THE CEDARJET PAGES

By Wassim Chemaitelli

MEA Boeing 707/720 Gallery

Boeing 707 and 720s were used by MEA from 1968 until 1997, and made up the bulk of the airline's fleet from 1972 until their gradual withdrawal in 1997. During this period, dramatic events shook Lebanon. The Boeing 707s and 720s Cedarjets witnessed all these events: Israel's 1968 commando operation against Beirut International Airport's civil installations, war in Lebanon from 1975 until 1991, culminating with the Israeli invasion in 1982, and Lebanon's reconstruction as of 1991. The airliners will be seen in 3 consecutive liveries. During repeated closures of Beirut International Airport, the Cedarjets were flown on behalf of other airlines all over the world, and were seen as far as the French Carribean Islands. Their familiar scream accross Beirut's sky was felt through these difficult years as a signal of hope, faith, and pride in the "airline that refuses to die".
 
 


One of MEA's first  two Boeing 707, 1968 livery. Photo: MEA.
 
 
 

MEA Boeing 707,OD-AFB, Bahrain airport, 1968. Copyright George Gayuski.

MEA Boeing 720, OD-AFO, Beirut, 1971. Copyright George Gayuski@Airliners.net

MEA 720s in Beirut, MEA postcard, from George Gayuski's collection.

MEA 707 seen in Athens in April 1982. Copyright Johan Ljungdahl@Airliners.net

 MEA Boeing 707 OD-AHD seen in the East Midlands in 1987.Copyright Clive Peace @Airliners.net .
 
 

MEA Boeing 720 seen in Larnaca, Cyprus, circa 1982. Photo: MEA.

MEA Boeing 720,OD-AGQ seen in Zurich in 1978. Copyright Eduard Marmet@Airliners.net


MEA Boeing 720, OD-AFU undergoing maintenance in Beirut. 1981. Copyright Nabil Sargologo.

MEA Boeing 720, OD-AFP destroyed along with five other Cedarjets by the Israeli army during Lebanon's invasion in 1982. Photo: MEA.
 

MEA Boeing 707, grounded in Larnaca during the 1989 events. Copyright Sven Pipjorke@planepictures.com

MEA Boeing 720 featuring a more recent livery, grounded in Larnaca during the 1989 events. Copyright Sven Pipjorke@planepictures.com
 

MEA Boeing 707 "NewQ" seen in Berlin, 1991. Copyright Frank Ebeling.
 

One of MEA's last B720 in service, seen with the newer late 80ies livery in Switzerland in 1988. Copyright Rolf Wallner @Airliners.net.
 
 

MEA's last Boeing 707, OD-AHF, bought in 1990 seen in Zurich in 1994 .
Copyright Stefan Gruenig @Airliners.net
 

MEA's Boeing 707 OD-AHE seen in the hangars of Beirut International Airport in 2002. Copyright Jamil Itani @Airliners.net .
 

MEA Boeing 720, stored at Mojave, 1998. Copyright Mathias Henig@Airliners.net

ex-MEA Boeing 720 OD-AFM, at Mojave, 2001. Copyright Justin Cederholm@Airliners.net

ex-MEA Boeing 720 OD-AFM at Mojave, 2001. Copyright Alan Radecki  @Airliners.net










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