Athens - Hellinikon May 1981

[Freeman Lowell]

Now, this is one that's bugged me for a year (or two):

Seen from N54AF, an Air Florida B.737 on a quick turn around, at Athens on 4th May 1981 was a stored, tail-less, HAF HU-16B.

An offers on it's identity please, and does anyone know what became of it?

Thanks,
Freeman

[R1nger]

Hi Freeman, there were two present in January 1981
137909 G382 Grumman HU-16B Albatross 353 Naval co-operation Squadron Greece
137915 G388 Grumman HU-16B Albatross 353 Naval co-operation Squadron Greece
Sorry I have no further data.

[114PM]

137909 was a HAF Albatros, 137915 not.
Both were HU-16C.
137909 was scrapped during 1983.
It was delivered in 1971 and was used until 1976 for VIP transport. After this date, it was used for spares ...

[Freeman Lowell]

Wow! Thanks George and Marcus. You must have found a wormhole in the space-time continuum to answer this one.
So, I've always had a pencilled note that it might have been 137909 and, Marcus, you tell me that this was being used for spares at the time I was free-loading off Air Florida.
I also read that 137915 was civilianised in The States.
Am I safe in concluding that the tail-less example that I saw was indeed '909?
Thanks again, Freeman

[114PM]

Hi Freeman,

nobody can be for anything 100 % sure, but, because of 137915 not beeing a HAF Albatros, I would say, yes, your plane must have been 137909

Regards
Marcus

P.S.: You were on a military charter with Air Florida?

[Freeman Lowell]

Efhareesto pollee Marcus.
I must correct myself though - the B737 was being dry-leased by Air Europe (RIP) for the summer season, so I was out of Gatwick.
Regards, Freeman