Own An Ex-Lufthansa DC-8 For As Little As $22,500!

A former Lufthansa Cargo DC-8 is on the auction block this week, with an opening of price of about $22,500. Could this be the “guest house” you’ve always dreamed of or perhaps a new restaurant to compete with the L-1011 Na-Oh restaurant in Bangkok?

Former Lufthansa DC-8 Up For Auction In Brazil

A Douglas DC-8-60/70 with original registration N793FT was produced in 1969 and flew cargo flights in the USA for 15 years, primarily for Flying Tiger (which would later merge with Federal Express). In 1984, it was sold to German Cargo Services, a West German cargo company. After reunification, German Cargo Services folded into Lufthansa, where the DC-8 flew until 1997.

It then returned to the United States, was later acquired by DHL, and finally sold to Brazil-based BETA Cargo in 2006. BETA ceased operations in 2012.

The aircraft is presently parked at Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) in Sao Paulo, Brazil, where it has rusted for nearly the last decade. Sadly, the aircraft is hardly airworthy these days:

The airport is auctioning it off, with bids starting at 125,000 Brazilian reals (22,538 USD). You can bid here. (no bids yet!) Sadly, you can see one of the engines has just fallen off.

CONCLUSION

If I had the time and resources, I’d love to acquire an old plane and open up a restaurant in Southern California. I think it would be a hit, though the real estate to put it on would be quite prohibitive if in a prime area. While a re-converted DC-8 from Brazil would be pretty cool, I’ve got one of the biggest boneyards in the world just a couple hours outside of Los Angeles in the Mojave Desert. So this is a pass for me!

Anyone going to place the first bid on this DC-8?

image: D-ADUE // H/T: Simply Flying