New Plane I'm Going For; N161NG

**PhilDernerJr** · 2007-08-30, 09:46 PM

Today I finally got a photo of N88ZL, a specific rare aircraft that I've been on the hunt for since I first saw it fly past me while eating at Proud Bird in LA in July of 2004. No sooner do I complete that mission do I find another.

I saw a picture of this plane in Anet's top of the Day, and when I looked at it's past pictures, I see that I've missed it by just a couple days from airports that i was at.

Here in LA, where I was a week before it was taken: http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1105529/L/

Here in BWI, where I was the week after: http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1255881/L/

Owned by Grumman, based out of BWI. I need to get this.

**cancidas** · 2007-08-30, 09:53 PM

when did you get N88ZL?

**PhilDernerJr** · 2007-08-30, 09:58 PM

As the very first post in my thread explains....today.

**Mateo** · 2007-08-31, 12:12 AM

Phil - there are 3 BAC-111s operated by Northrop. In addition to 161NG, there are also 162W and 164W.

**cancidas** · 2007-08-31, 12:16 AM

the last two were aquired along with westinghouse i believe.

**Chris102** · 2007-09-01, 06:38 PM

That's a pretty cool plane, Phil. The nose looks the same as the one on the 727 testbed that operates out of LAX.

Glad you got to see N88ZL! Can't wait to see some shots of it!

**Iberia A340-600** · 2007-09-02, 02:07 AM

I'm scared of that plane, Phil. It's like a mix of an Air Berlin color scheme and then lots of pointy objects sticking out of it! :shock: :lol:

I wish you luck in catching her!

**cancidas** · 2007-09-02, 05:03 AM

Originally Posted by Chris102

That's a pretty cool plane, Phil. The nose looks the same as the one on the 727 testbed that operates out of LAX.

Glad you got to see N88ZL! Can't wait to see some shots of it!

it's not. while the raytheon 727 has N289MT a F-16 nose on it that BAC-111 doesn't look like a nose off any aircraft. could just be a easy-access area to install and test wx radars and other such avionics. could also be there for new engines the way the Pratt & Whitney and Honeywell 720s do.

on a side note, N168W also has a F-16 nose cone slapped on the front. it's a former Westinghouse Sabre. N757A wears an F-22 nose, N737BG (formerly N4515W) was the original JSF avionics testbed airplane for Boeing while Lockheed Martin operates N35LX to serve the same purpose that has F-35 nose on it.

anyone here know who N910SF belongs to? does it still fly? also, has N757HW entered service yet? is it replacing N720H?