Mexicana's XA-NAT was stored at MEX from Dec 1970 and became N777WA in May 1973, but this was never painted on the aircraft. Bought by Redmond Air in Nov 1979 (along with N888WA now preserved at Everett, and N999WA, scrapped at Chicago) with the intention of forming a club to fly gamblers to Las Vegas. This one remained derelict at the airport right through the 1980s (note the Dan-Air wing tank). It was moved to Irapuato Zoo where it clung onto life in an increasingly poor state until scrapped in March 2015. Sad to think of such a rare and iconic aircraft succumbing to the breakers so recently, some 55 years after first entering service.

This photo is copyright © Richard Vandervord, and may not be used or published in any way without permission.

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