Moderators: richierich, ua900, PanAm_DC10, hOMSaR
Antarius wrote:This one?
Looks like the registration is PH-BUB
Iemand91 wrote:I so wish KLM would paint one 747 with this delivery once more before retirering their fleet.
I'm sure @factsonly or @747classic would know more about this.
tvh wrote:The white livery is very much like the pan am livery, which is a good reason to change it at the time.
n797mx wrote:As to why KLM is blue, the name "Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij N.V" translates to Royal Aviation Company, which blue is typically associated with royalty. (i.e. royal blue)
JannEejit wrote:I've never understood why a country so associated with the colour orange ended up painting it's national airline so blue...?
klm617 wrote:JannEejit wrote:I've never understood why a country so associated with the colour orange ended up painting it's national airline so blue...?
The water that is associated with that country. Also the 747's were all named after rivers at the time. Not to mention the colors of the Dutch flag
tvh wrote:The white livery is very much like the pan am livery, which is a good reason to change it at the time.
SheikhDjibouti wrote:One is Aeroflot, the other is Egyptair (or the short lived United Arab Airlines) - and yes, everything was in black & white in those days.
...
In reality, the similarity continued even into the era of colour; as you can see both aircraft were highlighted with a light blue cheat line and tail.
...
Only the flag is different.
PHBVF wrote:Iemand91 wrote:I so wish KLM would paint one 747 with this delivery once more before retirering their fleet.
I'm sure @factsonly or @747classic would know more about this.
I am keeping my fingers crossed for the 100 year anniversary
Polot wrote:That is because, as noted in the colored Egyptair picture, Egyptair was leasing the Il-62s from Aeroflot/the Soviet government. So only the titles and flag were changed from the basic Aeroflot livery. The actual United Arab Airlines/Egyptair liveries were these:
747classic wrote:AFAIK the top of KLM aircraft was white to reduce the cabin temperature during ground stops. At that point in time unsufficient airconditioning was installed in most aircraft to keep the cabin cool at the ground with high OAT's. Also APU's were not installed at most aircraft.
After the arrival of the B747 in the KLM fleet (improved airconditioning + APU) it was decided to change the livery, including a blue top coat for PR reasons ( an all white top livery was no longer a requirement).
For fleet standarization also the DC8 fleet received the new livery , depite the lack of an APU
747classic wrote:AFAIK the top of KLM aircraft was white to reduce the cabin temperature during ground stops. At that point in time unsufficient airconditioning was installed in most aircraft to keep the cabin cool at the ground with high OAT's. Also APU's were not installed at most aircraft.
After the arrival of the B747 in the KLM fleet (improved airconditioning + APU) it was decided to change the livery, including a blue top coat for PR reasons ( an all white top livery was no longer a requirement).
For fleet standarization also the DC8 fleet received the new livery , depite the lack of an APU
747classic wrote:AFAIK the top of KLM aircraft was white to reduce the cabin temperature during ground stops. At that point in time unsufficient airconditioning was installed in most aircraft to keep the cabin cool at the ground with high OAT's. Also APU's were not installed at most aircraft.
After the arrival of the B747 in the KLM fleet (improved airconditioning + APU) it was decided to change the livery, including a blue top coat for PR reasons ( an all white top livery was no longer a requirement).
For fleet standarization also the DC8 fleet received the new livery , depite the lack of an APU
Iemand91 wrote:I'm sure @factsonly or @747classic would know more about this.
American 767 wrote:I don't think that any of the DC-10s were ever painted in the top white livery because by the time the first DC-10 arrived, KLM had already introduced its blue top livery.
Didn't KLM unveil a retro livery a few years ago on one of its 737s, 800 or 900 don't remember which, to celebrate their 90th anniversary?
factsonly wrote:Permit me to add to the discussion about KLM's so-called 'White-top' livery. It was not launched as a white top, but as a white tail.
What people have referred to as KLM's white-top livery resulted from changes to KLM's classic 1960's livery with the aircraft tail painted with light/dark blue horizontal stripes and a white globe in which the crowned KLM logo featered prominently.
This mid-1960's livery is iconic for KLM and featered on the Lockheed Electra, all DC9s, all DC8s. This livery had the white roof, the striped tail, plus white globe and KLM logo.
In prepration for the arrival of the B747-206B in 1971, KLM decided to modify its livery slightly.
The airline decided to DROP the classic TAIL design with the horizontal stripes, and introduced an all WHITE TAIL with just LARGE KLM lettering in dark blue letters and a light blue crown. The fuselage remained exactly the same as the previous 1960's design. So ONLY the tail was adjusted to reach the so-called 'white-top' livery.
Once the B747-206B fleet was delivered and a few DC9 tails and a few DC8 tails were painted white, KLM's management decided that they did not like the resulting bland aircraft.
So by 1972 an ALL NEW brand was designed for KLM, maintaining the white tail but introducing the BLUE ROOF and new dark blue streak line over the windows.
All DC10's were delivered in this new livery, while it took some years to repaint DC8s, DC9s and B747s in the new blue roof colour scheme.
Polot wrote:
Not 100% true. As you can see on the white top livery they adjusted the cheat line so the dark blue ended at the cockpit windows and the light blue continued on and down in front of the windows.
Antarius wrote:
cedarjet wrote:Anyone know why the stripes went from diagonal to horizontal? It was thought the diagonal stripes suggested a crashing descent and was scaring people! Might think that’s over sensitive but remember in the 60s a major air disaster was in the news every few months. Glad KLM went for the diagonal for the retrojet, more authentic!
I have read the whole thread I promise, but sorry if someone pointed this out already, I didn’t see it!
petertenthije wrote:I hope you do not mind me adding a question on the KLM livery. I noticed that PH-BVG has Chinese charaters under the Skyteam logo on the co-pilot's side. But BVG is not, nor has it ever been, part of the KLM Asia fleet.
I suspect this is the fleetname in Chinese, since BVG has been named after a Chinese national park Wolong". But if that's so, then why does PH-BVF not carry "Yakushima" in Japanese charaters?