When I was a small kid, I had a book called Pictorial History of Aircraft.  This was the 1970s and so the Boeing 747 was still a relatively new kid on the block.  It certainly wasn’t the times of the 400 series being knocked out at the rate of one a week.  The pictures in this book showed Japan Air Lines (JAL) as an operator of both passenger and freighter versions of the jet.

As time passed by, JAL grew its fleet substantially and was for a long time the largest operator of 747s in the world.  Therefore, it is hard to come to terms with the fact that the poor financial state of JAL combined with the introduction of more efficient big twins has meant the 747 has gone from JAL’s passenger operations.  It is odd to know I won’t see one again (except perhaps at a storage yard).  Every once in a while the airline industry has a big change – the end of Pan Am is one that springs to mind.  For me, this is one of those moments.

Anyway, they are gone but I have a few shots of them to remember them by.  I wonder what will be next to go?!