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Conroy Skymonster dismantled; Aviationtag offers limited edition collectibles

Conroy Skymonster dismantled; Aviationtag offers limited edition collectibles
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Tufan Erginbilgic, Chief Executive | Rolls-Royce Airline

The only Conroy Skymonster, a unique outsize cargo aircraft built in the late 1960s, has been dismantled, but its legacy continues through limited edition collectibles. Aviationtag, a German memorabilia company, announced it has produced 15,000 collectible tags made from the aircraft’s fuselage. The tags are available for purchase in silver or blue.

Aviationtag stated: "Before its dismantling in 2024 at Bournemouth in the UK, Aviationtag salvaged sections of the airframe and transported them to Cologne. There, the metal was cut and finished by hand to create limited-edition Aviationtags. Each tag bears authentic scratches, chips, and patina – marks of an aircraft that served for over 60 years."

The Conroy Skymonster started as a Canadair CL-44D4 registered N447T in 1961. It was converted into an outsize freighter by Jack Conroy at the end of the 1960s to transport large cargo such as Rolls-Royce RB.211 engines for the Lockheed L-1011 TriStar. Its distinctive bulbous fuselage distinguished it from other Canadair CL-44 aircraft.

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According to reports from the BBC around the time of its dismantling, after being grounded due to corrosion, the Skymonster had been stored at Bournemouth since 2002 and some parts were sent to a museum in Wales.

The aircraft had a varied career with several registrations across different countries including N447T and N447FT (United States), EI-BND (Republic of Ireland), 4K-GUP (Azerbaijan), 9G-LCA (Ghana), and RP-C8023 (Philippines). Operators included British Cargo Airlines, Heavylift Cargo Airlines, Buffalo Airways, Azerbaijan Airlines, Baku Express, First International Airlines, and Johnson Air.

The conversion process took place in Santa Barbara where significant modifications were made to accommodate oversized cargo needs. The Skymonster's first flight occurred in November 1969 with testing and certification following in spring 1970.

Aviationtag previously created similar collectibles from another notable outsize freighter—the Super Guppy—produced by Aero Spacelines under John Conroy’s leadership.

Enthusiasts can now own a piece of aviation history as each tag is crafted directly from the original layers of paint on the plane’s fuselage.

Organizations Included in this History
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