# Boeing 747 - Kent



## UrbanX (Jan 29, 2013)

Urbex never ceases to baffle me. Before I was introduced to it all, if you’d have said to me that you could walk onto a live airfield, and board a 747 and take to the controls, I would have said you were a mental. 







It’s 03:15 on a Sunday morning and I’m setting off through the driving rain to meet a total stranger, Ramsgatonian, 150 miles away who has done this very feat before. 

06:15: Introductions and small talk made, and we’re through our first fence. We sprint across the long wet grassed run off area which surrounds the aperons. Our legs soaked up to the knee, rain lashing into out faces. Another fence down, and although we’ve barely met, we know the procedure and instinctively help each other, passing camera gear to each other in complete silence. 

The 747 is huge, it never seems to get closer. It’s extremely well lit, bathed in floodlights, sat of the wet airport apron. It’s so wet, a perfect reflection of the plane on the apron is being battered by the driving rain. (This pic was taken on the way out) 






We were in, despite it being so brightly lit outside, it was pitch black inside - all the window blinds were down. The next thing to hit me was the smell. It smelt like…a plane. I know that sounds obvious, but scent is definitely the most nostalgic of the senses, and immediately I was hit with my lifes memories of being on planes. 

We made our way straight to the cockpit, the only place without window blinds. Ramgatonian leaned forward just in time to see the security land rovers pull up, about 30m from us, pointing straight at the cockpit. 






We sat back and settled into our wait. To be fair it was an hour until the sun rose so we had no hurry. Eventually security disappeared, and we waited for the sun to rise. 






We opened some of the blinds - we’d open them a slit, peek out to make sure there were no officials outside, then open it up as quickly as possible to avoid the movement being seen. 










There’s just so many controls! The third crew member had this to deal with: 




So the 747, probably the most easily recognisable passinger aircraft around today ‘The Jumbo Jet’. 






This is the ‘200’ model, which is a Mk.2. They were pretty much the same as the Mk.1, but could carry more weight. The first -200 went into commercial service in 1971, and finished production in 1991. 






The first 747 Freighter could easily carry 100 tons (90,000 kg) across the Atlantic Ocean or across the United States. Its operating cost was 35 percent less per ton mile than the 707 Freighter. The 747 Freighter has a hinged nose to allow cargo loading through front of the airplane. Weird. 






*Engines:*
Four 64.5kN (14,500lb) Pratt & Whitney JT8D-9 turbofans. 

If only I knew how to start them, they must have an instruction manual…





*Performance*
Advanced 727-200 - Max speed 1017km/h (549kt), 
Max cruising speed 953km/h (515kt), 
Range with max payload 3965km (2140nm), 











*Weights:*
Operating empty 45,360kg (100,000lb), 
Max takeoff 95,030kg (209,500lb).





















*Dimensions:*
Wing span 32.92m 
Length 46.69m (153ft 2in), 
Height 10.36m (34ft 0in). 
Wing area 157.9m2 (1700sq ft).






Galley:





*Capacity:*
727-200 - Max seating for 189 (at six abreast and 76cm pitch, (typical two class seating for 14 premium class and 131 economy class passengers.)

Premium class you say? Well I’m going to take a break from flying and have a mooch round then! 










Cheers for looking, video coming soon. 





Our time was up, we’d been in the plane far too long. So we reversed our access procedure, and made a break for the airport perimeter in broad daylight. 

Massive thanks to Ramsgatonian for a fantastic full day exploring, and sharing his vast avionic knowledge! If anyone is umm-ing and arr-ing about meeting other DP members, I'd highly recommend chatting to explorers online on here then meeting up. There's such a community spirit here, and so many fantastic explores, you'll not regret it! 

Cheers for looking.


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## Ramsgatonian (Jan 29, 2013)

Was a great day, nice to get back out! Was easily my most successful visit here, even though they've added floodlights and another fence...

Again, great photos and write up!

- Forgot to add, you're right about the fantastic community spirit of this forum, it's a great resource!


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## UrbanX (Jan 29, 2013)

Cheers for a great day, cant wait to see your pics!


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## perjury saint (Jan 29, 2013)

*Excellent stuff!! That cockpit looks just amazing!!
Top notch pix...*


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## Ramsgatonian (Jan 29, 2013)

perjury saint said:


> *Excellent stuff!! That cockpit looks just amazing!!
> Top notch pix...*



It is amazing - even in an aircraft which is far from airworthy, it is a feeling of power to sit in the captain's seat with your hand on the throttles...


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## Ramsgatonian (Jan 29, 2013)

*You've covered this visit well, here's my little contribution to the report:*


























First class cabin, on the upper deck:






The ex-MK airlines McDonnell Douglas DC-8, which has inexplicably remained here for years - quite a sad sight:






*Thanks for looking!*​


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## UrbanX (Jan 29, 2013)

Whoa! Sweet pics dude! Love them! So much stuff I didn't notice!


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## UE-OMJ (Jan 29, 2013)

Brilliant report, I'm well envious of you on this one


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## sonyes (Jan 29, 2013)

Love it!!! Great report and stunning pics!


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## shot_in_the_dark (Jan 29, 2013)

this is simply awesome! great shots from you both!


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## Pen15 (Jan 29, 2013)

Just something else!!

Great reporting from you both


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## Bones out (Jan 29, 2013)

You two, what a duo! 

Ace, simple as.......


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## Ramsgatonian (Jan 29, 2013)

This is simply a site no keen urbexer should be without, it's just so different - nothing comes close...


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## T Bubb (Jan 30, 2013)

fantastic shots there, my favourate type of activity, aviation, funny thing is i could probably start the engines! very good and detailed shots there. well done!


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## Ramsgatonian (Jan 30, 2013)

T Bubb said:


> fantastic shots there, my favourate type of activity, aviation, funny thing is i could probably start the engines! very good and detailed shots there. well done!



Sadly, she hasn't been started in years... The engine blades eerily turn in the wind!


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## darbians (Jan 30, 2013)

A really great report form you both sounds like a lot of fun too.


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## UrbanX (Jan 30, 2013)

It was pretty windy while we were in there, and the plane moved a LOT in the wind! Was surprised as you assume such a big vehicle would be solid: nope, a lot of turbulence!


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## flyboys90 (Jan 30, 2013)

I must say thats a great report from both of you,thanks for sharing.


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## Ellis (Jan 30, 2013)

Great report guys love it! - I thought they always break old planes? 

My friend works in Kent and he's gone to a job next to the airfield! He said theirs a few cameras going up this morning :-(


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## alex76 (Jan 30, 2013)

Totaly awsome work fellers that must of been a proper sas mission climing abord that bad boy


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## mrtoby (Jan 30, 2013)

this is a bloody good report with some spot on pics. Well done.


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## godzilla73 (Jan 30, 2013)

Ellis said:


> Great report guys love it! - I thought they always break old planes?
> 
> My friend works in Kent and he's gone to a job next to the airfield! He said theirs a few cameras going up this morning :-(



I think this is because they are about to start using it again fairly extensively - its their evacuation practice plane, I believe.

GDZ


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## night crawler (Jan 30, 2013)

Awesome stuff there you pair certanly have some balls. Great photo's.


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## steve2109 (Jan 30, 2013)

once again your reports take it up another level.. great stuff from both of you


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## Ratters (Jan 30, 2013)

This is awesome


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## UEP-Wales (Jan 30, 2013)

Great to see you got here in the end! I know how excited you got over the EU version!

Awesome shots from both, cheers for posting them up guys!


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## UE-OMJ (Jan 30, 2013)

godzilla73 said:


> I think this is because they are about to start using it again fairly extensively - its their evacuation practice plane, I believe.
> 
> GDZ





Evacuation practice... UrbanX, you'd have been my hero for life if your exit had been via the emergency inflatible slide from the door (while videoing it)


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## Ramsgatonian (Jan 30, 2013)

Ellis said:


> Great report guys love it! - I thought they always break old planes?
> 
> My friend works in Kent and he's gone to a job next to the airfield! He said theirs a few cameras going up this morning :-(



The company that bought this aircraft from Kuwait Airways presumably went bankrupt afterwards, and therefore has not had the funds to pay for salvage... The only foreseeable outcome at this point is that the airport will repossess the aircraft due to the lack of payment on parking fees, and break it for their own profit. Trans Atlantic Aviation, the current owner, has only one tail number to their name - this one, which more or less proves this was their start up job and they then went bust.


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## Ramsgatonian (Jan 30, 2013)

godzilla73 said:


> I think this is because they are about to start using it again fairly extensively - its their evacuation practice plane, I believe.
> 
> GDZ



It's pretty moldy inside and not looked after at all!


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## UrbanX (Jan 30, 2013)

UE-OMJ said:


> Evacuation practice... UrbanX, you'd have been my hero for life if your exit had been via the emergency inflatible slide from the door (while videoing it)



That was discussed... Lol!
Although our evacuation was just as fun


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## explorer101 (Jan 30, 2013)

Nice report, a lot braver than me getting on a plane!


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## Ramsgatonian (Jan 31, 2013)

Thought this would be of interest!

Here is the aircraft in the rotation stage of take off at Heathrow Airport, in 2001. This was when she still had her Kuwaiti registration - 9K-ADD.


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## demon-pap (Jan 31, 2013)

well done guys, this is truly the best explore i have ever seen, absolutly insane. huge congrats guys.


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## danbutter (Jan 31, 2013)

Delivered to Kuwait Airways January 1982, leased a few times to Garuda Indonesia and returned to Kuwait Airways and retired from service March 2008 and ferried from Kuwait to there for scrapping. Probably one of the best posts I've seen on this site, loved it!


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## jpgee (Jan 31, 2013)

You have listed the performance details for the 727-200 the 747-200 has a range of around 7000nm. Great pics.


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## Ninja Kitten (Jan 31, 2013)

amazzzzzzzzzzzzing!!!


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## tank2020 (Feb 1, 2013)

Fantastic report, Reminds me I should put my pics up of the now sadly deceased DC10 which was at the same airport. Thanks for posting.


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## Ramsgatonian (Feb 1, 2013)

tank2020 said:


> Fantastic report, Reminds me I should put my pics up of the now sadly deceased DC10 which was at the same airport. Thanks for posting.



Did you manage to get inside? I saw a great photograph on SilentUK where they had climbed up some steps and into through the exhaust of the tail engine, and sat in the air intake looking out across the top of the planes!


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## tank2020 (Feb 1, 2013)

Ramsgatonian said:


> Did you manage to get inside? I saw a great photograph on SilentUK where they had climbed up some steps and into through the exhaust of the tail engine, and sat in the air intake looking out across the top of the planes!



There you go, posted it.


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## Woofem (Feb 2, 2013)

TOP work guys, UrbanX that is the best set of shots i have seen of any plane


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## Potter (Feb 3, 2013)

Fantastic work. Any plans to do the DC-8?


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## Ramsgatonian (Feb 3, 2013)

Potter said:


> Fantastic work. Any plans to do the DC-8?



I know someone who got in, and I am told it is completely gutted inside - and you face an awkward climb to get in, as there are no open hatches underneath.


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## Fury161 (Feb 3, 2013)

stunning report & photos from both of you.


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