Bermel Boeing 707

The jet age began for Lufthansa in 1956/57 with the order of 4 Boeing 707-430s. The aircraft were delivered in 1960 and in the same year Berlin's governing mayor Willi Brandt christened the second aircraft with the registration D-ABOC "Berlin". The D-ABOC was subsequently in service with Lufthansa until 1977.

For advertising purposes, travel agencies were gladly provided by the airlines with special "travel agency models" of the latest aircraft. This was also the case with Lufthansa at the start of the jet age.

The motif for the picture series is the travel agency model of the then new Lufthansa Boeing 707 D-ABOC produced by the Walter Bermel metal foundry in Düsseldorf on a scale of 1:100. The model was produced sometime between the order and delivery of the 4 Boeing 707-430s and has already outlived the original by several decades.

The D-ABOC models are the only aircraft models made by Walter Bermel known today. The designation "metal foundry" indicates that the production of aircraft models was not the actual business objective of the company.

Also, all Bermel D-ABOC aircraft models are characterized by rather rough detailing. In particular, the characteristic Rolls-Royce Conway engines show visible traces of rework on virtually all examples. The engine mounts have been reproduced completely unrealistically on the sides facing the fuselage. Other manufacturers produced considerably more detailed than Bermel.

But it is precisely this rough manufacture that makes the characteristic and unique charm of these historic travel agency aircraft models. The task was therefore also to highlight precisely this feature in the photos.