German Cargo
{{Short description|Defunct cargo airline of Germany (1977–1993)}}
{{distinguish|Air Cargo Germany}}
{{Infobox airline
| airline = German Cargo
| logo = GermanCargo.png
| logo_size = 150px
| fleet_size =
| destinations =
| IATA = FX
| ICAO = GEC
| callsign = GERMAN CARGO
| parent = Lufthansa
| founded = {{start date|1977|||df=yes}}
| ceased = {{end date|1993|||df=yes}}
{{small|(rebranded as Lufthansa Cargo)}}
| headquarters = Kelsterbach, Hesse, Germany[http://www.dc-8.de/cms/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=30&Itemid=240 dc-8.de: Amateur page on German Cargo and its Douglas DC-8s. Retrieved 2011-06-16. (in German)]
| key_people =
| hubs = Frankfurt Airport
| focus_cities =
| frequent_flyer =
| lounge =
| alliance =
| website =
}}
German Cargo Services GmbH, operating as German Cargo, was an airline from (West) Germany that operated cargo flights on behalf of Lufthansa, of which it was a wholly owned subsidiary.
History
IATA regulations at the time meant Lufthansa could only offer limited cargo services.{{citation needed|date=March 2023}} Therefore, German Cargo was set up as a non-IATA airline in 1977, accommodating Lufthansa's cargo charter operations. Flight services started on 8 May of that year, initially using a Boeing 707, and the airline was based at Frankfurt Airport, Lufthansa's hub.
German Cargo began operating scheduled cargo flights as well, mainly to Eastern Africa and the Middle East. The transport of live animals played an important role in the airline's business portfolio. The interiors of two Douglas DC-8 aircraft were refurbished to accommodate horses. The airline also specialized in the transport of large, damageable goods.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsevvzSxNYk 1992 Lufthansa Cargo marketing video, on youtube.com (in German)]
In 1993, Lufthansa reshaped its cargo businesses, splitting German Cargo into two independent, newly founded companies: Lufthansa Cargo for scheduled cargo flights (which inherited German Cargo's ICAO designation), and [http://www.lhcharter.com/index.php?id=115&L=1 Lufthansa Cargo Charter] for charter and lease services. German Cargo was renamed on 1 May of that year and briefly operated as Lufthansa Cargo Airlines. The German Cargo callsign was later resurrected for Lufthansa's joint venture with DHL and AeroLogic.
Fleet
In its early years, German Cargo operated a fleet of four Boeing 707 aircraft. They were replaced by Douglas DC-8s, which formed the major part of the fleet during most years of the airline's existence. From 1990, the larger Boeing 747 as well as the smaller Boeing 737 were used, that were later transferred to Lufthansa Cargo. In detail, German Cargo operated the following aircraft types (all of which were cargo-configured):[http://rzjets.net/operators/?show=568 German Cargo information on rzjets.net]{{Cite web |url=https://www.planespotters.net/airline/German-Cargo |title=German Cargo fleet list at planespotters.net |access-date=2013-04-17 |archive-date=2016-06-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160623184552/https://www.planespotters.net/airline/German-Cargo |url-status=live }}
| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em auto; text-align:center" |
| Aircraft
!Introduced !Retired |
|---|
| Boeing 707
|{{center|1977}} |{{center|1985}} |
| Boeing 737-200[http://airfleets.net/flottecie/German%20Cargo.htm German Cargo fleet information at airfleets.net]
|{{center|1990}} |{{center|1993}} |
| Boeing 747-200
|{{center|1990}} |{{center|1993}} |
| Douglas DC-8
|{{center|1984}} |{{center|1993}} |
During the 1970s and 80s, the aircraft were painted in plain yellow. From 1990, a livery similar to the one used by Lufthansa was used, though with a yellow tail fin featuring the German Cargo logo.
File:Douglas DC-8-73AF, German Cargo AN0203135.jpg|A German Cargo Douglas DC-8 approaches Frankfurt Airport in 1992.
File:Boeing 707-330C, German Cargo AN2070695.jpg|A German Cargo Boeing 707 at Hamburg Airport in 1985.
File:German Cargo Boeing 737-200 JetPix.jpg|A Boeing 737-200 of German Cargo at Frankfurt Airport in 1991.
References
External links
{{commons category-inline|German Cargo}}
{{Portalbar|Germany|Aviation}}
{{Airlines of Germany}}
Category:Defunct airlines of Germany
Category:Airlines established in 1977
Category:Airlines disestablished in 1993
Category:1977 establishments in West Germany
Category:Defunct cargo airlines
Category:Cargo airlines of Germany