flyingtestbed

This photo caption is incorrect. This is actually a Convair 340 (CV-340), United Air Lines' first CV-340 delivered and the second CV-340 off of the production line, N73102 (c/n 2). Interestingly, this aircraft still flies today, converted (by Pacific Airmotive) into a turboprop powered Convair 580 (CV-580), wearing the registration N580HW as an avionics testbed for Honeywell Aviation Services. Here's a photo of the airplane in its current guise: As stated, this aircraft was delivered to United Air Lines (UAL) as N73102, on September 2, 1952. Frontier Airlines would then be the next operator of the aircraft (same registration) in August 1966. After Frontier, the airplane would be purchased by Gem State Airlines and re-registered as N116GS in May 1979. Gem State as then renamed Golden Gate Airlines in 1980. In February 1984, Aspen Airways would buy the aircraft and re-register it as N113AP. Then in March 1991, Aspen Airways sold the aircraft to Renown Aviation, Renown then soon selling it to Allied Signal in January 1992. Allied Signal registered the aircraft as N580AS and equipped it as a flying testbed. Allied Signal and Honeywell merged in 1999, the aircraft now wears Honeywell titles and is registered as N580HW.

Great photo

Beautiful pic !

Neato....

History is :- c/n 4911. 42-6459 C-53 23Apr42 - Patterson 30Apr42 - Pope 04Jun42 - Lawson 17Jul42 - Pope 15Aug42 - Stuttgart 120ct42 - Dalhart 18Nov42 - Stuttgart 27Dec42 - Pope 08Mar43 - Del Valle 08Apr43 - Bergstrom 21Jun43 - Lubbock 04Mar44 - Ft Worth -7Nov44 - S Plains 27Nov44 - RFC Bush 12Jan45 - NC18565 DPC - TWA '369' B09Feb45 - Wfu 21Dec48 - Lockheed Acft Corp Dec49 - Fitted with NASARR nose for F-104 training 1960 - XA+117 German AF LVSt612 190ct62 - LVSt 614 30May64 - ESt61 26May66 - SOC 17Feb67 - N3101Q ATC Inc, Reno, NV R23Sep69 - LAVCO L- Wfu Hal Far, Malta, 1970 - Used for spares at Hal Far ca 1977 - Remains at Luqa 1983 - Canx Dec83 - In scrap yard at Birzebuga, Malta, Dec89 - Noted there May94 marked '140'. Source : www.aviationinmalta.com/CivilGeneralAviation/Deliveries/D...

Pratt and Whitney's B-17 engine test-bed