[Note: First of all, glad to see so many, here, enjoying the beauty of the New SIM, adding new excitement to "this" Screenshots forum (myself, too, enjoying, on the sidelines, by watching these posts...!). BTW, I've now two Screenshot Forums to keep up with...🙂....(It's such a pleasure to also examine the fascinating pictures being uploaded daily on the MSFS Screenshots Forum). Of course, like many here with their pre-existing "beloved" planes, I've my (own) share of Classics (PMDG MD11/JS41.., CS 727/737/707.., TFDi 717, iFly 744, AS DC8...etc.) that I love and fly regularly, and, so, I know we may have to be a bit patient, here, because, to expect "everything" we desire, in "one" SIM, will take some time, we old-timers know that well...But, without a doubt, the new SIM has aspects that, for "me", are immensely appealing, and it does also have quite a few aircraft, already, (premier add-ons, will follow, in future, I hear...)...So, I'm sure, many, like me, who are now watching, will eventually join in, when ready...with or without sticking with their current "love", for the time being,...for myself, all I need, next, is a new system and a bit of extra time...🙂..I'll be set then....]

Anyway, here, on the side, today, you might enjoy these images, below, of one of the venerable (and my favorite) Boeing planes (the 757). The post was triggered when, this week, I came across an (interesting) DHL livery, in the (freeware) Library. And, myself, always, having had, a bit of affection for the 757, I thought of flying it today. Plus, this QW-757, I've not flown in recent memory...it turned out to be great fun...QW fits me (the non-rigid aviator) just fine, it's a reasonably complex SIM, and, did deliver, today, all I expected, of it, including, flawless Engine-start and (Autopilot/LNAV/VNAV/ILS) guidance etc., as far as I could tell...

I recall (well) my first, ever, (domestic) travel in a 757 (to Miami), mainly because, (fortunately) I'd happened to be upgraded to the Business Class (I believe those 757 pax planes were configured for only Economy and Business, no First class)...this plane is one of the thinnest and longest planes...(look-alike Tupolev-204 comes to mind)...the 757 was dubbed "The Flying Pencil" by Pilots. Anyway, after I'd settled myself into my seat, a gentleman arrived, and took the seat next to me. We got to briefly chat a bit, about general topics, including (customarily) about the (windy and icy) weather of that day in Chicago (Miami was already warm and sunny that day!). While the plane was being de-iced, he made a few "knowledgeable" comments about de-icing, and we then ended up talking a bit about planes too...it was nice...But, here was my (later) surprise...on arriving at Miami, as we bid farewell to each other, he said to me, with a smile, "I now need to fly this plane to San Juan in a couple of hours..."...So, I learned, I had been speaking to the (next-flight) Captain of the same 757, I was on...but, I could have never guessed, from the (easy going) way he was chatting with me earlier...!

B757 needs no introduction. Consider this, over the last 30 years, 1050 units were built (production stopped in 2004, but, in early 1990s, one was built every 3-4 days), and as of two years ago (2018), a total of 666 were actively operational (Delta operated 127 of those, and it was Delta, I'd flown my (first) 757 trip with). The subject of this post (G-BIKM, B757-200SF, DHL Air) was the 33rd B757 built, and delivered first to British Airways, in 1984. [Side Note: BA's 757 Fleet were mostly named after Castles, so, BA, named (G-BIKM) "Glamis Castle". Glamis Castle is associated with a bit of "haunting" details (see below)]. This exact Cargo variant, here, is a specially converted (pax 757-200) model, for cargo use, (called "SF=Special Freighter" slightly different from "PF=Package Freighter") that had entered service (first) with DHL Aviation in 2001. The plane had spent its entire life in UK (18 years with British Airways and another 14 years with DHL Air Cargo). And, the Carrier, here, DHL Air UK, incorporated as DHL Air Ltd., is a cargo airline based in the London Borough of Hounslow. It is wholly owned by Deutsche Post DHL and provides services on the group's DHL-branded parcel and express network in Europe. So, please find, below, a set of images of DHL/G-BIKM/757-200SF, on a short (test) flight originating at Luton (EGGW), Luton I've chosen just to match the video-clip suggestion below, and the destination is Liverpool (EGGP) - I've performed a Cold & Dark start-up procedure at Luton.

Video Suggestion:
Search "DHL Cargo Boeing 757 (G-BIKM) videos" - (For an impressive (1m:19s) video of (G-BIKM) lifting off London/Luton; listen to those characteristic (RR RB211) engine sounds during takeoff)

Image Suggestions:

1. Search "G-BIKM B757-236 British Airways images" - (For a set of beautiful (and sleek) early-era British 752 pictures; note the curious Black nose-ring; apparently (?) it was meant to draw static charges away from the ray dome to prevent (electrical) interference, seen on some of these retro 757s and 737s)
2. Search "Glamis Castle images at night" - (Glamis Castle is situated beside the village of Glamis in Angus, Scotland, and is said to be Scotland’s most haunted residence! There are many legends connected with the castle, the most famous of which is that of the Monster of Glamis. Legend has it that among several resident spirits, there’s a lady ghost in the Chapel, the “Monster of Glamis”. There is also an old story that guests staying at Glamis once hung towels from the windows of every room in a bid to find the bricked-up suite of the monster. When they later looked at it from outside, several windows were apparently towel-less...hmm...OK...for sure, the images of the Castle, especially, at night, give me a chill...🙂...And, on a separate historical note, Glamis Castle is also famous for its associations with the royal family, in particular as the childhood home of Queen Elizabeth (The Queen Mother)).

Hope you enjoy the pictures below of this beloved (and hard-working) plane...! Thanks for viewing...!! And, have fun with your SIM...!!

[QW(757-200SF)/Orbx(England)/REX]

Edited August 23, 20205 yr by P_7878

***Fantastic Post*** I too am enjoying The New MSFS2020 Shots

Beautifully done, sir! 🍻

Patrick:

Appreciated...!!

Keeping up with stuff over in that Forum is hard,...Isn't it? But, it's even predicting your average time to be spent in reading through all the replies...such as 17 mins...so there we go......🙂...

Seriously speaking, folks are "discovering" the "world", for sure,....and, that too, with what they have as "default"...a thing I'd tried so many times, on FSX's default...and had given up in frustration...you can fly endlessly over the same featureless terrain for only so much...no matter how strong is your curiosity to explore....

Mark:

Thank you...! This is your backyard, with its Royals and Castles...🙂...I recall tracking though MCT (Manchester VOR)...maybe, you heard the engine-sounds from my (overflying) Special Freighter.....🙂...

BTW, this bird, once taught to fly..., and released from Renton's Boeing Facility, in 1984, indeed, lived in UK till the end...a bit un-usual (since these (old) cargo-haulers do change owners and travel the world...)....(G-BIKM) seems to have gone into storage in 2016 and been scrapped sometime after that before 2019...(end of ~34 years of life)...

What a lovely set!....with a nice amount of cockpit shots too. 😍

I have not flown the 75 in years....maybe because she nearly blew my brains to bits. Many moons ago when I was in ProjectOpenSky I was tasked with making a 75 panel. I tried as hard as I could, but being a perfectionist it was a good lesson in what I couldn't do. 😄

Beautiful shots.

nebojsa

Nebojsa:

Thanks for the comments...!!

 

16 hours ago, edetroit said:

What a lovely set!....with a nice amount of cockpit shots too. 😍

I have not flown the 75 in years....maybe because she nearly blew my brains to bits. Many moons ago when I was in ProjectOpenSky I was tasked with making a 75 panel. I tried as hard as I could, but being a perfectionist it was a good lesson in what I couldn't do. 😄

Appreciated the kind words, Ed...!!

"Tasked with something for POSKY..."...sounds like an honorable invitation...🙂....I had always liked the (FSX) Freeware with Titles, "Project XYZ", you could always count on their quality, at least in the external textures, if not in the interior [VC]...of course many had good [VC]s too (if not by default, at least, adapted from other aircraft, I recall)...And, POSKY had (long) nurtured our aviation interests with a diverse range of (freeware) jetliners (especially, for, someone like me, with a broad spectrum of interest in planes, unlike the Perfectionist that you are...🙂...with what's it these days..FS9.x...)...Of course, some of those same (POSKY) folks, went on to form QW, and gave us later the B757, that I'm (coincidentally) flying, here, in this post, their first product, and a good one too...!

BTW, this QW (757) package is fairly complete in terms of models with variants included for 752/753 Pax, 752F/SF, 752F/PF, and also the unique C-32A (the Military Version - a B757-2G4, using the distinctive call sign "Air Force Two"...)

[In case anyone is interested, I've shown 5 screenshots of the C-32A on a separate post, since, 20-picture limit is reached here already....so, take a look if you wish...]

Edited August 25, 20205 yr by P_7878