Zoggavia

Zoggavia Welcome to Zoggavia — celebrating the timeless elegance of classic airliners. Enjoy the view and the stories behind the wings.

Great people and aircraft have been the foundation of our photography so zoggavia is the vehicle for displaying the images to those with an interest in classic aircraft, history, and aviation in general.

When Everything Came TogetherA few days ago I shared my photograph of an Air Frêt Super Constellation departing Basel-Mu...
14/08/2026

When Everything Came Together

A few days ago I shared my photograph of an Air Frêt Super Constellation departing Basel-Mulhouse on a cold, grey December morning in 1971 — a photograph taken in difficult light, with Kodachrome demanding that exposure, focus, and timing all come together.

This time, conditions could hardly have been better.

British Air Ferries ATL-98 Carvair G-AREK climbs away from Basel under a clear blue sky. Good light, excellent visibility and the aircraft passing at just the right angle gave Kodachrome everything it needed.

The technique, however, was the same. No autofocus, no image stabilization, and no checking the result afterward. Follow the aircraft, judge the exposure and focus, press the shutter at the decisive moment — then wait for the developed Kodachrome to return.

What a difference perfect conditions could make.

And what an aircraft to photograph. The Carvair's extraordinary appearance came from its conversion from the Douglas DC-4, with the flight deck raised above the fuselage to permit loading through the large forward cargo door.

A familiar idea?

The arrangement bears a striking resemblance to the earlier Convair R3Y Tradewind, which also placed its flight deck above the main cargo level to provide access through the nose. The two aircraft were created for very different purposes, but the visual similarity in their cockpit arrangements is remarkable.

Sometimes the photographer had to fight for the picture. On days like this, the light did most of the helping.

British Air Ferries ATL-98 Carvair G-AREK, photographed by Paul Zogg at Basel-Mulhouse in 1973.

Forty Years Later — The Thrill ReturnedFollowing the wonderful response to my photograph of Air Fret Super Constellation...
07/08/2026

Forty Years Later — The Thrill Returned

Following the wonderful response to my photograph of Air Fret Super Constellation F-BHML departing Basel–Mulhouse in December 1971, I would like to continue with another airborne Connie — photographed almost exactly forty years later.

Back in 1971, I could never have imagined that I would one day again stand beside a runway waiting for a Super Constellation to lift into the air.

Switzerland was fortunate to host the Breitling Super Constellation, a former C-121 military transport, from 2004 until 2018. In 2011, I traveled to Zurich Airport to photograph this magnificent aircraft during take-off and landing.

The sight was remarkably familiar: that unmistakable silhouette, four powerful radial engines and the need to recognize the decisive moment before the aircraft disappeared.

The timing was still the same. Only Kodachrome had been replaced by a memory card.

What had gone was the suspense of film — waiting days to discover whether timing, exposure and focus had all come together. The digital camera gave the answer immediately: I had caught the Connie just right.

As B.B. King famously sang, “The Thrill Is Gone.”

Perhaps part of it was. But the thrill of seeing and photographing a Super Constellation in flight certainly was not.

Join me for this photographic return to Zurich Airport — and for more airborne Constellations from the Zoggavia archive.

A Swiss National Day the Crew Never Forgot 🇨🇭On 1 August 1957, Switzerland’s National Day, Swissair Douglas DC-7C HB-IBL...
01/08/2026

A Swiss National Day the Crew Never Forgot 🇨🇭

On 1 August 1957, Switzerland’s National Day, Swissair Douglas DC-7C HB-IBL “Genève” was arriving at Lisbon–Portela as flight SR883 from New York–Idlewild, carrying 64 passengers and nine crew members.

At 07:17, the aircraft touched down about ten meters before runway 36. The right main landing gear collapsed, causing major damage to the lower fuselage, the inboard engines and the flaps.

Despite the severity of the accident, the crew kept the DC-7C under control for around 750 meters before it came to rest. There was no fire, and everyone aboard escaped safely.

The 38-year-old captain already had around 9,000 flying hours and had progressed through several generations of Swissair aircraft—from the Douglas DC-2 and DC-3 to the Convair twins, DC-6B and finally the new DC-7C.

HB-IBL was badly damaged, but not finished. It was repaired, returned to service, and continued flying for Swissair until its sale to Riddle Airlines as N301G in 1960.

The photographs show HB-IBL after the accident at Lisbon and, in happier days, taxiing at New York–Idlewild in 1957.

This story is a reminder that survival depends not only on the strength of an aircraft, but also on the experience, discipline and calm judgment of the people flying it.

Happy Swiss National Day.

Zoggavia Historic Aviation Photo Archive. Colorized Lisbon image courtesy of DGAC Portugal; second image via Clinton Groves.

A Moment Written in KodachromeOn a cold, grey December morning in 1971, Air Frêt’s Lockheed L-1049G Super Constellation ...
01/08/2026

A Moment Written in Kodachrome

On a cold, grey December morning in 1971, Air Frêt’s Lockheed L-1049G Super Constellation F-BHML lifted away from Basel–Mulhouse Airport on what would be the last commercial Super Constellation take-off I witnessed there.

The weather was dull, but the departure was anything but. Four Wright engines thundered at full power, pale flames flickered from the exhausts, and the great Connie remained low over the airfield as she gathered speed. For a few unforgettable seconds, sound, movement and light came together in a scene that belonged to the final years of the piston-airliner age.

Capturing it demanded more than simply pressing the shutter. Kodachrome II film allowed little room for error. The Nikon F, the low shutter speed and the timing all had to work together—but above all, the photographer had to recognize the moment before it disappeared.

The result is more than a photograph of an aircraft taking off. It preserves the power, tension and atmosphere of an era when aviation could still be heard, felt and even seen in the flames behind four radial engines.

More than half a century later, I remember that December morning as clearly as if it had happened yesterday. Some moments fade. This one was written in stone—and in Kodachrome.

Discover the Air Frêt story and rare photographs from the Zoggavia Collection: https://www.zoggavia.com/compagnie-air-fret

The Flying Boat That Could Refuel Four Jets at OnceThe Convair R3Y Tradewind was one of the most ambitious—and shortest-...
25/07/2026

The Flying Boat That Could Refuel Four Jets at Once

The Convair R3Y Tradewind was one of the most ambitious—and shortest-lived—flying boats ever built.

Developed for the United States Navy, this enormous four-engined turboprop combined the speed of a modern transport aircraft with the ability to operate from water. The R3Y-2 featured a hinged nose intended to allow vehicles and heavy cargo to be loaded directly from a beach, earning it the description “the flying LST.”

In practice, holding the aircraft steady against a beach during loading proved extremely difficult. The R3Y-2s were therefore converted into aerial tankers.

In September 1956, a Tradewind demonstrated another remarkable capability by refueling four Grumman F9F Cougar fighters simultaneously, using four probe-and-drogue units beneath its wings.

Despite its impressive performance, the Tradewind suffered from persistent reliability problems with its complex Allison T40 turboprop engines and contra-rotating propellers. Only 11 R3Y aircraft, together with two earlier XP5Y prototypes, were completed. The fleet was withdrawn from service in 1958, just a few years after entering operation.

Images show the Tradewind 128450 waiting for its load in the Pacific in 1956, and the recently colorized Tradewind image refueling the 4 F9s in 1956. Zoggavia Collection. 128450 via Clinton Groves, Refueling, Public Domain

The Tradewind’s elevated cockpit and deep front-loading nose strongly recall the later ATL-98 Carvair. In both designs, the flight deck was moved above the main cargo level so that bulky loads could enter through the nose. The Tradewind was a naval flying transport, while the Carvair was designed primarily to carry cars and freight—but the family resemblance is striking.

✈️ British South American Airways – Flying with the StarsZoggavia has a special affinity for the British aviation indust...
17/07/2026

✈️ British South American Airways – Flying with the Stars

Zoggavia has a special affinity for the British aviation industry, supported by hands-on experience with legendary aircraft such as the de Havilland Vampire, Venom, and the Hawker Hunter.

Through historic photographs, reports, and analyses, Zoggavia documents the ideas, achievements, and challenges that shaped British aviation.

One remarkable chapter is British South American Airways (BSAA). During the pioneering post-war years, its Avro Yorks and Lancastrians connected Britain with South America and the Caribbean. Their evocative “Star” names recall an era when crossing the South Atlantic remained a true aviation adventure.

This newly colorized 1946 photograph shows an Avro York and Lancastrian undergoing servicing. Original monochrome image from the Bob O’Brien Collection.

Both aircraft had relatively short BSAA careers:

G-AHEW, York “Star Leader”, crashed shortly after take-off from Bathurst, now Banjul, on 7 September 1946 while operating from London to Buenos Aires. All 24 people aboard were killed.

G-AGWG, Lancastrian, suffered a No. 4 Merlin engine fire after departing Bermuda on 13 November 1947. It returned but undershot the runway; everyone survived.

A small cooling break for everyone in Central Europe currently dealing with the heat… ❄️✈️Seen here is Wien Alaska Airli...
10/07/2026

A small cooling break for everyone in Central Europe currently dealing with the heat… ❄️✈️

Seen here is Wien Alaska Airlines Curtiss C-46 N1548V, Arctic Liner “Fairbanks,” photographed at Barrow, Alaska, on a cold spring day in 1959.

Wien Alaska was far more than just an airline with a striking yellow-and-black color scheme. Founded by Noel Wien in 1927, it played a vital role in opening up Alaska by air, linking communities where roads were often nonexistent, and flying was not a luxury, but a necessity.

Aircraft such as the Curtiss C-46 were true lifelines, carrying people, mail, and essential supplies across vast distances, isolated settlements, and challenging Arctic weather.

This image is a reminder of a very different kind of aviation:
Not glamour first, but reliability, necessity, and courage — and all wrapped in a livery that still looks fantastic today.

A little Arctic coolness from the Zoggavia Archive.

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