This 747 was featured on a show on the National Geographic Channel called “Break It Down: Plane”. It showed parts being salvaged and the entire aircraft being torn into scrap metal. I caught a shot of the N-Number but I can’t imagine they would be scrapping a twenty-five year old aircraft unless something happened to it. Everything about it appeared to be fine.
They were able to salvage 6.8 million dollars worth of parts and scrap metal from this aircraft.
Here is a link to the National Geographic website previewing the show.
Thanks for the link, the video was kool, and a very interesting website.
Your B747 spent its life as an Alitalia B747 I-DEMS, and has been stored in the desert for several years. Its first flight was 11th February 1983.
Airliners.net photos of I-DEMS
Just thought I’d change the subject line. The registration N73717 also belonged to a 737-2H4 that was operated by Southwest, Air California, and Aloha. See pictures here.
Actually I just noticed the title of the thread acutally reads B737, as opposed to topic B747!!
Rare to see the old photos of the B737 in Southwest colors, with Nordair titles at YYZ back in the late 70’s.
It’s worth more as spare parts than as a flying airplane, other than getting old and unused that is a pretty good reason to scrap them.
Somebody posted a pic of Palm Jumeirah in Dubai. I’d link to the thread or better yet post this message in that thread, but I can’t find it here to save my life. Anyway, the Man Made series has a show about that which will air on Thursday, May 8th at 8:00 PM (if anyone is interested).
