(4K) 52 Year Old Douglas DC-8-63F (N865F) Walkaround and Cockpit Tour

[@scottstrathearn6246]

I was a Cargo Supervisor/Loadmaster on this specific aircraft with Trans International Airlines from 1975 to 1977. I was one of the Flying Cowboys for TIA then and we flew horse charters, cattle charters (even water buffalo’s) and general cargo worldwide on this particular aircraft. It was called TV865 with TIA. I probably flew close to half a million miles on 865, so it has a special place in my memory. Another part of 865’s history is that this aircraft took mortar fire damage while flying cargo for the U.S. Military during the Vietnam War.

[@felixniederhauser7799]

Also my favorite when I was dispatcher & load master for all DC 8-50's & 60"s. I also flew around the globe with the 63 freighter. Nice memories and challenges' from time ti time.

[@Efficient7x]

My favourite aircraft of all time, what a magnificent looking machine

[@dianeschroeder3980]

I looked up the registration on this plane and I couldn’t believe how many different times it changed hands. I flew on many a DC-8 as a child, so this aircraft is very dear to my heart. Great video, thanks for going out in the snow to film this!❤️👍✈️

[@richardstefanello8599]

I believe I flew on this aircraft while I was a Flight Attendant for Overseas National Airways

[@wotan10950]

Fantastic! My first flights as a teenager in the 1970s were on DC-8-63s. Remember the “supplemental” airlines? I still think the -61/-63 was the most beautiful design of a passenger aircraft.

[@jimprior5700]

also " non-scheds"

[@nybotor1]

It's very difficult to find new videos of DC-8s, let alone a closeup tour of one. Great video!

[@jimratliff2753]

I flew on that airplane out of Travis Air Force Base to Hickman Air Force Base in Honolulu in 1970. It was my folks and my sister and I and a handful of stewardess. We dead headed across the pond with nobody on board but us. They were going to pick up GIs and bring them back from the Vietnam war to Travis. I did it several times. TIA was a very good customer of my father who owned Astro Aire. Our family business overhauled and repaired thousands of aircraft instrument avionics and accessory components for TIA and then eventually Transamerica Airlines. These airlines were based at Oakland airport along with World Airways and Air California as well as our FAA Approved part 145 repair station. TIA flew the craziest charters and special flights you could ever imagine. Yes, they flew horses, they flew cattle to Tehran Iran when the Shah was still in power. What a great airline TIA was. Saturn and Seaboard World and ONA... were all predecessors and supplemental carriers at the time running through Oakland.

[@georgechance9572]

Thank you for going out into the cold weather to make this video. It is still a beautiful aircraft.

[@allanmacleod2046]

Great to see 865 still around,I flew thousands of Horses worldwide on this aircraft along with the Flying Cowboys when with Trans International, then Trans America. Please keep us in loop as to future plans for 865. Allan MACLEOD New Zealand. The best, always got us home.

[@StretchMiller509]

I remember pushing and pulling cargo in and out of these beautiful birds. Flight mechanic let me sit in for an engine run up one day, what a great experience.

[@gebbdub]

Magnificent aircraft! Here's hoping she'll be back in the skies soon

[@Ananth8193]

Awesome video @ Lepp aviation ... Thanks for the detailed tour of this very beautiful bird in this cold conditions..... Fantastic ❤️❤️

[@artkemberling7764]

My first flight overseas in 1973 was on a DC-8 operated by Trans International Airlines. Charter to Malaga, Spain from Harrisburg, PA.

[@EmeryE2]

For being untouched a total of 9 years, that aircraft looks to be in pretty good shape.

[@allenmurray7893]

My first flight on DC-8 was with Trans-Carribean Airlines from McGuire AFB to RAF Lakenheath, UK in 1968. We landed at Lakenheath because of runway construction at Mildenhall. I never thought I would fly as a crewmember on one but, eventually I did. Unfortunately, not for very long.

[@capt744]

Thought the registration is familiar!! Looked in my logbook - I first flew this particular airplane on 07/08/1981 from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to Khartoum, Sudan when I was flying as First Officer for ONA. Last entry on this tail in my logbook was on 12/31/1982 from Copenhagen, Den,ark to Paris CDG. Have a pic in Saudia colors but don’t know how to post it. More than 40 years ago and she wasn’t new then!!

[@Yormsane]

I heard an ex-DHL DC-8F was revived from the Kingman AZ boneyard last year, after sitting abandoned in the desert sun for over a decade. Please keep us updated on the progress of N865F, I can't wait to see it back in the sky!

[@LeppAviation]

Absolutely will do!

[@michiganrailfanfilms353]

Good news, Kalitta owns the Aircraft and as of May 2021 the aircraft is airworthy, Needs some work on the EPR gauges but she's almost ready to fly...

[@allanmacleod2046]

A bit of horse piss will not beat a true classic,makes me feel real good that someone will keep it going. Allan MACLEOD New Zealand.

[@nomasknoway9903]

The race car guy? Hahaha, jk. As soon as I read the video description I knew it had to be Connie or his nephew. I last flew for Connie 24 years ago. Miss flying the greasy-8. Great airplane. Great memories.

[@brad727]

Any updates on this bird, weather she'll fly again?

[@bmused55]

I was gonna get a jump seat ride on a DC-8-62F sometime around 2008 with a cargo outfit I did the livery for. Sadly a maintenance crew drove her into a ditch a couple of weeks before I was due to fly on her. She was eventually repaired (to my surprise!) but I never got that jump seat ride before the company sold up. (They lost all their contracts when the plane was damaged and it was their only one)

[@melvyncox3361]

Nice!Hope she will be in the air again soon❤👍☺

[@matthewbrackley1793]

Beautiful machine with sleek pylons and engines, the most elegant of all the 4 holers------ever!

[@alphabravoindia5267]

Is the 747 on your list?

[@machpodfan]

the -62 and -63 pylons look like a fantasy of speed, artistic...my favorites of ever are the Convairs 880/990, but the 8 is right there too for a great-looking uniquely capable machine.

[@mylosairplanefan]

Thats amazing, awesome video mate!

[@aviationwithjeff]

What a beautiful plane.

[@GilZu]

I would love to see it flies with the current engines

[@jimprior5700]

Good tour brother

[@jetrepaz]

good stuff Paul!

[@jimprior5700]

That blue stripe near the empanage looks like Flying Tiger.

[@NWAAII]

I CAN SEE why those loud smokers were left untouched on the DC-8. Nobody wants those engines. Thanks for posting this video, this is the first time I was able to see the tailstrike equipment on an 8. I saw a former AIR CANADA DC-8 at ABX Wilmington under similar severe winter conditions, but I don’t remember seeing the tailstrike. How were you able to get in to see not only the outside of the aircraft, but inside, as well? Why is there a non-OEM red metal limiter on the flaps? I live in Canada, just across the border, one hour away and I would like to see this aircraft if possible...with my wife, once the COVID blight ends. She witnessed the crash of Flight 621 (also a DC-8-63...the first 63 to crash) in Castlemore, Ontario in 1970. She has always wanted to see an actual DC-8 up close. And not one in pieces. Google Flight 621...Never Was An Arrow II (Flickr) that’s me. Cheers, Paul >

[@LeppAviation]

Thanks for the awesome comment, Paul! The man talking in the video is the chief pilot of the aircraft and we contacted him saying we were interested in a tour. Hopefully restrictions will be lifted soon and you two can come check her out!

[@NWAAII]

@@LeppAviation , that would be great >

[@JelmersAviation]

Wonderful video mate!

[@ericlozen9631]

Awesome - I was a product of '68 as well. Yankee Air Force?

[@LeppAviation]

She was owned by the Yankee Air Museum for a few years! Thanks for the comment, Eric!

[@turbofanlover]

Love this classic bird. Love those engines, too. Thanks for making this vid. :)

[@Kevin_747]

I flew several models of the DC-8 but the 63 was my favorite. Used to do non stop Tinker AFB to Rota, Spain during Desert Shield/Storm. The 8 was my first four engine type rating. Many fond memories of the DC-8. I still have all my manuals, panel posters etc. Nobody cares but us old farts that flew 'em.

[@KasperAviation]

Hey I’ve seen this one before!

[@LeppAviation]

Deja Vu??

[@RubenThomas]

Two memes, one comment.

[@erivanlopes5783]

Very Cool👍

[@JoshuasPHXAviation]

Very cool video Lepp Aviation👍👍

[@eriklakedoes3339]

gorgeous work horse DC8 awsome body DC 8 60./70 series

[@muh.farhan8243]

She's so beautiful 😍😍😍

[@simluator1069]

Sound Like Tu-154

[@AndrewMay-ju8et]

Its been 3 years and its still not flying, what happened?

[@_Corndawgg]

Any updates on reactivation?

[@aviationlba747]

Projects like this very rarely succeed due to costs and lack of spare parts etc. I believe this aircraft is currently in a state of ‘preservation’, but will unlikely return flying.

[@Ramprat2]

Someone posted that Connie Kalitta had it and it was airworthy.

[@Johnonayacht]

I think those are the same engines that were originally on the KC-35

[@LeppAviation]

Both are variants of the JT3D!

[@jerrykalick8565]

The original C-35/KC-35's had J57 engines, The civilian designation is JT3C.

[@tomsamuelson8512]

135?

[@allenmurray7893]

The J-57 is a pure jet engine, the JT-3 is a turbofan. The C-141s had these engines known as a TF 33.

[@MallioMal]

Its made in 1968 by McdonellDouglas due to DOUGLAS MERGED WITH MCDONELL.

[@pigybak]

where is she?

[@holten75]

Where is the plane located at?

[@LeppAviation]

Detroit Willow Run (YIP)

[@sheamusrzr3425]

Sad to see the ole girl sitting like that. Many nights spent flying around maintaining her

[@TonyM132]

At 1:48 "...the only plane in the world that does that, holds more 'gas' than it weighs." Either I don't fully understand what he means or he is wrong. I take that to mean total fuel capacity is greater than the operating empty weight of the airplane. That is true for plenty of other commerical aircraft, including the later/heavier 707 variants, A340-500, 777F. I'm sure it is true for more others, those just happen to be a few I quickly looked up. I'm willing to bet he is wrong, not only because I can't imagine what else the statement could mean, but also his use of the term 'gas'. I'm not a pilot, and maybe it is more common among old-timers, but how many commercial pilots call jet fuel "gas"?

[@alphabravoindia5267]

Is it active?

[@LeppAviation]

It hopefully will be soon!

[@alphabravoindia5267]

@@LeppAviation Any news on this?? It's been 6 months...

[@Mauscmkwk]

I can assume that that plane will be scrapped very soon

[@KasperAviation]

Nope! She’s being repaired and will be back in the skies shortly!

[@Mauscmkwk]

@@KasperAviation that’s a surprise giving the fact the 2 707’s are being scrapped