Ilyushin Il-18GrM, LZ-BEH / 186008905, Balkan Bulgarian Airlines (LZ / LAZ)
This picture is © Miklos SZABO and may not be used or published without permission.
Registration: LZ-BEH
Construction Number: 186008905
Model Ilyushin Il-18GrM
Operator: Balkan Bulgarian Airlines (LZ / LAZ)
Airport: Budapest - Ferihegy (BUD / LHBP), Hungary
Photographer: Miklos SZABO
Date Taken: 10/1993
Date Submitted: 29/05/2014
Originally as IL-18E to the Polish Air Force, delivered April 8 1966 as â102â. Registered for LOT â Polish Airlines March 28 1975 as SP-LSI, seated for Y105. Hard to believe, but LOT was only 3 years from inaugurating Boeing 767s â the very first Western widebody in the Eastern Block â in 1989 and still operated 10 IL-18s in 1986. SP-LSI arrived to Bournemouth Aviation Services Company Ltd. (BASCO) for complex overhaul June 24 1986, where converted to cargo airplane IL-18Gr, comes from the Russian Groozovoy (Cargo). Early 1990s modified to GrM (from the Russian Modifitseerovanniy), which means here, that the basic cargo configuration is enhanced with a 3,5 x 1,82 m Side Cargo Door (SCD) in the port-front fuselage. Early 1990s to BALKAN â Bulgarian Airlines cargo division as LZ-BEH. Seen here in the busy ring of service vehicles on the cargo ramp, with small Bulgarian Airlines titles only. The aircraft all the way long remained in basic LOT livery with Bulgarian flag on tail and continuously added titles. Scanned from an old slide.
Picture ID:1454755