Here is my 4th decent-ish airliner replica: The McDonnell Douglas DC-8-63 in KLM colours. Introduced to passenger service by Delta Airlines in 1959, this tough, sturdy, reliable, 4 engine, narrow-body, long range jet was on of the pioneers of the jet age. Over 550 of these airliners were built, and they served as workhorses for numerous reputable airlines across the world. The -63 variant was the final new-build variant of the DC-8, and entered service in June 1968. They would continue to serve into the 1980s and 1990s in passenger roles, and some 63s were modified to the -70 standard, retro-fitted with, quieter, and more efficient CFM-56s, replacing the JT-3D engines powering the previous -50 and -60 variants. Some of the DC-8 systems would also inherit DC-9, with the DC-9 cockpit being a essentially a DC-8 cockpit modified to only have 2 crew (The DC-8 had a crew of 3). Today, this aircraft is almost completely reserved for the history books, with only a handful still flying as cargo aircraft. KLM, the national carrier of the Netherlands operated the DC-8 between 1960, and 1983, and the -63 variant specifically in 1967. Unfortunately, a side effect of being not only a widely used aircraft, but also an early jetliner means that the DC-8 safety record, is not exactly unblemished (There is literally a dedicated Wikipedia page about DC-8 incidents). Of the 556 DC-8s built, 84 have been involved in hull-loss crashes. The worst was on July 11th, 1991, when Nigeria Airways/Nationair 2120 crashed after take-off, when a burst tire caught fire, and ended consuming the aircraft, causing the plane to crash, killing all 261 people aboard. Despite this, the DC-8 is remembered fondly, and is considered a true icon of the jet age.
This is my 4th airliner replica that have made. I intended it to be mobile friendly, but I am not sure if it is so…yeah. I am happy with the livery though. It was a lot of effort, but it was worth it. The DC-8 has always held a special place in my heart, it has a cool history, and is majestic to look at, in it’s own special way. Activation groups are, AG-1 for thrust reversers, AG-2 for speedbrakes, AG-3 for spoilers (Use brake to deploy), AG-4 for landing lights, AG-5 for nose-wheel lights, AG-6 for anti-collision strobes, AG-7 for strobe lights, AG-8 for nav lights, and VTOL-Down for flaps. Have fun!