980 Questions

[donv]

I don't know... serial number is from a 690A, but that might not be right either.

At least they pulled it out of the mud and put some spinners on!

Earlier picture:

https://www.airliners.net/photo/Mexico-Air-Force/Rockwell-690A-Turbo-Commander/6565703?qsp=eJwtjUEKAjEQBP8yZy9RENybPkAF/cA4aTWQ7IbJBFyW/bsxeCuaonohmUbDx%2B5zBg1UwCpv2lBm5VRoWCjxWJ8sVhV6gwaO55oe0GY7tz3sm1wmtdPcBs%2BGowiywf/3i/ruehTp3Vf7cQ2g1860%2ByV8KDlyb8A4RFrXL2c3M/w%3D

[JMA]

Love a good mystery.
I gotta think its a 980, but you are right CN isn't correct.  Wonder if they can get a pic of the SN plaque.

Another odd observation is those prop caps.  Shortened version I suppose.

[donv]

I am pretty confident that it is a 690A. Not highly confident, not confident enough that I would bet any money on it, though. Other pictures have tagged it as a 690A.

[Bruce Byerly]

980 - exhausts, pitots, landing lights, winglets, wing, etc

[donv]

I guess they repainted it since 2017?

https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/8630616

Apparently it's 95010... I think maybe mentioned earlier in this thread?

https://www.planelogger.com/Aircraft/Registration/3963/607487

[JMA]

Coming over the top for the win, thanks Bruce!
Odd to repaint it, I guess for museum purposes. 
Seeing pics like this I wonder when the airframe became no longer usable, a 980 like this I would think you could clean up and sell unless engines are a mess.

[donv]

I would guess they are bringing it back into service?

Given where prices are these days, it could probably be brought back to life, but I don't know if the Mexican government cares.

[JMA]

Just curious on Bruce's comment, I understand each point except 'landing lights' proving its a 980.  Can someone elaborate on that?

[donv]

He is talking about the landing lights on the nose. 690s have landing lights which extend from the wings. From the factory, 690s (except possibly the late 690Bs, and maybe it was optional even then) didn't even have taxi lights on the gear.

That said, I would be careful about using the landing lights on the nose as an indicator, because I know there are mods which can put similar lights on a 690.

[appleseed]

I feel like the dead giveaway to differentiate the 690s is the non-dihedral stub wing extension in between the the engine and fuselage. Vs the continuous taper of the longwings.

[donv]

I don't think that's right, or I don't know what to look for.

I believe you are talking about the difference between the pre-690 turboprops (680T,V,W and 681) and the 690 series. The span between the fuselage and engine on the 690/A/B and the Jetprops (840/980/900/1000) is the same, unless I am missing something.

I feel like the dead giveaway to differentiate the 690s is the non-dihedral stub wing extension in between the the engine and fuselage. Vs the continuous taper of the longwings.

[Bruce Byerly]

I don't think that's right, or I don't know what to look for.

I believe you are talking about the difference between the pre-690 turboprops (680T,V,W and 681) and the 690 series. The span between the fuselage and engine on the 690/A/B and the Jetprops (840/980/900/1000) is the same, unless I am missing something.

I feel like the dead giveaway to differentiate the 690s is the non-dihedral stub wing extension in between the the engine and fuselage. Vs the continuous taper of the longwings.

Don is right on

[donv]

Bruce, is there a mod for the 690s which makes the nose-mounted landing lights identical to the Jetprops?

Most of the 690s I have seen with nose-mounted lights have a less streamlined lens than the Jetprops, but obviously you have seen way more airplanes than I have.

[appleseed]

Thanks for the correction Don & Bruce. I always thought that the wing redesign under Gulfstream did away with the non-dihedral stub wing.

I hope I get to see one of these in the wild again soon. The difference is not do easy to see in pics.

[Adam Frisch]

For me, the dorsal fin is the dead giveaway. The 690's have one that's easily spottable, whereas the 840/980 doesn't have on and the 900/1000 has a rounded, dolphin-like one.