Latest news with #EdForceOne
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Iron Maiden Chopped Up Its Massive 747 Tour Plane To Sell Off As Rock And Roll Keychains
Once a commercial jet reaches the end of its life, it might be stripped down for parts, turned into an enormous firefighting plane or, if it's been owned by an iconic rock band, it could be chopped into tiny pieces and turned into thousands of novelty keychains. That's exactly what happened to an enormous Boeing 747 aircraft that was operated by British rock band Iron Maiden in 2016, reports CNN. The jet was commissioned by the band for its Book of Souls world tour, which traveled to 36 countries. The enormous jet was customized by the band with a white livery and tail design that showed off its zombie-like mascot, called Eddie. When the plane was ready to retire, its white bodywork was stripped away and chopped up into 12,000 special keychains. Read more: John Oliver Explains How All Of Boeing's Problems Can Be Traced Back To Stock Buybacks And Incompetent Leadership The Boeing 747 was nicknamed Ed Force One and flew with Iron Maiden until the tour wrapped in 2017. Once the tour was over and the plane was no longer needed, its internals were stripped out before the fuselage of the 747 was sent to German company Aviationtag, which upcycles decommissioned planes into collectible tags and tokens. The company then set about cutting off huge sections of bodywork, as you can see in the clip above, which were then used to make the keychains. The curved sections of fuselage were flattened by Aviationtag, before being cut into thin strips that were then stamped into smaller pieces. In total, 12,000 tags were cut out of sections of Ed Force One, each etched with an image of the plane, its name and the tail number. The tags measure about 1.5 by 3.5 inches, and in addition to the technical details about the aircraft up front they also have an engraving of Eddie on the rear. They look pretty slick and are available to buy on Aviationtag's website right now. Each of the 12,000 Ed Force One tags will set you back €66.66, which is a nod to the band's song "The Number of the Beast." Obviously, that reference is lost on anyone shopping in dollars, as they're about $73 for regular old Americans. The tags are almost sold out, which is weird considering just how massive a 747 is. That's reportedly on purpose, however, as CNN explains that there's enough metal on a Jumbo to make more than 100,000 tags, but Aviationtags said it prefers "smaller, exclusive editions." As well as being the jet to fly Iron Maiden and all its kit to 117 shows on six continents, the Jumbo was also the first 747 that was flown by the band's vocalist, Bruce Dickinson. Dickinson qualified as a pilot in the early 90s and cut his teeth flying Boeing 737 and 757 aircraft, even working as a commercial pilot for defunct Icelandic airline Astraeus. He previously flew the band's old jet, a 757, and had to learn to fly the Jumbo ahead of the 2016 world tour, reports Business Jet. The Iron Maiden frontman isn't the only famous pilot out there. Country star Tim McGraw can also reportedly fly and plane and new wave singer Gary Newman has a pilots license, imagine that. Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox... Read the original article on Jalopnik.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Iron Maiden's plane has been cut into pieces and put up for sale
Editor's note: Sign up for Unlocking the World, CNN Travel's weekly newsletter. Get news about destinations, plus the latest in aviation, food and drink, and where to stay. English heavy metal band Iron Maiden once sang, 'Bring Your Daughter to the Slaughter,' but when it comes to dismantling the band's Boeing 747-400 tour plane, it's a little more complicated. German company Aviationtag, which specializes in upcycling scrapped airplanes, has created a limited run of one-of-a-kind tags made from the fuselage of Ed Force One, the moniker given the plane that served the band on its 2016 Book of Souls world tour. The tail fin was decorated with the image of Eddie, Iron Maiden's zombie-like mascot, but it's now the plane's turn to be dismembered and then resurrected. Each tag, which can be used as a keychain or simply as a collector's item, is made from the plane's white fuselage. 'To create color variations, we also incorporated material from the blue tail fin, which had up to nine layers of paint applied over time,' Aviationtag's chief commercial officer Tobia Richter tells CNN. They're sized around 1.5 by 3.5 inches (35 by 88 millimeters) and retail at €66.66 (around $73) on Aviationtag's website. The price point, of course, is a nod to 666 and the Iron Maiden hit, 'The Number of the Beast.' A Boeing 747-400 is a full 71 meters (230 feet) in length, so, in theory, Ed Force One could be turned into up to 100,000 tags, explains Ricther, but their preference is to keep things to a limited run. Aviationtag has been upcycling aviation materials since 2006, and has turned everything from commercial craft like the Airbus A380 to military planes such as the DC-3 'candy bomber' into collector's items. 'We want to keep offering our fans and collectors new aircraft from different airlines, rather than making massive editions from just one plane,' says Richter. 'That's why we prefer smaller, exclusive editions from a wider variety of aircraft, ensuring each tag remains truly special.' On Ed Force One, 'in some areas, we even discovered gold-colored paint beneath the layers, adding an extra touch of uniqueness to this edition,' Richter adds, explaining that the gold versions will be released at a later date. The full process of creating the tags takes several weeks. 'After cutting the panels, we move on to cutting them into strips, punching, deburring, cleaning, laser engraving the front, engraving the back, cleaning again, attaching the ring and chain, and finally mounting the tag on the cardboard,' says Richter. The full process can be seen in Aviationtag's 'Making of' video. According to the aircraft was delivered to Air France in 2003 under the registration F-GITH, before going to Air Atlanta Icelandic in 2015 as TF-AAK. It also did a brief stint with Saudi Arabia Airlines before eventually being withdrawn from use in 2022 and broken up at Cotswold Airport in the UK in 2024. Bruce Dickinson, frontman of Iron Maiden, is a licensed pilot whose passion for aviation is well known. Having flown Ed Force One himself, he said in a press release, 'She always behaved like the Queen of the Skies that the 747 will always be. There will never be another to occupy her throne. The power, the noise of those 4 engines, the featherlight touchdowns (not my fault — blame good design) and her airborne elegance put the 747 in a uniquecategory.' Like what you just read? Here are more of our recent travel stories, from a Texan woman who moved to France in her 70s and is loving every minute, to Time Out's pick of the best foodie destinations for 2025. unknown content item - A golden rule of travel should be 'leave room in your suitcase — but also your belly.' Feasting on local delights is the glorious reward that follows a few hours' sightseeing in a new locale. To aid your next culinary adventure, publishing giant Time Out has just released its list of the best cities in which to eat. New Orleans came out on top in its global survey of more than 18,500 people, thanks to its culinary blend of French, Spanish, Vietnamese and African influences. These are deliciously manifested in treats such as gumbo, jambalaya and beignets. The No. 2 spot went to Bangkok, Thailand, with its glorious food scene covering everything from Michelin-starred fine dining such as the acclaimed restaurant Gaggan Anand to a multitude of markets with $3 street-food stars. At No. 3, Medellín, Colombia, impressed Time Out's readers with its affordability and cheap coffee. In South Africa's Cape Town, at No. 4, locals love the coastal city's diverse food offerings, particularly the seafood. Madrid's flourishing food scene (at No. 5) is both 'diverse' and 'experimental,' say locals, and in recent years Mexico City (No. 6) has become a top destination for international foodies in the know. Jollof rice and smoky suya fuel locals in the vibrant Nigerian city of Lagos (at No. 7). In Shanghai, China, at No. 8, thousands of years of food history have been perfected in today's adventurous culinary scene. France is the birthplace of haute cuisine so it's only fitting that the French capital is in the top 10 at No. 9. The leaderboard is filled out by Jakarta at No. 10. CNN readers once voted rendang the most delicious food in the world, but it's just one of the many lip-smacking dishes Indonesia has to offer. These are the rest of the cities in the top 20: Marrakech, Morocco (No. 11). Lima, Peru (No. 12). Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (No. 13). Mumbai, India (No. 14). Abu Dhabi, UAE (No. 15). Cairo (No. 16). Porto, Portugal (No. 17). Montreal (No. 18). Naples, Italy (No. 19). San José, Costa Rica (No. 20). A few years back, Texan Janice Deerwester decided she wanted more from life. So, in her 70s, she moved to France for a new life in Fontainebleau, just outside Paris. 'I'm just blessed every day that I get to live here,' she tells CNN. A vast undersea tunnel is being built that will change the road and rail map of Europe. The engineering marvel is unfolding under the Baltic Sea. 'White Lotus' Season 3 promises to lure more travelers to Thailand. These are the locations featured on the hit show. Four friends went on vacation. Then they recreated a favorite photo from 35 years ago. There's science behind airplane de-icing. A mechanical engineer explains.
CNN
18-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Iron Maiden's plane has been broken into parts and put up for sale
English heavy metal band Iron Maiden once sang, 'Bring Your Daughter to the Slaughter,' but when it comes to dismantling the band's Boeing 747-400 tour plane, it's a little more complicated. German company Aviationtag, which specializes in upcycling scrapped airplanes, has created a limited run of one-of-a-kind tags made from the fuselage of Ed Force One, the moniker given the plane that served the band on its 2016 Book of Souls world tour. The tail fin was decorated with the image of Eddie, Iron Maiden's zombie-like mascot, but it's now the plane's turn to be dismembered and then resurrected. Each tag, which can be used as a keychain or simply as a collector's item, is made from the plane's white fuselage. 'To create color variations, we also incorporated material from the blue tail fin, which had up to nine layers of paint applied over time,' Aviationtag's chief commercial officer Tobia Richter tells CNN. They're sized around 1.5 by 3.5 inches (35 by 88 millimeters) and retail at €66.66 (around $73) on Aviationtag's website. The price point, of course, is a nod to 666 and the Iron Maiden hit, 'The Number of the Beast.' A Boeing 747-400 is a full 71 meters (230 feet) in length, so, in theory, Ed Force One could be turned into up to 100,000 tags, explains Ricther, but their preference is to keep things to a limited run. Aviationtag has been upcycling aviation materials since 2006, and has turned everything from commercial craft like the Airbus A380 to military planes such as the DC-3 'candy bomber' into collector's items. 'We want to keep offering our fans and collectors new aircraft from different airlines, rather than making massive editions from just one plane,' says Richter. 'That's why we prefer smaller, exclusive editions from a wider variety of aircraft, ensuring each tag remains truly special.' On Ed Force One, 'in some areas, we even discovered gold-colored paint beneath the layers, adding an extra touch of uniqueness to this edition,' Richter adds, explaining that the gold versions will be released at a later date. The full process of creating the tags takes several weeks. 'After cutting the panels, we move on to cutting them into strips, punching, deburring, cleaning, laser engraving the front, engraving the back, cleaning again, attaching the ring and chain, and finally mounting the tag on the cardboard,' says Richter. The full process can be seen in Aviationtag's 'Making of' video. According to the aircraft was delivered to Air France in 2003 under the registration F-GITH, before going to Air Atlanta Icelandic in 2015 as TF-AAK. It also did a brief stint with Saudi Arabia Airlines before eventually being withdrawn from use in 2022 and broken up at Cotswold Airport in the UK in 2024. Bruce Dickinson, frontman of Iron Maiden, is a licensed pilot whose passion for aviation is well known. Having flown Ed Force One himself, he said in a press release, 'She always behaved like the Queen of the Skies that the 747 will always be. There will never be another to occupy her throne. The power, the noise of those 4 engines, the featherlight touchdowns (not my fault — blame good design) and her airborne elegance put the 747 in a uniquecategory.' Like what you just read? Here are more of our recent travel stories, from a Texan woman who moved to France in her 70s and is loving every minute, to Time Out's pick of the best foodie destinations for 2025. Prev Next A golden rule of travel should be 'leave room in your suitcase — but also your belly.' Feasting on local delights is the glorious reward that follows a few hours' sightseeing in a new locale. To aid your next culinary adventure, publishing giant Time Out has just released its list of the best cities in which to eat. New Orleans came out on top in its global survey of more than 18,500 people, thanks to its culinary blend of French, Spanish, Vietnamese and African influences. These are deliciously manifested in treats such as gumbo, jambalaya and beignets. The No. 2 spot went to Bangkok, Thailand, with its glorious food scene covering everything from Michelin-starred fine dining such as the acclaimed restaurant Gaggan Anand to a multitude of markets with $3 street-food stars. At No. 3, Medellín, Colombia, impressed Time Out's readers with its affordability and cheap coffee. In South Africa's Cape Town, at No. 4, locals love the coastal city's diverse food offerings, particularly the seafood. Madrid's flourishing food scene (at No. 5) is both 'diverse' and 'experimental,' say locals, and in recent years Mexico City (No. 6) has become a top destination for international foodies in the know. Jollof rice and smoky suya fuel locals in the vibrant Nigerian city of Lagos (at No. 7). In Shanghai, China, at No. 8, thousands of years of food history have been perfected in today's adventurous culinary scene. France is the birthplace of haute cuisine so it's only fitting that the French capital is in the top 10 at No. 9. The leaderboard is filled out by Jakarta at No. 10. CNN readers once voted rendang the most delicious food in the world, but it's just one of the many lip-smacking dishes Indonesia has to offer. These are the rest of the cities in the top 20: Marrakech, Morocco (No. 11). Lima, Peru (No. 12). Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (No. 13). Mumbai, India (No. 14). Abu Dhabi, UAE (No. 15). Cairo (No. 16). Porto, Portugal (No. 17). Montreal (No. 18). Naples, Italy (No. 19). San José, Costa Rica (No. 20). A few years back, Texan Janice Deerwester decided she wanted more from life. So, in her 70s, she moved to France for a new life in Fontainebleau, just outside Paris. 'I'm just blessed every day that I get to live here,' she tells CNN. A vast undersea tunnel is being built that will change the road and rail map of Europe. The engineering marvel is unfolding under the Baltic Sea. 'White Lotus' Season 3 promises to lure more travelers to Thailand. These are the locations featured on the hit show. Four friends went on vacation. Then they recreated a favorite photo from 35 years ago. There's science behind airplane de-icing. A mechanical engineer explains.
CNN
18-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Iron Maiden's plane has been broken into parts and put up for sale
English heavy metal band Iron Maiden once sang, 'Bring Your Daughter to the Slaughter,' but when it comes to dismantling the band's Boeing 747-400 tour plane, it's a little more complicated. German company Aviationtag, which specializes in upcycling scrapped airplanes, has created a limited run of one-of-a-kind tags made from the fuselage of Ed Force One, the moniker given the plane that served the band on its 2016 Book of Souls world tour. The tail fin was decorated with the image of Eddie, Iron Maiden's zombie-like mascot, but it's now the plane's turn to be dismembered and then resurrected. Each tag, which can be used as a keychain or simply as a collector's item, is made from the plane's white fuselage. 'To create color variations, we also incorporated material from the blue tail fin, which had up to nine layers of paint applied over time,' Aviationtag's chief commercial officer Tobia Richter tells CNN. They're sized around 1.5 by 3.5 inches (35 by 88 millimeters) and retail at €66.66 (around $73) on Aviationtag's website. The price point, of course, is a nod to 666 and the Iron Maiden hit, 'The Number of the Beast.' A Boeing 747-400 is a full 71 meters (230 feet) in length, so, in theory, Ed Force One could be turned into up to 100,000 tags, explains Ricther, but their preference is to keep things to a limited run. Aviationtag has been upcycling aviation materials since 2006, and has turned everything from commercial craft like the Airbus A380 to military planes such as the DC-3 'candy bomber' into collector's items. 'We want to keep offering our fans and collectors new aircraft from different airlines, rather than making massive editions from just one plane,' says Richter. 'That's why we prefer smaller, exclusive editions from a wider variety of aircraft, ensuring each tag remains truly special.' On Ed Force One, 'in some areas, we even discovered gold-colored paint beneath the layers, adding an extra touch of uniqueness to this edition,' Richter adds, explaining that the gold versions will be released at a later date. The full process of creating the tags takes several weeks. 'After cutting the panels, we move on to cutting them into strips, punching, deburring, cleaning, laser engraving the front, engraving the back, cleaning again, attaching the ring and chain, and finally mounting the tag on the cardboard,' says Richter. The full process can be seen in Aviationtag's 'Making of' video. According to the aircraft was delivered to Air France in 2003 under the registration F-GITH, before going to Air Atlanta Icelandic in 2015 as TF-AAK. It also did a brief stint with Saudi Arabia Airlines before eventually being withdrawn from use in 2022 and broken up at Cotswold Airport in the UK in 2024. Bruce Dickinson, frontman of Iron Maiden, is a licensed pilot whose passion for aviation is well known. Having flown Ed Force One himself, he said in a press release, 'She always behaved like the Queen of the Skies that the 747 will always be. There will never be another to occupy her throne. The power, the noise of those 4 engines, the featherlight touchdowns (not my fault — blame good design) and her airborne elegance put the 747 in a uniquecategory.' Like what you just read? Here are more of our recent travel stories, from a Texan woman who moved to France in her 70s and is loving every minute, to Time Out's pick of the best foodie destinations for 2025. Prev Next A golden rule of travel should be 'leave room in your suitcase — but also your belly.' Feasting on local delights is the glorious reward that follows a few hours' sightseeing in a new locale. To aid your next culinary adventure, publishing giant Time Out has just released its list of the best cities in which to eat. New Orleans came out on top in its global survey of more than 18,500 people, thanks to its culinary blend of French, Spanish, Vietnamese and African influences. These are deliciously manifested in treats such as gumbo, jambalaya and beignets. The No. 2 spot went to Bangkok, Thailand, with its glorious food scene covering everything from Michelin-starred fine dining such as the acclaimed restaurant Gaggan Anand to a multitude of markets with $3 street-food stars. At No. 3, Medellín, Colombia, impressed Time Out's readers with its affordability and cheap coffee. In South Africa's Cape Town, at No. 4, locals love the coastal city's diverse food offerings, particularly the seafood. Madrid's flourishing food scene (at No. 5) is both 'diverse' and 'experimental,' say locals, and in recent years Mexico City (No. 6) has become a top destination for international foodies in the know. Jollof rice and smoky suya fuel locals in the vibrant Nigerian city of Lagos (at No. 7). In Shanghai, China, at No. 8, thousands of years of food history have been perfected in today's adventurous culinary scene. France is the birthplace of haute cuisine so it's only fitting that the French capital is in the top 10 at No. 9. The leaderboard is filled out by Jakarta at No. 10. CNN readers once voted rendang the most delicious food in the world, but it's just one of the many lip-smacking dishes Indonesia has to offer. These are the rest of the cities in the top 20: Marrakech, Morocco (No. 11). Lima, Peru (No. 12). Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (No. 13). Mumbai, India (No. 14). Abu Dhabi, UAE (No. 15). Cairo (No. 16). Porto, Portugal (No. 17). Montreal (No. 18). Naples, Italy (No. 19). San José, Costa Rica (No. 20). A few years back, Texan Janice Deerwester decided she wanted more from life. So, in her 70s, she moved to France for a new life in Fontainebleau, just outside Paris. 'I'm just blessed every day that I get to live here,' she tells CNN. A vast undersea tunnel is being built that will change the road and rail map of Europe. The engineering marvel is unfolding under the Baltic Sea. 'White Lotus' Season 3 promises to lure more travelers to Thailand. These are the locations featured on the hit show. Four friends went on vacation. Then they recreated a favorite photo from 35 years ago. There's science behind airplane de-icing. A mechanical engineer explains.
