YA-FAW Ariana Afghan Boeing 727-55C parked up T3 at London Heathrow

Another murky day at London Heathrow
So it's late afternoon in Feb 1979 at London Heathrow, and I have just taken the 105 bus from school in Southall to have a quick scout around the airport. I am about to leave when I see the weekly Ariana Afghan arrival brings in a Boeing 727 instead of the scheduled Boeing 720 YA-HBA. This is my first Ariana 727 and I have to try and get a photo! But it was almost impossible to get a decent view of the aircraft parked up on the Terminal 3 stands. The only option is to climb to the top of Car Park 3 and see what I can see. And here is the result. As with my recent shot of TAP 727 CS-TBN, I am using my newly acquired Zenith E SLR with 200mm lens and 2x converter which has given the dark grainy look to the photo. A Gulf Air TriStar is lurking in the background.

YA-FAW c/n 19619 Boeing 727-55C - delivered new to Executive Jet Aviation as N531EJ in 1967, leased to United, Trans Caribbean Airlines and World, and then sold To Ariana Afghan Airlines as YA-FAW in 1971. Leased to Dan-Air as G-BIUR for just a few months in 1981, and then sold to Icelandair as TF-FLJ. Leased to Kabo Air in 1981/82, and then back to Ariana for another 19 years. The aircraft was destroyed in a US bombing raid on Kabul in 2001 along with sister aircraft YA-FAU.

Ariana Afghan Airlines operated three Series 100 Boeing 727s; YA-FAU, YA-FAW and the ill-fated YA-FAR which crashed on landing at London Gatwick on 5th Jan 1969.

Slides that were nearly lost to oblivion No.39 The original slide / transparency was rescued from a box of 'dud' slides that I could never quite bring myself to throw away - now I am glad that I kept them. ;) From an original slide, scanned and unrestored.

You can see a random selection of my aviation memories here: www.flickriver.com/photos/heathrowjunkie/random/

Taken in: UK / England / Hillingdon / Heathrow (show map)

Taken on: February 1, 1979

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