Credit: British Airways /  A Boeing 747 long-range wide-body four engined commercial jet airliner for the BOAC – British Overseas Airways Corporation flying above the United Kingdom on 7 April 1971. (Photo by Fox Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty Images).

By Gary Raynaldo   DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

British Airways announced today it will be painting a Boeing 747 in the much-admired retrograde design of its predecessor British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC), as part of its 100-Year Birthday.  The livery from the 1964 – 1974 BOAC era will adorn a B747, reg: G-BYGC. The aircraft will leave the paint shop in Dublin and arrive in to Heathrow on February 18, before entering service the following day. The service will coincide with the 50th anniversary of the first Boeing 747 flight only a few days earlier, according to BA.  All new aircraft entering the fleet, including the A350, will continue to receive today’s popular Chatham Dockyard design. The BOAC 747 will be the first aircraft to receive a popular design from British Airways’ past with more details of further designs to be revealed in due course. Aircraft which receive the retro liveries will fly British Airways’ routes, proudly showcasing some of the popular designs as part of the airline’s centenary celebrations, BA stated.

BA Unveils  ‘BOAC’ 747-400  Retrojet Next Month

Credit: BA Media / 747 BOAC centenary livery sketch.

The 747 has been deliberately chosen for the BOAC livery as it is a later variant of the same aircraft type that adorned the design when it was initially in operation, according to BA.

“So many British Airways customers and colleagues have fond memories of our previous liveries, regularly sharing their photos from across the globe, so it’s incredibly exciting to be re-introducing this classic BOAC design.”

 Alex Cruz, British Airways’ Chairman and CEO.

“Our history has shaped who we are today, so our centenary is the perfect moment to revisit our heritage and the UK’s aviation landscape through this iconic livery,” Cruz added.

The BOAC livery will remain on the Boeing 747 until it retires in 2023. By that time, BA will have retired the majority of its 747 fleet, replacing them with new state-of-the-art long-haul aircraft. This includes taking delivery of 18 A350s and 12 Boeing 787 Dreamliners in the next four years – which feature new cabins and are more environmentally efficient – as well as another 26 short-haul aircraft, all part of the airline’s £6.5bn investment for customers.

British Airways Will Celebrates Its Centenary August 25,  2019 To  Commemorate  100  Years In The Sky