G-BDXJ
Encyclopedia
G-BDXJ is the registration
of a Boeing 747-236B aircraft purchased by British Airways
in 1980, which after retirement found a new life as a film prop.
and first flew on the 26 March 1980. Named City of Birmingham, it was delivered to British Airways
, who operated it for 22 years. In March 2002, it was sold to operator European Aviation Air Charter
who used it for holiday charters and ad-hoc flights as well as leasing it out for Hajj
flights in 2003 and 2004. European Aviation Air Charter ceased 747 operations at the end of 2004 and the aircraft was sold to Air Atlanta Europe
, who used it for charter flights until it was retired in 2005. It flew its last flight on 25 May 2005 from London Gatwick Airport
to nearby Dunsfold Aerodrome
in Surrey
, England
. The aircraft was bought by Aces High Limited, a company specialising in supplying aircraft for television and film work.
in the James Bond
movie Casino Royale
and changed registration to N88892 (a fictional Hollywood registration, used also on a Boeing 727
in the movie Hero
). In the movie, it appears as the "Skyfleet S570" a fictional prototype airplane which terrorists attempt to destroy. Among the modifications were the fitting of twin mock-up "Boeing B-52" style engines on each of the inner engine pylons
, with the outer ones instead holding mock-up external fuel tanks.
After Casino Royale, G-BDXJ appeared in a Volkswagen
commercial that shows it being towed by a Volkswagen Touareg
. This stunt was also featured on the television programme Fifth Gear
with presenter Tom Ford
driving the Touareg.
The BBC
programme Top Gear
is filmed at Dunsfold, and the aircraft can sometimes be spotted in the background. In Top Gear Season 9, episode 5, it made an appearance being towed behind a JCB Fastrac
tractor.
G-BDXJ appears in the first episode of James May's 20th Century
, Honey, I Shrunk the World, with its new James Bond engine setup.
The challenge in the grand final of Scrapheap Challenge
Season 10 was to construct a tug capable of towing a 747, specifically G-BDXJ.
The aircraft makes an appearance in the Playstation 3
game, Gran Turismo 5
on the "Top Gear Test Track" course.
It was also used as the set for the music video of the Westlife song Home.
Aircraft registration
An aircraft registration is a unique alphanumeric string that identifies a civil aircraft, in similar fashion to a licence plate on an automobile...
of a Boeing 747-236B aircraft purchased by British Airways
British Airways
British Airways is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, based in Waterside, near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport. British Airways is the largest airline in the UK based on fleet size, international flights and international destinations...
in 1980, which after retirement found a new life as a film prop.
Aircraft history
G-BDXJ is the 440th Boeing 747Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
and first flew on the 26 March 1980. Named City of Birmingham, it was delivered to British Airways
British Airways
British Airways is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, based in Waterside, near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport. British Airways is the largest airline in the UK based on fleet size, international flights and international destinations...
, who operated it for 22 years. In March 2002, it was sold to operator European Aviation Air Charter
European Aviation Air Charter
European Aviation Air Charter was an airline based in Bournemouth, United Kingdom. It operated ad hoc charter services, VIP flights, and inclusive-tour and sub-charter flights, as well as ACMI wet leases for other airlines. Its main base was Bournemouth Airport...
who used it for holiday charters and ad-hoc flights as well as leasing it out for Hajj
Hajj
The Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is one of the largest pilgrimages in the world, and is the fifth pillar of Islam, a religious duty that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so...
flights in 2003 and 2004. European Aviation Air Charter ceased 747 operations at the end of 2004 and the aircraft was sold to Air Atlanta Europe
Air Atlanta Europe
Air Atlanta Europe was an airline based at London Gatwick Airport, United Kingdom. It provided long term wet-lease contract flights for Excel Airways , Virgin Atlantic and others, as well as ad hoc flights tailored to customer requirements.On 1 May 2006, Air Atlanta Europe was absorbed into Excel...
, who used it for charter flights until it was retired in 2005. It flew its last flight on 25 May 2005 from London Gatwick Airport
London Gatwick Airport
Gatwick Airport is located 3.1 miles north of the centre of Crawley, West Sussex, and south of Central London. Previously known as London Gatwick,In 2010, the name changed from London Gatwick Airport to Gatwick Airport...
to nearby Dunsfold Aerodrome
Dunsfold
Dunsfold is a village in the Waverley district of the county of Surrey, England, 8.7 miles south of Guildford. The census area Chiddingfold and Dunsfold has a population of 3,812.-History:...
in Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The aircraft was bought by Aces High Limited, a company specialising in supplying aircraft for television and film work.
Film and television history
After retirement, it was modified to be used as a propTheatrical property
A theatrical property, commonly referred to as a prop, is an object used on stage by actors to further the plot or story line of a theatrical production. Smaller props are referred to as "hand props". Larger props may also be set decoration, such as a chair or table. The difference between a set...
in the James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
movie Casino Royale
Casino Royale (2006 film)
Casino Royale is the twenty-first film in the James Bond film series and the first to star Daniel Craig as fictional MI6 agent James Bond...
and changed registration to N88892 (a fictional Hollywood registration, used also on a Boeing 727
Boeing 727
The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body, three-engine, T-tailed commercial jet airliner, manufactured by Boeing. The Boeing 727 first flew in 1963, and for over a decade more were built per year than any other jet airliner. When production ended in 1984 a total of 1,832 aircraft had been produced...
in the movie Hero
Hero (1992 film)
Hero is a comedy-drama film directed by Stephen Frears and starring Dustin Hoffman, Geena Davis, Andy García, Chevy Chase, and Joan Cusack. It was released in the United States on October 20, 1992.-Plot:...
). In the movie, it appears as the "Skyfleet S570" a fictional prototype airplane which terrorists attempt to destroy. Among the modifications were the fitting of twin mock-up "Boeing B-52" style engines on each of the inner engine pylons
Hardpoint
A hardpoint, or weapon station, is any part of an airframe designed to carry an external load. This includes a point on the wing or fuselage of military aircraft where external ordnance, countermeasures, gun pods, targeting pods or drop tanks can be mounted.-Rail launchers:Large missiles and...
, with the outer ones instead holding mock-up external fuel tanks.
After Casino Royale, G-BDXJ appeared in a Volkswagen
Volkswagen
Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...
commercial that shows it being towed by a Volkswagen Touareg
Volkswagen Touareg
The Volkswagen Touareg is a mid-size crossover SUV produced by German automaker Volkswagen since 2002. The vehicle was named after the Tuareg people, a Berber-speaking group in North Africa...
. This stunt was also featured on the television programme Fifth Gear
Fifth Gear
Fifth Gear is a motoring television magazine show from the United Kingdom. Originally shown on Channel 5, the show is currently presented by Tiff Needell, Vicki Butler-Henderson, Jason Plato, Jonny Smith and Ben Collins...
with presenter Tom Ford
Tom Ford (presenter)
Tom Ford is a motoring journalist and television presenter sometimes referred to by the nickname Wookie. He is married with 2 children.Ford was the co-host of Five's Fifth Gear beginning in Spring 2007...
driving the Touareg.
The BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
programme Top Gear
Top Gear (current format)
Top Gear is a British television series about motor vehicles, primarily cars. It began in 1977 as a conventional motoring magazine show. Over time, and especially since a relaunch in 2002, it has developed a quirky, humorous style...
is filmed at Dunsfold, and the aircraft can sometimes be spotted in the background. In Top Gear Season 9, episode 5, it made an appearance being towed behind a JCB Fastrac
J. C. Bamford
JCB is a global construction, demolition and agricultural equipment company headquartered in Rocester, United Kingdom. It is the world's third-largest construction equipment manufacturer. It produces over 300 types of machines, including diggers , excavators, tractors and diesel engines...
tractor.
G-BDXJ appears in the first episode of James May's 20th Century
James May's 20th Century
James May's 20th Century is a television series first aired on 10 July 2007 on the British terrestrial channel BBC Two. The series is a co-production by the BBC and the Open University....
, Honey, I Shrunk the World, with its new James Bond engine setup.
The challenge in the grand final of Scrapheap Challenge
Scrapheap Challenge
Scrapheap Challenge is an engineering game show produced by RDF Media and broadcast on Channel 4 in the UK. In the show, teams of contestants have 10 hours in which to build a working machine that can do a specific task, using materials available in a scrapheap. The format was exported to the...
Season 10 was to construct a tug capable of towing a 747, specifically G-BDXJ.
The aircraft makes an appearance in the Playstation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
game, Gran Turismo 5
Gran Turismo 5
is the fifth edition of the Gran Turismo racing video game series. Developed by Polyphony Digital and published by Sony Computer Entertainment, it was released for PlayStation 3 on November 24, 2010...
on the "Top Gear Test Track" course.
It was also used as the set for the music video of the Westlife song Home.
External links
- UK Civil Aviation Authority Aircraft Register
- More Information at Aerospaceweb.org
- Photos of G-BDXJ, Airliners.net
- Photos of N88892, Airliners.net
- Something in the Air (BBC Panorama programme featuring close-up footage of the aircraft)