PH-BUK: KLM's Louis Blériot
Louis Blériot is a KLM 747-200 Combi, with passengers forward and freight at the rear of the main deck. Its preserved cabin helps explain how the Combi differed from both a passenger-only jumbo and a dedicated freighter.
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Louis Blériot is a KLM 747-200 Combi, with passengers forward and freight at the rear of the main deck. Its preserved cabin helps explain how the Combi differed from both a passenger-only jumbo and a dedicated freighter.
Aircraft identity
- Registration: PH-BUK
- Variant: Boeing 747-206B
- Serial number: 21549
- Operator history: KLM from 1978; airline flying ended in November 2003
- Record status: Preserved
Aircraft history
| Date or period | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1978 | Built and delivered to KLM. Source |
| KLM service | Operated as a Combi with a main-deck cargo section behind the passenger cabin. Source |
| November 2003 | Finished its flying career after more than 100,000 flight hours. Source |
| 15 - 18 December 2004 | Transported in sections for preservation; the dated eyewitness record shows the fuselage being loaded onto a ship. Source |
What makes this aircraft important
The museum identifies PH-BUK and its Combi layout; the SAA Museum's preserved-airframe list confirms serial number 21549. Its long upper deck reflects modification of the classic airframe.
Status and access
The official collection or venue record lists this aircraft at Aviodrome, Lelystad, Netherlands. Interior access, tours and opening arrangements can change. Check the venue information before visiting.
Sources checked: 3 October 2026. Dates are as specific as the confirming source; an undated milestone is labelled as a period rather than given an invented day.
Related
| Manufacturer | Boeing |
|---|---|
| Variant | 747-206B |
| Status | Preserved |
| Engines | 4× General Electric CF6-50 series |
Sources
Facts on this page are checked against the primary and institutional references below.
- PH-BUK Boeing 747 collection record - Aviodrome
- Aviodrome fiftieth anniversary: aircraft transport history - Aviodrome
- PH-BUK museum transfer: dated eyewitness photographs - Ruud Leeuw
- Preserved 747 airframes, serial numbers and former registrations - South African Airways Museum Society
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