G-BDXJ
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G-BDXJ is the registration of a Boeing 747-200B aircraft purchased by British Airways in 1980 and after retirement found a new life as a film prop.
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[edit] Airline history
G-BDXJ is the 440th Boeing 747 and first flew on the 26 March 1980 and was delivered to British Airways. Named City of Birmingham by British Airways who operated it for 22 years. In March 2002 it was sold to charter operator European Aviation Air Charter it was used for holiday charters and ad-hoc flights and was also leased out for Hajj flights in 2003 and 2004. European ceased 747 operations at the end of 2004 and the aircraft was sold to Air Atlanta Europe and was used for charter flights until it was retired in 2005. It flew its last flight on 25 May 2005 from London Gatwick Airport to nearby Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey, England. The aircraft was bought by Aces High Limited a company specialising in supplying aircraft for television and film work.
[edit] Film history
After retirement, it was modified to be used as a prop in the James Bond movie Casino Royale. In the movie, it appears as the "Skyfleet S570" a fictional prototype airplane which terrorists attempt to destroy. Among the modifications were the fitting of twin mock-up engines on each of the inner engine pylons, with the outer ones instead holding external fuel tanks.
After Casino Royale, G-BDXJ appeared in a Volkswagen commercial that shows it being towed by a Volkswagen Touareg. The BBC programme Top Gear is filmed at Dunsfold, and the aircraft can sometimes be spotted in the background. In Top Gear Season 9, episode 5, it made an appearance being towed behind a JCB Fastrac tractor.
G-BDXJ appears in the first episode of James May's 20th Century, Honey, I Shrunk the World, with its new James Bond engine setup.
