Classic Corner

Landshut returns home...

A former Lufthansa Boeing 737-200 (D-ABCE) is off loaded from an Antonov AN-124 at Friedrichshafen, Germany September 23rd. The aircraft has been in storage for almost a decade at Fortaleza, Brazil, having last flown for now bankrupt TAF Linhas Aereas.

The reason for this, and many media reports, is the aircraft was one of a number of Lufthansa flights hi-jacked in 1977, a time known as the 'German Autumn'. D-ABCE was hi-jacked en route from Palma de Mallorca to Frankfurt by four terrorists from the 'Popular Front for the liberation of Palestine'. The crew diverted to Rome, and then on to Larnaca (Cypress), Bahrain, Dubai and Aden, where the Captain was killed. The aircraft then continued to Mogadishu (presumably in the hands of the co-pilot), where the ordeal, measured in days, eventually ended. German forces stormed the aircraft, killing three terrorists and freeing all hostages.

But what happened to Landshut (the name of the aircraft) thereafter?

Lufthansa D-ABCE "Landshut"

Delivered January 12th 1970 the aircraft served with Lufthansa until September 1985, being sold thereafter to CG Air Leasing Inc. The aircraft was immediately leased to Presidential Airways as N302XV.

Presidential Airways N302XV

Following lease return in May 1987, the aircraft had a short lease to TAN Airlines (Honduras) December 1987 to February 1988, retaining it's US registration.

Air Charter F-GFVJ

Back to Europe...as F-GFVJ with Air Charter, a subsidiary of Air France, sub-leased from ICS Cargo Service.

ICS...in basic Air Inter colors...the aircraft later transferred to L'Aeropostale, operating night freight service, and daytime scheduled and charter passenger operations.

Transmile 9M-PMQ

Seen here in Garuda colors, Transmile operated 9M-PMQ as a freighter between February 1995 and February 1999.

Transmile 9M-PMQ

TAF Linhas Aereas PT-MTB

Landshut's final operator was Brazil's TAF Linhas Aereas, joining the airline's fleet in August 2002. It was operated for six years to 2008, thereafter stored at Fortaleza from January 2008. The airline ceased operations in June 2010, and the aircraft continued to languish there until it's recent rescue.

Landshut will now be reassembled and displayed at the Dornier Museum. [We'll add a picture of the aircraft when it's reconstruction is complete].