Los Angeles Dodgers Lockheed Electra II
Ken (cheekily) tried to console me after the Blue Jays loss to the Dodgers in this year's World Series. I have always been a baseball fan and, ironically, a Dodgers fan prior to the beginnings of the Expos and Blue Jays franchises.
My mother fondly remembered going to Montreal Royals games in her youth, which led to an affinity for the Dodgers franchise. After the loss of the Expos to Washington D.C. (they should have moved to Vancouver, no need to change the nickname!), my National League loyalty switched back to the Dodgers. So, I am only mildly disappointed.
Ken's research found an interesting connection between Dodgers history and an aircraft still flying in Canada. Current registration C-GFIX, a Lockheed L-188 Electra, is a firefighter with Air Spray at 67 years old.
However, from 1962 to 1970 it was the charter aircraft for the Dodgers under registration N1R. It was named "Kay 'O" by team owner Walter O'Malley in honour of his wife, Kay.
It was exchanged for an American Airlines Boeing 720B jet but was never operated by AA. It went through a variety of operators in the United States until 1980 when it was acquired by Mandala Airlines of Indonesia. It was withdrawn from service in 1994 before being acquired by Red Deer, Alberta-based Air Spray in 1995.
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