BOAC B707 Help

[The Tomohawk Kid]

In a real "play it cool Rodney" moment I made off like a bandit (I have not moved as fast in decades once I had bought it) with what I first thought may a travel agent display model of a BOAC B707.  I'm not au fait with travel agent models, but what little I can find and a bit of deduction I don't think it is a travel agent model. From what I can make out travel agent display models didn't come with stands like this, particularly one with notation "BOAC Rolls Royce 707 Jetliner" on the base of the stand. Whilst the nose profile is way off, the RR Conway's are more or less depicted correctly, from what little research I have done this is not the case on other similar BOAC display models. The BOAC livery predates the ones the 707 entered service with, furthermore the decals have stood the test of time, from what I can make out because most travel agent models were either window displays or spent there life in a brightly lit show room, the decals suffered accordingly. My thoughts are this could be an early promo built for Rolls Royce. I believe the model may have been made by Westfield, I'm further told if I unbolt the model from the stand the manufacturers provenance should be there, but I'm not prepared to do that for obvious reasons. 

 

I would be eternally grateful if someone more knowledgeable than me help put some flesh on the bone. for me.

 

 

 

 

Tommo.

Edited February 28, 2019 by The Tomohawk Kid

[bzn20]

That scheme is correct 1958-April 64

[bzn20]

Sorry , I was on my phone when I saw this.. I'm not 100% that the 707 had the yellow line each side of the dk blue cheatline. I'll have to check when I get home.

[skippiebg]

Definitely the correct colour for BOAC 707s until 1964, yellow stripes included. "BOAC Rolls-Royce 707" was the way the Boeing 707 was referred-to by BOAC (well, at least until the Pratt & Whitney-powered 320Bs and Cs entered service), most likely to stress the patriotic aspect. I'd say you have a trevel agent display model there. The decals might have been preserved because it spent its life in a box or in a dark space, away from the sun.

[bzn20]

6 minutes ago, skippiebg said:

BOAC 707s until 1964

The Yellow stripes were  gone by May  1961 or at least a picture with that month/year is missing . The 1st batch of 707-436 (RR Conways) were delivered with them .The 1st Airfix 707 had them . I've found a few photos online with them missing .Found a photos with 2 Britannias and a Comet 4 with them missing too ,no date on those though.

[Lazy8]

The gold edging was originally applied only to 'Monarch'-configured Stratocruisers, and the original intention was that it should have been only on aircraft with single 'First' class or similar configuration.  Aircraft didn't always get repainted when their interiors changed and so it's difficult to tell from the outside what the interior was.

It's unlikely that your model is a pre-delivery manufacturer's model, as following test flights BOAC initially refused to accept the aircraft, the first few of which were built with the short fin and no underfin.  The configuration you have is for an aircraft in service.

That does look like a Westfield stand (and the odd-shaped nose could be one of theirs too), but the hexagonal plate at the top is decidely non-standard - there should just be two pins pointing up from the top of the stand to push-fit into holes in the model.  I'd guess one or both of those pins has snapped off and a previous owner made a repair.

[The Tomohawk Kid]

19 hours ago, bzn20 said:

The Yellow stripes were  gone by May  1961 or at least a picture with that month/year is missing . The 1st batch of 707-436 (RR Conways) were delivered with them .

Thanks for all the input everyone.

 

The BOAC 707-436 entered service mid '60, right? If the yellow pinstriping had gone by Q1 1961, given the strange nose profile, the unusual stand (from what I can make out most travel agent display models had a chromed tripod arrangement) I'm still minded this isn't a TA model. But, I still remain open minded.

 

Tommo.

Edited February 28, 2019 by The Tomohawk Kid

[The Tomohawk Kid]

Thanks to a source who wishes to remain anonymous, who PM'd me. The model was manufactured by Peter Nelson and is made from cast aluminuim as pointed by @Lazy8 the stand is indeed a none standard arrangement, but my advisor reckons that it is probably an original client request rather than a repair due to the exceptional condition of the model. I'm further advised the production date is more likley '50s than '60s. Mr. Anon could not advise me on use, or who commisioned it.

 

Some questions answered, thanks.

 

Tommo.

 

 

Edited February 27, 2019 by The Tomohawk Kid

[bzn20]

5 hours ago, The Tomohawk Kid said:

BOAC 707-436 entered service mid '60, right?

The first -436 was PFB and first flew 19/5/59 ,delivered to BOAC May 1960 I remember it well ,my dad came home and told me the first BOAC 707 had landed at London Airport.  I went on it with him outside BOAC's hangar next day ish ,can't remember exactly I was only 5 . Your model probably made 1959/60.. The UK ARB (later CAA) forced Boeing to increase the Fin area by making it taller  and fit a ventral fin directly below the fin on lower fuse/tail .This was for UK certification . The model maker couldn't have known that beforehand .

 

Edited February 27, 2019 by bzn20

[bzn20]

1 hour ago, The Tomohawk Kid said:

Tommo

Love your Avatar... My dad has the 61 Sqn Badge (Waddington) with the Lincoln Imp on it  and fuse skin it was attached to ,   "his" Avro Lincoln RF555 , It was the Lincoln he got most hours on and also worked on it before that. In his garage now

[The Tomohawk Kid]

15 hours ago, bzn20 said:

Love your Avatar... My dad has the 61 Sqn Badge (Waddington) with the Lincoln Imp on it  and fuse skin it was attached to ,   "his" Avro Lincoln RF555 , It was the Lincoln he got most hours on and also worked on it before that. In his garage now

 

My father also briefly worked on Lincoln's he was a schoolboy entrant into the RAF and streamed for the incoming bombers, however, he passed out before the first Valiants were delivered and he had a short spell on Lincolns waiting for the Valiants to arrive.

 

More importantly he took me to Sincil Bank in 1967, that gave me a  long affliction of being an Imp. The Bomber Command memorial overlooks Sincil Bank and the ground often gets over flys during games.

 

Tommo.

[bzn20]

On the search for some more info.... The previous BOAC Scheme after the post war NMF Silver Fleet look  1950 ish to 1958 with White Fins with Dk Blue horizontal lines ( that framed the A/C reg and was a negative of the next scheme) also had the Yellow stripe  .That was Argonauts ,Connies , Hermes , Britannia 102s, Stratocruisers  Comet 1 and DC-7C.

 Also a bit interesting

The Prototype  VC10 G-ARTA 1st flew in the BOAC 58-64 scheme and had 2 yellow stripes and yellow B.O.A.C titles in same yellow on the engine cowling dk Blue stripe that was June 1962

Edited February 28, 2019 by bzn20

[The Tomohawk Kid]

As a footnote to this thread.

 

I took the plunge today and had my 'find' professionally valued by an aviation memorabilia expert and parted with twenty spondulaks for the cause. He confirmed it was a Peter V Nelson original  formed from cast aluminium and was a travel agent display model (much to my dissapointment). However, he said these models were mainly sent to overseas travel agents and BOAC ticket resellers on the end of BOAC 707 routes (such as North America and Australia) and was very unusual for examples to turn up in the UK, He pointed out to me to the last example he knew to sell, which was in Japan sold for an eye watering and wallet busting £1,300 which he rated in poor condition and rated my model in exceptional condition. He further dated the model at between 1960 and 1962. I asked him about value despite pressing, he said who knows and could be a name your price model - which is chuffin' helpfull

 

All I can say keep checking those charity shops, you never know what may turn up.

 

Tommo.

Edited March 1, 2019 by The Tomohawk Kid

[bzn20]

19 hours ago, The Tomohawk Kid said:

wallet busting

Brilliant.. Love those stories .Pleased for you . I found 4 mint condition Motown LPs in a 2nd hand shop in Blackpool .. 2 were worth £200 the other 2 were somewhere between 50 and !00 . How much do you want ? I've only got £20 on me ,which was true. Go on then . Couldn't get my breathing right and legs couldn't get me out of there quick enough .

Well done to you !

[The Tomohawk Kid]

On 02/03/2019 at 16:57, bzn20 said:

 Couldn't get my breathing right and legs couldn't get me out of there quick enough .

Well done to you !

 

Precisely how I was feeling when I leaving the shop, I was expecting a shout saying come oh! you come back, you have massively underpaid! The shout never came.

 

Tommo.