What can you tell me about this plane?

[SixPapaCharlie]

Saw it on the ramp this morning.

 

[Greg Bockelman]

Looks like a Martin 404 converted to turbines.

 

[SixPapaCharlie]

The engines looked unusual to me.
I didn't see an obvious intake anywhere

 

[James331]

Looks like Garretts.

 

[jpower]

Methinks it's a Convair of sorts. This is the 640.

 

[SixPapaCharlie]

I am going back to the airport shortly. I will remember to get the tail number if it is still there.

 

[Greg Bockelman]

Methinks it's a Convair of sorts. This is the 640.

Now that you mention it, I think you are right. That was the other one I couldn't think of awhile ago.

 

[Fearless Tower]

Could also be a 580

 

[Cpt_Kirk]

Could also be a 580

I was thinking the Convair 580.

 

[SixPapaCharlie]

It was no match for that ladder.

 

[Jimmy cooper]

It's an old worn out convair freight dog converted. Why didn't you simply look it up?

 

[murphey]

It's an old worn out convair freight dog converted. Why didn't you simply look it up?

Where's the fun in that?

 

[frfly172]

It's an old worn out convair freight dog converted. Why didn't you simply look it up?

Then we would miss all the comments,your trying to take the fun out of the posts.

 

[champ driver]

It's not a 580 as those had Allison engines with props that turned CW as viewed from the cabin and different cowlings than this one pictured.
As someone else said, I think it's a 640 with Rolls-Royce Dart engines, which turn the British direction.

 

[LoneAspen]

As someone else said, I think it's a 640 with Rolls-Royce Dart engines, which turn the British direction.

"British direction" - Reminds me of when I first visited the UK, and asked a Brit why they drove on the "wrong" side of the road.

That was almost as bad as when I visited Scotland and accidentally referred to the Scots as "English".

Talk about a crash course in international relations. Guess I never have to worry about being appointed an ambassador. I'd probably start WWIII by putting my foot in my mouth.

 

[Pilawt]

Looks like a Martin 404 converted to turbines.

Easy way to distinguish Martins from Convairs is that Martins have a lot of dihedral in the tailplane; Convair horizontal tails are flat.

 

[ateamer]

The engines looked unusual to me.
I didn't see an obvious intake anywhere

Rolls-Royce Dart engines. Circular intake a bit larger in diameter than the prop spinner.

 

[ateamer]

One of my earliest memories, and what firmly set the hook for aviation, is the Allegheny Airlines CV-580s at Williamsport, PA in the early 70s. My dad took frequent business trips on them and we could be right up against the window at the gate watching the plane fire up and taxi out.

 

[Brad Z]

I am going back to the airport shortly. I will remember to get the tail number if it is still there.

It's an old worn out convair freight dog converted. Why didn't you simply look it up?

From what I can see in the photo, it looks like it as foreign registry.

 

[Hawker800]

The quickest way to tell the difference is the Martin has a single nose wheel, the Convair has dual.

 

[Greg Bockelman]

From what I can see in the photo, it looks like it as foreign registry.

That is a Mexican flag on the nose.

 

[Archammer]

Yea, that Convair tail is hard to mistake for anything else. Cool plane! Looks like a baby DC-6.

 

[d.grimm]

Was in TOL the other day, Mexican registered.
Same company had a 580 painted the same
Sitting next to it. Friend flew freight in a 580,
Said it flew like a big King Air.
Dave

 

[SixPapaCharlie]

It's an old worn out convair freight dog converted. Why didn't you simply look it up?

Because at the time I didn't have the tail number. I snapped the photo while doing other things so I could go back and look at it.

I am sure I could try googling things like
"Big plane with two engines" until I am blue in the face and never find out much about this aircraft.

 

[Sac Arrow]

What's that appendage on the underside of the tail on both airplanes? Surely they aren't tying it down.

 

[Skip Miller]

What's that appendage on the underside of the tail on both airplanes? Surely they aren't tying it down.

It is a "preventer' (don't know the official name) to prevent a tail strike if the plane is loaded from aft to front creating a too-far aft CG. Ground ops only!

-Skip

 

[Sac Arrow]

Makes sense.

 

[Hank S]

And here I just thought the planes were male . . .

 

[champ driver]

What's that appendage on the underside of the tail on both airplanes? Surely they aren't tying it down.

It's a solid post attached under the tail so it doesn't go down on it's tail while on the ramp.

 

[airdale]

What's that appendage on the underside of the tail on both airplanes? Surely they aren't tying it down.

Tail stand?

 

[AggieMike88]

I saw that departing as I was taxiing to the run-up area... I too thought it was cool to see something antique.

Tail number began with XA-

That's Mexico, yes?

-----------------------------

PS to Bryan... Brandon's expecting your call to get your IFR started.... this way you might actually make it to breakfast!

 

[N801BH]

Tail stand?

Yup...

Some planes are real close on their CG and a aft loaded situation will make then fall on their tail....

Some Lears are like that too......

So is the Cessna Citation Mustang / C510...

There was one I know of that sat on the ramp in Denver a couple of years ago, it snowed overnight and the weight on the horizontal stabilizer caused it to fall down on the tail..... TOTALED the plane...

 

[Busflyer]

Oops!

 

[SixPapaCharlie]

Found it:
http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/XA-UNH.html

 

[AggieMike88]

Better paint scheme

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_International_Airlines

 

[RotorAndWing]

I've rode on the jumps eat of both the 600 and 640 Convair when SMB Stagelines flew them.

Zantop flew them as well as Kitty Hawk.

 

[flyingron]

It is a "preventer' (don't know the official name) to prevent a tail strike if the plane is loaded from aft to front creating a too-far aft CG. Ground ops only!

-Skip

Yep, same reason you used to see the short body DC-9's parked with the rear airstairs down. My original flight instructor was a ramp rat for Texas International and said if you got three or four guys in the back of an unloaded plane you could get the nose gear to come up off the ground.

 

[Pilawt]

Yep, same reason you used to see the short body DC-9's parked with the rear airstairs down. My original flight instructor was a ramp rat for Texas International and said if you got three or four guys in the back of an unloaded plane you could get the nose gear to come up off the ground.

Ice on the tail is heavy, too ...

 

[MAKG1]

What's that appendage on the underside of the tail on both airplanes? Surely they aren't tying it down.

You know what happens when your cat eats tinsel?

 

[SixPapaCharlie]

Got another one. I was going though the Jeep book and saw this photo.

What is this plane? What is gong on with the engine?