Title
1970s Laker Airways McDonnell Douglas DC-10 Skytrain Widebody Jet Aircraft Aviation Postcard
Description (Front)
A color aviation postcard depicting a Laker Airways McDonnell Douglas DC-10 wide-body tri-jet airliner flying above a layer of clouds under a blue sky. The aircraft carries the distinctive Laker Airways Skytrain livery, with a white fuselage, black and red cheatline, and the airline name LAKER on the tail. The forward fuselage also displays stylized lettering reading Skytrain, referencing the airline’s famous low-cost transatlantic service.
The aircraft shows the classic DC-10 configuration with three turbofan engines: two mounted under the wings and one located at the base of the vertical stabilizer with an S-duct air intake. The aircraft’s long wide fuselage and large swept wings are clearly visible. The image captures the aircraft in cruising flight.
Laker Airways, founded by British entrepreneur Sir Freddie Laker, became famous in the late 1970s for pioneering low-cost long-haul air travel with the Skytrain service between London and New York.
Estimated postcard era: Late 1970s to early 1980s
Description (Back)
Printed header:
J Arthur Dixon
Handwritten notes:
Freddie Laker B 1922
Knt 1978
Founder 1966 of Laker Airways
pioneered cheap air travel
Company collapsed in 1982
to the airlines to court claiming that they had conspired to force him out of business. BA settled out of court over £5 million
Early in 1992 he set up a service for the US to Caribbean
Printed technical information:
Laker Airways – DC10 Skytrain
Wing Span: 155ft. 4ins.
Length: 181ft. 5ins.
Engines: 3 General Electric CF6-6D1
Height: 58ft. 1in.
Passengers: 345 Tourist Class
Photograph by courtesy of Laker Airways
PNA/24433
Printed in Great Britain
Aircraft Identification & Technical Details
Aircraft model: McDonnell Douglas DC-10
Variant commonly used by Laker Airways: DC-10-10
Manufacturer: McDonnell Douglas
Country: United States
Aircraft type: Wide-body long-range tri-jet airliner
First flight: 29 August 1970
Entered service: 1971
Engine configuration:
3 × General Electric CF6-6D1 turbofan engines
Wingspan:
155 ft 4 in (47.34 m)
Length:
181 ft 5 in (55.3 m)
Height:
58 ft 1 in (17.7 m)
Cruising speed:
Approx. 900 km/h (560 mph)
Maximum range:
Approx. 6,600 km (varies by configuration)
Passenger capacity:
Up to about 345 passengers in high-density tourist configuration (used by Skytrain service)
Crew:
3 flight crew (Captain, First Officer, Flight Engineer)
Notable historical significance:
The Laker Airways DC-10 Skytrain became famous for introducing the first successful low-cost transatlantic flights, dramatically lowering ticket prices and influencing the development of modern budget airlines. Although Laker Airways collapsed in 1982, the Skytrain concept is widely considered a precursor to modern low-cost long-haul aviation.
