The-Transport-Guild on DeviantArthttps://www.deviantart.com/the-transport-guild/art/Tristar-Touchdown-735360427The-Transport-Guild

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Tristar Touchdown

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Description

A simple little piece, just a small dedication to perhaps the most innovative of those wide-bodies of the late 1960's, the Lockheed L-1011 Tristar. This strange but highly advanced passenger trijet was possibly the best of the bunch, being more efficient than the four-engine Boeing 747 and more reliable than the catastrophically flawed Douglas DC-10.

However, the Tristar became a victim of circumstance, its construction phase dogged by the bankruptcy of its engine provider, Rolls-Royce, a lack of orders or interest due to poor brand recognition and expense, an attempt at bribing Japanese government officials to buy the aircraft  which resulted in the imprisonment of that nation's Prime Minister, and plans for license built versions to be produced in the USSR being shot down by U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his trade embargo.

The result was only a limited run of Tristars which were completely overwhelmed in terms of sales by the DC-10 and 747. The aircraft eventually faded away into obscurity and now only a handful of these magnificent planes are airworthy.

This scene depicts a North East Airlines L-1011 touching down on a murky day, the NEA colours being a homage to the appearance of a Tristar in Die Hard II, one of the many planes the heroic John McClane must save over Washington D.C.
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Comments1
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elr79655's avatar
The livery reminds me of something, but I can't remember what.  I never did see Die Hard II.