Color Scheme:
Delivery Colors
Registration:
F-BJLB
Composition:
An Original Douglas Factory Polished Aluminum
Model
Dimensions:
Length: 35.5" (91cm), Wingspan 34" (86cm)
Condition:
Very Good
Model History:
Every since I acquired a Douglas
Factory DC-8-33 Model of the French Airline TAI in 1973, I have
wanted to find an original Douglas Factory Model of it's "sister"
airline UAT. It has always been "long shot" finding
an original UAT model because both of these airlines merged into
UTA French Airlines in the mid-1960s and thus UAT has been out
of existence for over 40 years. In 2003 I "gave up"
and had a UAT DC-8-32 hand painted in the Philippines, using
an old Douglas Factory Model Blank which the original livery had
been destroyed, so I could complete my collection of the
original DC-8 customers. Then in late 2005, to my great fortune,
I found out my friend Steve Spatz had an original UAT
DC-8 and was willing to trade it for my 1/50 National DC-8-21
(in the mid-1960s livery) Douglas Factory Model. I'm very grateful
to now have original Douglas Factory DC-8s of two great airlines
which merged to become UTA French Airlines.
UAT's
DC-8 History: Union Aeromaritime de Transport (UAT) was
an Original Delivery Customer of the DC-8 and took delivery of
it's first DC-8 (DC-8-32 F-BJLA) in June 1960. UAT had an excellent
route system from France to Central & Southern Africa for
which the DC-8 would be well suited for. Click
Here to See UAT's DC-8 Fleet Information. UAT had a 'sister'
company, named Transports Aeriens Intercontinentaux (TAI), which
also enjoyed an excellent route system from France to the French
overseas provinces and former colonies, primarily in the Orient
and South Pacific. (Click Here to See a
TAI DC-8-33 Model ) These two independent airlines merged
on October 1, 1963 to become Union de Transports Aeriens or UTA
French Airlines which became the principal competition for government
owned Air France. (Click Here to See a
UTA DC-8-32 Model)
Click
Here To View Some Early Advertising For The "New" UAT
DC-8 & A Route Map c. 1960
Click
Here to View a Photo of the Actual Aircraft
Photo Courtesy Of & Many Thanks To Terry Waddington
