| Aircraft | |
|---|---|
| Registration / Serial: | N5615 |
| Aircraft Original Type: | Convair 990 |
| Aircraft Generic Type: | Convair 990 (Coronado) |
| Aircraft Version: | Convair 990A (30A-5) |
| C/n (msn): | 30-27 |
| Operator Titles: | Modern Air |
| Aircraft Name: | Polar Byrd 2 |
| Location | |
|---|---|
| City / Airport: | Sydney - Kingsford Smith InternationalMap |
| Region / Country: | New South Wales, Australia |
| Airport Codes: | ICAO: YSSY IATA: SYD Local: YSSY Other: - |
| Photo Date: | 17 November 1968 |
| Photo by: | David Carter |
| Photo ID: | 22683 |
| Photo Comment |
|---|
|
No airline operated Convair 990s to Australia so the smoky arrival of N5615 was greeted with much excitement by aviation enthusiasts. It was on a charter flight that commenced in Boston and included overflights of the North and South Poles and a landing at McMurdo in Antarctica. The flight was a fundraiser for the Richard E Byrd Polar Centre in Boston (hence the spelling of the aircraft name). An attempt to fly the same route in 1970 was scuttled when the US Navy, out of safety concerns, refused permission to land at McMurdo. This photo is copyright © David Carter, and may not be used or published in any way without permission. It was added on 24 November 2017, and has since been viewed 768 times. |