Boeing 747-400
|
Boeing 747-444 (1991)
The first of SAA’s eight 747-400 series aircraft arrived in January 1991. The most distinguishing feature of this version of the 747 is the “winglets”.
Normal passenger load
|
BOEING 747-400
|
ZS-SAK |
Ebhayi |
359 |
ZS-SAK, SAV, SAW, SAX, SAY, SAZ, SBK, SBS
ZS-SBK and SBS are 747-4F6 variants
SAA still has 3 operational 747-400's in service (as of 2009), being ZS-SAZ, SBK, and SBS. All 3 are divided between the TAAG operation and SAA's flights to Luanda and Lagos.
Modelling
The following kits have been produced over the years that will allow the modeller to build a model of this aircraft.
Both Airfix and Revell have kits of a 1/144th scale B747-400 in their range.
Colours
Scheme one
The B747-400’s were delivered in the final Flying Springbok orange tail scheme consisting of a plain orange tail without the Swoosh and with simplified fuselage cheat lines. On the B747 the blue cheat line was in line with the fuselage windows and swept round the nose. The blue cheat line has a white pin stripe below which is an orange stripe of the same width as the white stripe. This orange (and white) stripe was wider than in previous scheme. SAA/SAL logos carried on forward upper fuselage and SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS/SUID-AFRIKAANSE LUGDIENS carried on upper central fuselage. There is a further orange pin stripe below this with a moderate sweep down the nose.
Scheme two
1995
This scheme is similar to scheme two but now has an all white fuselage. The engine nacelles and pylons are also finished in a light grey in a change from the previous natural metal finish. As the fuselage is all white the pin stripe that bordered the lower white stripe no longer is present.
Scheme three
After 1997 they were repainted in the current SAA colour scheme of plain white fuselage, new national colours on tail fin and SOUTH AFRICAN titles on both sides of the fuselage. Aircraft type was carried on rear fuselage just forward of rear door and registration preceded the national flag level with the bottom of the rear door.
After the B747-400’s were withdrawn from SAA service three were retained by SAA and operate both under lease to TAAG and as full SAA aircraft. Two of the three had their SAA colours removed and operate in a plain white scheme. The third one still flies in full SAA colours to Angola and Nigeria and on to Europe and America on behalf of Nigerian Airways.
Decals
200 South African New Colours 747-200/-200F /-300/-400
