RetroRoo II

[Rowan McKeever]

QF will unveil a second RetroRoo on 16 November - another B738. Interesting reference to service across Australia and the Tasman...

http://www.qantasnewsroom.com.au/media-releases/qantas-announces-plans-for-retro-roo-ii/

[Zac M]

How is the Tasman reference noteworthy? Am I missing something?

[Rowan McKeever]

Seems to suggest it 'might' be one of the Jetconnect 738s... but then seems to suggest not if it'll be operating domestic as well.

[Dave C]

The Jetconnect 738's are not being reconfigured.

QF ordered 75 738's, Jetconnect has 8, that leaves 67 in the mainline fleet.

Mainline does fly across the Tasman.

This will be a mainline machine.

[Chris Z]

Anyone with insider knowledge on which 738 is getting the paint job? Surely one still in the old QF livery would get the gig..?

[Zac M]

Purely an assumption, it will be an old liveried 738 that has the reconfig or is about to get it, so right now VXQ would be the prime candidate.

[Ryan K]

I'd love for QF to put a TAA retro livery on a Boeing 717 or an Australian Airlines "blue roo" livery on a 737. TN played a huge role in this country's aviation history and it would be great to see Qantas recognise that.

[Yusef D]

Totally agree.

TAA/Australian is a huge part of the Qantas backstory, and to only paint domestic 737s in the heritage of the long haul operation when they are the direct descendants of TN is a bit wrong.

[Steve S... 2]

I also thought it would have to be a 738 in the old faded livery.

But when you think of it, the "VH-" 738's they use across the Tasman are normally from VH-VZL onwards - as they have seat back entertainment.

They won't paint a ZK- 738 - as they are never used in on Australia domestic.

I guess it won't be what we expect anyway... who knows, they could select XZO.

[Zac M]

It has been confirmed elsewhere that VXQ will be the aircraft, good guess on my part :P

[Max C]

VXQ ferries MEL-TSV on 31/10 as QF6101

[Greg Hyde]

The original retro roo has been busy:

Qantas Retro Roo charity flight raises $114,000 for drought relief

http://australianaviation.com.au/2015/11/qantas-retro-roo-charity-flight-raises-114000-for-drought-relief/

[Max C]

Went past the hangar in TSV today and judging by the location of the red paint and masking tape, it'll be painted in a livery similar to this.

http://pete-n-pam.com/main%20pics/page050pics/707_1.jpg

[Grahame Hutchison]

Or could it be this livery ?

I flew First Class on a Qantas B707 in this livery back in December 1968 - The QF B707 simulator back then was a small video camera moving over a
a constructed landscape, no fancy graphics back then. I was in the cockpit when the Navigator attached a Sextant to a spy hole in the ceiling to take
readings and confirm our track.

http://www.16right.com/Aircraft-Images/displayimage.php?image=N707JT D300-2011-11-16-147.jpg

[Max C]

The red was only sprayed across the middle of the tail so maybe not.

Time will tell!

[Damian N]

Surprised we don't have any solid info or pics yet? I thought it is officially unveiled in Sydney tomorrow so assumed it has probably been out of the hanger in TSV today???

[Zac M]

Monday is the unveil, ferrying in Monday morning.

[Alex T]

It's scheduled to ferry TSV-SYD tomorrow morning as QF6100, current ETA of 0800.

[Christopher Campbell]

first image of retro roo is on ausbt Facebook page

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/12249622_1055171071189732_323866539961886932_n.jpg ?oh=81c0603d2cd2f77dc3ba365d8498d82c&oe=56BC9E8E&__gda__=1455155684_d0e0e725055c23c1f5feae4d77e25fb 9

https://www.facebook.com/AusBT/photos_stream

[Grahame Hutchison]

Let's hope the weather in Sydney improves for the Retro-Roo arrival tomorrow - 22 Degrees and possible showers.

[Kurt A]

-22° ?? Lol :eek:

[Grahame Hutchison]

Yes Kurt, I will be wearing my thermal underwear.

[Dan Hammond]

Photos are beginning to surface.

https://www.facebook.com/cqplanespotting/posts/911010062328531

[Kurt A]

Welcome Qantas Retro Roo II VH-VXQ :)

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g183/yssy_moderator/YSSY%20Stuff/_MG_0708s_zpsomji1k6s.jpg~original

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g183/yssy_moderator/_MG_0737s_zps4c9ezuxk.jpg~original

[Alex T]

Great pics Kurt! Thanks for posting them to the board so quickly! It looks quite good! (Even though I preferred the V-Jet livery)!

[Steve S... 2]

It looks fantastic.

They need a V-Jet liveried 738 now to complete the retro jet theme - as it was used on jets in the 60's.

With approx a dozen 738's left to re-paint, they'd be crazy not to paint a V-Jet.

[Steve S... 2]

They also need to paint a 738 in Australian Airlines livery (blue roo) as a tribute to that airline, and the success of Qantas Domestic network as a result.

[Sarah C]

What a great morning - great to meet up with some board members at the event and thankful the weather gods were kind to us. What a sensational livery.

[Grahame Hutchison]

A fantastic celebration this morning for the Qantas 95th Birthday and the unveiling of Retro-Roo II. The aircraft was towed into Hanger 416 for the
celebrations. Qantas CEO Alan Joyce spoke of the proud history of Qantas and its dedicated employees who have made the Airline what it is today. Alan
also recognised Mr Michael Ryan, who worked for Qantas for 37 years starting in the 1940s. Michael was born in Longreach three years before Qantas was
founded, and the large table in his fathers Tailor Shop was used for early Qantas Board meeting, as it was the only one large enough in town to seat
the Board Members. Mr Ryan worked on the Empire Flying Boats in Rose Bay during the 1940, and now helps with the Qantas Museum. What a pleasure
to meet and talk to Mr Ryan this morning.

The race will now be on to capture the first photograph of the two Retro-Roos together.


Retro-Roo II is officially unveiled and towed into Hanger 416 for the celebration - the Qantas Choir was singing "I Still Call Australia Home" as it was it
entered the hanger
http://www.16right.com/Aircraft-Images/displayimage.php?image=VH-VXQ D300-20151116-032.jpg

This was the Qantas livery from the 1950s and the start of the Jet Age with the launch of the Boeing 707
http://www.16right.com/Aircraft-Images/displayimage.php?image=VH-VXQ D300-20151116-036.jpg

http://www.16right.com/Aircraft-Images/displayimage.php?image=VH-VXQ D300-20151116-045.jpg

http://www.16right.com/Aircraft-Images/displayimage.php?image=VH-VXQ D300-20151116-050.jpg

http://www.16right.com/Aircraft-Images/displayimage.php?image=VH-VXQ D300-20151116-100.jpg

http://www.16right.com/Aircraft-Images/displayimage.php?image=VH-VXQ D300-20151116-102.jpg

Dinesh Keskar, Senior Vice President, Asia Pacific & India for Boeing Commercial Airplanes, presented Qantas CEO Alan Joyce with a model of the Boeing
B787-9 that was ordered earlier this year by Qantas. And yes, that is Eric Allen checking his photographs beneath the Dreamliner
http://www.16right.com/Aircraft-Images/displayimage.php?image=VH-VXQ D300-20151116-107.jpg

The new and the old side by side
http://www.16right.com/Aircraft-Images/displayimage.php?image=VH-VXQ D300-20151116-108.jpg

Retro-Roo II VH-VXQ was centre stage this morning
http://www.16right.com/Aircraft-Images/displayimage.php?image=VH-VXQ D300-20151116-129.jpg

http://www.16right.com/Aircraft-Images/displayimage.php?image=VH-VXQ D300-20151116-130.jpg

http://www.16right.com/Aircraft-Images/displayimage.php?image=VH-VXQ D300-20151116-138.jpg

http://www.16right.com/Aircraft-Images/displayimage.php?image=VH-VXQ D300-20151116-139.jpg

http://www.16right.com/Aircraft-Images/displayimage.php?image=VH-VXQ D300-20151116-140.jpg

Alan Joyce with Dinesh Keskar from Boeing
http://www.16right.com/Aircraft-Images/displayimage.php?image=VH-VXQ D300-20151116-065.jpg

http://www.16right.com/Aircraft-Images/displayimage.php?image=VH-VXQ D300-20151116-067.jpg

[Grahame Hutchison]

Qantas CEO Alan Joyce cuts the 95th Birthday Cake
http://www.16right.com/Aircraft-Images/displayimage.php?image=VH-VXQ D300-20151116-072.jpg

The Qantas choir sang "I Still Call Australia Home" as the Retro-Roo II was unveiled
http://www.16right.com/Aircraft-Images/displayimage.php?image=VH-VXQ D300-20151116-093.jpg

The Qantas Choir with CEO Alan Joyce
http://www.16right.com/Aircraft-Images/displayimage.php?image=VH-VXQ D300-20151116-109.jpg

The Tech Crew from today's flight in from Townsville
http://www.16right.com/Aircraft-Images/displayimage.php?image=VH-VXQ D300-20151116-111.jpg

Cabin Crew uniform from the 1960s
http://www.16right.com/Aircraft-Images/displayimage.php?image=VH-VXQ D300-20151116-007.jpg

Michael Ryan, a 37 year employee of Qantas, meets Qantas CEO Alan Joyce
http://www.16right.com/Aircraft-Images/displayimage.php?image=VH-VXQ D300-20151116-013.jpg

Michael Ryan, a 37 year employee of Qantas, speaking with Qantas CEO Alan Joyce
http://www.16right.com/Aircraft-Images/displayimage.php?image=VH-VXQ D300-20151116-017.jpg

Qantas staff celebrating the 95th Birthday
http://www.16right.com/Aircraft-Images/displayimage.php?image=VH-VXQ D300-20151116-019.jpg

The 95th Birthday Cake
http://www.16right.com/Aircraft-Images/displayimage.php?image=VH-VXQ D300-20151116-006.jpg

Business as usual for the rest of the Qantas fleet
http://www.16right.com/Aircraft-Images/displayimage.php?image=VH-VXQ D300-20151116-142.jpg

And Happy 95th Birthday from me Qantas
http://www.16right.com/Aircraft-Images/displayimage.php?image=VH-VXQ D300-20151116-145.jpg

[Greg Hyde]

Great shots.

What about a TAA B727 T-Jet VH-TBK "Central Australian" or DC-9 "Coral Islander" etc.

The first Australian (I think) logo jets.

[Kurt A]

Super shots Grahame. Some different angles from today's event :)

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g183/yssy_moderator/_MG_0780s_zpszp5tmwkc.jpg~original

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g183/yssy_moderator/_MG_0785s_zpsr9i7lem8.jpg~original

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http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g183/yssy_moderator/_MG_0856s_zpsipcun2aj.jpg~original

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g183/yssy_moderator/_MG_0867s_zpswng8xzvl.jpg~original

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g183/yssy_moderator/_MG_0905s_zpshkqlrgcq.jpg~original

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g183/yssy_moderator/_MG_0951s_zpsjkslnvgf.jpg~original

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g183/yssy_moderator/_MG_1007s_zpsrhbgt29s.jpg~original

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g183/yssy_moderator/_MG_1024s_zps124il5nc.jpg~original

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http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g183/yssy_moderator/_MG_1161s_zpsm68dqilc.jpg~original

[Kurt A]

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g183/yssy_moderator/_MG_1189s_zpsorjxrt7z.jpg~original

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g183/yssy_moderator/_MG_1265s_zpsbyijcxcf.jpg~original

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g183/yssy_moderator/_MG_1281s_zpsegqeoixb.jpg~original

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g183/yssy_moderator/_MG_1288s_zpsymd99p43.jpg~original

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g183/yssy_moderator/_MG_1316s_zpsun0eij2t.jpg~original

[Grahame Hutchison]

Love your outside shots Kurt, and the black and white of Michael Ryan, who I had a lovely chat to about the Flying Boats in Rose Bay - good to catch up again.

[Kent Broadhead]

They also need to paint a 738 in Australian Airlines livery (blue roo) as a tribute to that airline, and the success of Qantas Domestic network as a result.

And TAA!

[Tim D]

Just had this sent to me - all three together.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CT54Dc4UkAEi1g6.jpg

[Winston Khong]

Epic shot of the 3 together, Tim!

Lovely selection of photos, Kurt.

[Robert.M]

Great photos! Would be great to see two more retro liveries done but I don't see that happening.

[Cliff Cook]

To Grahame and Kurt,

Your photos taken in Qantas Hanger today are so great and thanks for great sharing!

Regards,

Cliff Cook.

[Dave Dale]

Brilliant photos. Thank you all who provided them.

[Terence W]

Thanks for sharing the photos! Great looking plane!

[Christopher Campbell]

Yeah that's a lot for the photos, appreciate the effort. Stunning looking plane!! Hopefully it's not the last Retro Roo!!

[Damian N]

Great looking plane!

A few questions for the resident gurus on the board.....

- The cheatline is a different red to the standard QF red? It seems almost maroon with a purplish hue?

- If the answer to the above is yes, do you think they painted the winglets tht same retro red or the 'standard' red? To me the winglets seem the brighter, standard red.

Just wondering if someone here knows the definitive answer?

Also a bit surprised they didn't arrange for "Retro Roo I" to also be there as a backdrop - I suppose that they may have felt it would detract from #2?

[Zac M]

I have to say I didnt pay much attention to the reds, I think they are the same but I could be wrong. They towed it over to the gate a long time before departure, during its time at the gate XZP was parked next to her with a standard livery 738 next door, so id say there is a pic of the two of them floating around somewhere, as I cant see any other reason for it to be at a gate at 1300 for a 1645 departure.

[Sarah C]

The red is carnation red - so it matches that livery and is different to the current red.

[Mick F]

Depends on gate requirements Zac. If it wasn't a busy day then it could have been easier to put it there while they weren't busy.

I've known some of our aircraft to sit on gates for hours on quiet days, all shut down with everything closed up.

Mick

[Grahame Hutchison]

Here is my Video coverage of yesterday's Qantas 95th Birthday Celebration and Retro-Roo II unveiling. Featuring Qantas CEO Alan Joyce, Dinesh Keskar, Boeing Senior Vice President for Asia Pacific & India Sales, and the Qantas Choir.

Watch The Video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blUt-lZJiII)

[Grahame Hutchison]

Retro-Roo II started its first full day of revenue service in the new livery, seen here arriving back in Sydney on Runway 34R as QF523, after its first service
of the day from Sydney to Brisbane as QF522.

Watch the video of this photo sequence (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcnaNckLWZU)

http://www.16right.com/Aircraft-Images/displayimage.php?image=VH-VXQ D300-20151117-042.jpg

http://www.16right.com/Aircraft-Images/displayimage.php?image=VH-VXQ D300-20151117-045.jpg

http://www.16right.com/Aircraft-Images/displayimage.php?image=VH-VXQ D300-20151117-046.jpg

http://www.16right.com/Aircraft-Images/displayimage.php?image=VH-VXQ D300-20151117-058.jpg

http://www.16right.com/Aircraft-Images/displayimage.php?image=VH-VXQ D300-20151117-065.jpg

[Bob C]

American Airlines has just repainted a jet in a TWA Retro Scheme so I'm thinking how good would it be to see QANTAS repaint a B737 in a T A A or Australian Airlines scheme.

[Ryan K]

I agree! A 737 in the 'Blue Roo' Australian Airlines livery would look fantastic. They should also do a QantasLink 717 in the TAA 1970s livery or the 1980s 'camel hump' livery.

[Kent Broadhead]

They should also do a QantasLink 717 in the TAA 1970s livery or the 1980s 'camel hump' livery.

Good point - the DC9 is the only historic type from those period remaining in the fleet ;)

[Andrew P]

TAA colours?

[MarkR]

I think the problem with historic liveries under a different name is they make it hard to be authentic yet relevant to the average consumer. Americans retro livery in this instance has American labels as well as TWA, so customers know thats their jet when catching an American Flight. Photo credit http://www.airlinereporter.com/2015/11/photos-week-retro-airline-liveries-american-qantas-pakistan/

http://www.airlinereporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/DSC00056-754x424.jpg

If QF went with a TAA design, I would imagine they would need QF titles, which spoils the look IMHO. A couple of years back I had a local Mackay fellow ask me what airline was the F100 parked in front of the terminal, I pointed out it was operating under Virgins watch, it was only then he realised it was his flight!

[Kent Broadhead]

Actually saw RetroRooII for the first time yesterday and I like the look.

I suppose the the 738 is a little like a twin engined 707, but it is a little disappointing the retro QF themes are on primarily domestic fleet, which would have been TAA and later Australian MkI ships in period.

[Steve S... 2]

Yes they really need to paint a 717 (either NXK, NXL or NXM as they need paint) into the blue TAA "T" livery of the 70's worn by the DC-9.

[Rowan McKeever]

They also have YQX & YQY coming soon.

[Neil L]

Can anyone confirm where the two B717's are coming from next year.

[Rowan McKeever]

They are ex-Blue1 (Finland, part of SAS Group).

[Neil L]

Thanks Rod,

Any item which aircraft frames ?

[Brad Myer]

They also have YQX & YQY coming soon.

Are they the confirmed regos?

[Kent Broadhead]

Any item which aircraft frames ?

c/n 55053 (OH-BLO) and 55056 (OH-BLN) are currently shown as stored, so these seem most likely.

[Zac M]

Brad-they were listed on the CASA website as "availiable marks" and around the time of the announcement they were removed from this list. So not confirmed, but highly likely

[Neil L]

Thank you gents

Most appreciated.