Hong Kong Trader 748F - Taipei to Hong Kong...

[P_7878]

In my previous post, I'd posted a set of pictures of the 787 Dreamliner in a novel Etihad livery. I distinctly recall the sight of the first (few) 787s, inside the Everett building, in assembly, during one of my visits there, including a fresh-painted ANA 787 rolling out for delivery to the launch customer. The contrast of the bright blue/white colors of ANA livery (ready to fly) vs. the yellow/green colors of the fuselages in assembly, was quite striking. Though I knew of such early stage (primer) colors being used on a/c in factory (here, in this forum, there was also a member post of such an airframe), I'd wondered a bit at that time. Generally speaking, I read today, "Back-in-the days, yellow used to be the go-to primer color to protect the airframe from corrosion. However, due to the toxic and carcinogenic nature of zinc chromate, a type of carbon black known as lamp black was later added to the mix to reduce the toxicity. It's the presence of this additive that resulted in the distinctive color change from yellow to green."  

The 787-8 would fly first time for ANA in 2011...you might guess I might have some reasons of my own to recall that occasion...🙂...And then, 2 years after entry into service, in 2013, the well-chronicled 787 "Lithium Battery" issue would occur (such battery was used in the a/c's APU). I mention this because, these days, Lithium-Ion batteries are predominant in our daily use, much more so than those days. In fact, today, as I was re-charging both my Electric Bike, and also my (mint-new) the Electric Lawn Mower...🙂...my thoughts rambled back to my 787 post and its Lithium batteries. After nearly a decade and half of grasping and pulling the starter cord of my trusty lawnmower, with both the lawnmower and its operator getting on years...🙂..., earlier this week, I fell for the sales-pitch of the local hardware store agent...while, of course, thinking simultaneously about that ANA 787 which was forced to make an emergency landing, after it experienced battery warning and burning smell in the cockpit, in mid-flight (No, I didn't mention that incidence to the store agent...🙂...). Anyway, the 787 Lithium battery issue has been long resolved, so, let me now see how well these two rather small and compact (2"x 4") Lithium-Ion batteries, here, power up this lawnmower. The best thing, so far, is that I don't see any chord to pull and yank, but only the touch of a button to start the machine. I feel myself like the ANA/JAL testbeds of 787-8...🙂...because, though I do see plenty of Electric Cars sauntering around the neighborhood, I am yet to see anyone with an Electric Lawn Mower...Oh well...we'll see...

Now, to the other (bigger) -8 Boeing variant, subject of this post, the 747-8. During the same Everett factory visit I've mentioned above, along with the "green" fuselage-ed 787, I'd also a chance to see one 747-8 indoors in assembly (also in green colored airframe). While ANA flew its 787 first in 2011, Cargolux (the esteemed Luxembourgish air-freighter) would be the launch customer for the 747-8F, flying it for the first time, also in the same year, 2011. Atlas Air is the last operator to receive the final 748F, with a delivery last year (2023) of the last 747 and the last Jumbo ever built. The 748 (Pax), the 747-8I, had entered into service in 2012, with Lufthansa, a year after the entry of 747-8F with Cargolux, and during my most active travel years with LH.

Whenever I am in a major international airport, I particularly look out for the Cargo airliners, especially the big freighters. Due to some reasons, they appeal to me in a way distinctly different from the pax airlines. These a/c are the silent workers, often in less striking and bland-looking colors, but toiling in their own space, providing vital service and logistics, while detached from the usual fanfare and din-and-bustle of the airport departure gates and jet bridges e.g., just a month or so ago, while travelling domestically out of O'Hare, I'd caught sight of a Polar Air Cargo 747 (might have been a 747-400F or a 747-8F), standing seclusively by itself, at one of the farthest corners of the airport premises, with a lonely and melancholy look...🙂... (probably no one on-board paid any attention to it except yours truly). The a/c was surely getting ready to haul heavy cargo to the farthest corners of the world. The max payload of a 747-8F is 292K lbs. (130 t), while the max payload of a 747-8I is only 167K lbs. (76 t), for good reasons, of course. These giant freighters (such as in my images below) are created to not lift lightweight humans, but super weight cargo...worthy of admiration and respect.

For this post, I thought of flying Cathay Pacific's Hong Kong Trader (special) livery Cargo version of the (Asobo/MSFS) 747-8. Most of us would know Cathay Pacific from our earliest days in this hobby, if not from the real world, via those classic Cathay Pacific 747s making that famous final (Checkerboard) approach into Kai Tak Airport (the original home and hub of Cathay Pacific). Images of a Cathay Pacific 747 flying over Hong Kong city is probably as evocative and magical as those of a United 747 flying over New York City (if not more so, due to the exotic appeal of far-east since the golden age of travel). Here, I am flying my 748, not to Kai Tak, but into the (new) Hong Kong Internation Airport (VHHH)...it's also called "Chek Lap Kok Airport" to distinguish it from the legendary Kai Tak Airport.

I found this Hong Kong Trader livery, from one of the 748 repaint packs, I'd acquired a while ago but had not got to fly yet. It's a rather interesting variation of the classic (pax or cargo) Cathay Pacific livery, with big and bold (white) lettering "HONG KONG TRADER" printed on the rear fuselage (see my pictures below). The (knowledgeable) repainter has created this livery with Reg (B-LJA), which is also special. B-LJA was the first 747-8F built for Cathay Pacific. And for the aviation history buffs...🙂...among us, the B-LJA took over reins from Cathay's original Hong Kong Trader, which was also the airline's first 747-200 freighter that was purchased from British Airways in 1981 (and retired in 2008).

I'm flying this 748F, on a short (but RW) route of only about 500 miles, southwest across the South China Sea. Per FlightAware, this (B-LJA) 748F, just completed, yesterday, Friday, Aug 02, a trip from Taipei (RCTP) to Hong Kong (VHHH) with a total travel time of 1 hr 11 mins. I've manually entered the waypoints and airways of this route, into the a/c's FMC. It was a trouble-free flight today, at least within my limited usage and enjoyment of this nice Asobo a/c.

Hope you too enjoy this collection of images of the 747 Jumbo in the colors of the Hong Kong Trader, as I did flying it today.

Thanks for viewing...!

Edited August 3 by P_7878

[darrenvox]

sweet  post there @P_7878

shots are amazing....i keep thinking to myself ive never been to hong kong but, ive landed at kai tak, and thats hong kong lol!! 

just never been to the new airport in all these years..

 

interesting fact, everytime i think of hong kong and 747's i think of the scene in top gun the 1st movie where they talk about going there to fly 747s or if not some sort of plane (havent seen the movie in years)..

 

 

[John F]

Great post. Very distinctive livery; I love it!

[Alaska738]

Very nice set of shots! 😉 

[pmplayer]

Some great set of shots, always nice to see the Queen on it's way, love that second shot, somehow a beautiful perspektive ! 👍

cheers 😉

[andiflyit]

Great shots of the plane P_7878 and a nice livery. I think the B747-8 is well done by Asobo,

have installed various liveries and I use this plane exclusively in msfs.

[P_7878]

Folks:

Many thanks for the comments...Glad you liked these pictures of the "Hong Kong Trader" Queen of the Sky...🙂...

[bernd1151]

Wonderful shots of the Queen, P_7878. Your Taipei to Hong Kong trip brings back many happy memories 😉

[P_7878]

Thanks, Bernd.

I recall some of your pictures, here, from around Hong Kong and the Far East...reflected from RW experiences...