Civilian Aviation

Sadly it has been announced that Virgin's fleet of 747s is to be retired early due to COVID-19, it's really sad to see them go for good so feel free to post your shots in this thread.

Taken somewhere over the Atlantic from G-VGAL 'Jersey Girl' in 2008 on our way to Antigua.

one from me for now, Gatwick 10th October 1988, B.747-200 G-VGIN waiting to take me to Miami - that and the return flight (on G-VIRG) have been my only B.747 flights!
G-VGIN B.747-200 Virgin LGW 10-10-1988 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr

Andy

back from me clap! here's some from Gatwick (again) in October 2013...
a couple of G-VROM
G-VROM B.747 Virgin LGW 30-10-2013 2065 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr

G-VROM B.747 Virgin LGW 30-10-2013 2091 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr

and one of G-VROS...
G-VROS B.747 Virgin LGW 30-10-2013 2438 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr

I'll find some more later / tomorrow /whenever
Andy

Some older scans.
Enjoy the background in this first shot. G-VIRG


B747 Virgin G-VIRG 5 Gatwick

Standard view from the terrace. G-VFAB


B747 Virgin G-VFAB Gatwick by London Eye, on Flickr


A lease from ANZ ZK-NZX


B747 Virgin ZK-NZX Gatwick by London Eye, on Flickr

Pete.

A few fairly recent ones from Manchester.
G-VLIP Boeing 747 Virgin Atlantic departing from runway 05L at Manchester on 1 March 2018, straight into a 50 mph NE headwind and -4 temperature on the ground, during the 'Beast from the East' storm.
G-VLIP by Peter Rowe, on Flickr
G-VROY Boeing 747 Virgin Atlantic early morning landing on runway 05R at Manchester on 7 June 2018.
G-VROY by Peter Rowe, on Flickr
G-VROS Boeing 747 Virgin Atlantic departing runway 23L at Manchester on 5 July 2019.
G-VROS by Peter Rowe, on Flickr
G-VROY on the runway and G-VLIP following, both departing runway 23L at Manchester on 8 August 2019.
G-VROY & G-VLIP by Peter Rowe, on Flickr
Best Wishes
Pete

G-VIRG & G-VGIN at Gatwick a very, very long time ago (1986), taken from the spectators terrace. The only 747s that Andy's flown on!

A few more different airframes from Virgin's northern outpost (Manchester)!.

G-VAST Boeing 747 Virgin Atlantic early morning landing on runway 05R at Manchester on 7 June 2018.
G-VAST by Peter Rowe, on Flickr

G-VBIG Boeing 747 Virgin Atlantic departing runway 23L at Manchester on 25 September 2018.
G-VBIG by Peter Rowe, on Flickr

G-VGAL Boeing 747 Virgin Atlantic about to depart on runway 23L at Manchester on 31 May 2019.
G-VGAL by Peter Rowe, on Flickr

G-VXLG Boeing 747 Virgin Atlantic departing runway 23L at Manchester on 5 July 2019.
G-VXLG (3) by Peter Rowe, on Flickr

Best Wishes
Pete

G-VGAL departs Manchester 23L on 22/10/2018.

IMG_1359 by F6MAN, on Flickr

Virgin 747 Tinker Belle departing Manchester 05L on 03/05/2017.

IMG_6799 by F6MAN, on Flickr

Regards.

PeteW.

Ruby Tuesday awaits clearance Manchester 05L on 29/09/2014, and English Rose noses up on 23L on 11/05/2015.

IMG_1473 by F6MAN, on Flickr

IMG_5515 by F6MAN, on Flickr

Regards.

PeteW.

G-VBIG ‘Tinker Bell’ at Cambridge City Airport 2nd February 2016
G-VBIG by Peter Harrington, on Flickr

Half a dozen from me, will miss seeing one of the best colour schemes to ever adorn the 747

GVBIGtrial by Chris Parsons, on Flickr

GVHOTtrial by Chris Parsons, on Flickr

GVFABtrial by Chris Parsons, on Flickr

GVWOWtrial by Chris Parsons, on Flickr

GVXLG_a by Chris Parsons, on Flickr

GVXLG_B by Chris Parsons, on Flickr

A few slightly older 747s from me, slide scans from Gatwick and Heathrow.

Virgin Atlantic Airways Boeing 747-287 G-VIRG by Neil D. Brant, on Flickr

Virgin Atlantic Airways Boeing 747-243 G-VGIN by Neil D. Brant, on Flickr

Virgin Atlantic Airways Boeing 747-238 G-VLAX by Neil D. Brant, on Flickr

Virgin Atlantic Airways Boeing 747-4Q8 G-VFAB by Neil D. Brant, on Flickr

Virgin Atlantic Airways Boeing 747-212 G-VRGN by Neil D. Brant, on Flickr

Virgin Atlantic Airways Boeing 747-238 G-VJFK by Neil D. Brant, on Flickr

Neil

Let's start at the end.

G-VROY leaving Heathrow for the very last time to storage at Doncaster 7 May 2020

G-VROY High Wycombe 7 May 2020 by ACW367, on Flickr

G-VLIP Manchester 6 October 2014 - I flew on this one in Jan 2006 to Orlando

G-VLIP Manchester 6 October 2014 by ACW367, on Flickr

G-VHOT Heathrow 2 January 2014 - I flew on this one back from NY Newark in Oct 2000

G-VHOT Heathrow 2 January 2014 by ACW367, on Flickr

G-VBIG Heathrow 1 June 2013

G-VBIG Heathrow 1 June 2013 by ACW367, on Flickr

G-VFAB Heathrow 1 June 2013

G-VFAB Heathrow 1 June 2013 by ACW367, on Flickr

G-VAST Gatwick 27 September 2012

G-VAST Gatwick 27 September 2012 by ACW367, on Flickr

Enjoy ACW367

Boeing 747 - Virgin Atlantic - G-VBIG / Tinker Bell by Steve Lynes, on Flickr

G-VFAB by Steve Lynes, on Flickr

G-VROM by Steve Lynes, on Flickr

Boeing 747 - Virgin Atlantic - G-VBIG by Steve Lynes, on Flickr

I shall add couple of my Virgin 747s that managed to capture on film

G-VFAB LGW belive i was walking down the main pier at the time when she passed us ,pre digital days and sorry bout glass glare
Boeing 747-4Q8 G-VFAB by Mark, on Flickr

G-VLIP sunny Manchester
Boeing 747-443 G-VLIP by Mark, on Flickr

G-VLIP at LGW
Boeing 747-443 G-VLIP by Mark, on Flickr

What shall we do today, i know grab VBIG take her for couple ILS runs at Norwich as you do.no she did not land but did some inpresive climb outs

Boeing 747-4Q8 G-VBIG by Mark, on Flickr

Boeing 747-4Q8 G-VBIG by Mark, on Flickr

My last ever photo of a virgin 747 goes to G-VROM which was withdrawn and returned to Heathrow for end of lease work during 2020, she sneeked out of the hangar allowing me grab that last ever shot
Boeing 747-400 G-VROM by Mark, on Flickr

happy days

G-VIRG Boeing 747-287B London Gatwick.

G-VLIP Boeing 747-443

G-VXLG a few years back - much missed...
Virgin 747-400 by Professor M, on Flickr