that these planes had elevators into the lower hold where the galley was located. Pretty cool. CX also use to serve some of their alcohol out of 750 ml bottles and because of some regulation they had to discard any open bottles upon landing between any international destinations, which for them, was every flight. On numerous occasions I ended up being the recipient of a bottle of brandy or whiskey that had but one drink taken from it. Nice perk.
Was stationed in Saudia Arabia in 1977 where TWA use to provide ground maintenance to SV at this time who also flew a fleet of L-1011's out of JED. Unfortunately JED was pretty undeveloped in those days (1 paved road) so it was a tough place for all those family members with the maintenance personnel. A lot of culture shock and subsequently employee turnover.

Crampedin13A

Do-228 was one ugly bird. I remember seeing the Suckling Airways ones on the tarmac at MAN. They were butt ugly planes

Crampedin13A

As much time as I spent on BA Tri-Stars in the 80's I spent even more on the AC ones. I always thought they looked great in the old red and white AC colours

Great_circle

That is one thing I remember from my only ever flight on a L1011 (TWA) in 1987. Plus very small windows.
This particular flight (AMS-JFK) was almost empty, otherwise it would be a claustrophobic experience with the 2-5-2 seating (although KLM offered the same in their DC10’s).
But back to subject I think it was as beautiful as any tri-jet. Anyone who thinks the L1011 isn’t pretty should have one more good look at the Yak 40 (also a tri-jet) which IMO reaches an unsurpassed level of uglyness ..