If you’re a die-hard James Bond fan, you’ll be counting down the days until the release of “Spectre.” And we are with you. There is something inherently cool about the smooth-talking secret agent with a taste for martinis (shaken not stirred, of course) and traveling in style. While there is something iconic about Bond’s classic Aston Martin, even he can’t deny the fact that flying is more practical when it comes to crossing oceans or traveling long distances. In anticipation of the latest Bond film, we are tracing the evolution of flying — 007 style.
1964: Goldfinger
James Bond meets Pussy Galore for the first time on her private jet. The plane used in this scene is a Lockheed JetStar, produced from the early 1960s to the 1970s.
You may remember this famous scene of Pussy Galore’s crew flying over Fort Knox using gas-filled canisters attached to Piper PA-28 Cherokee planes.
1965: Thunderball
An Avro Vulcan plane was used in the actual landing scene. Avro Vulcan is a jet-powered delta wing strategic bomber operated by the RAF during the 1950s and 60s. The landing of the Vulcan Bomber is one of the most iconic scenes in the film.
1967: You Only Live Twice
The plane used in this scene is a rare Meyers 200 airplane. It is an American single-engine light aircraft produced in the 1950s and 1960s.
A heavily armed autogyro Little Nellie was used in this iconic scene. It was developed in the early 1960s by RAF commander Ken Wallis.
1973: Live and Let Die
One of the most famous escape scenes in all of the James Bond movies, the plane used in this scene is an Israeli business jet IAI Westwind produced from the 1960s to the late 1970s.
1977: The Spy Who Loved Me
The helicopter used in this scene is a Bell 206 Jet Ranger, manufactured in Canada for the United States Army’s Light Observation Program from the early 1960s onward.
1979: Moonraker
The plane used in this scene is an Apollo Airways private jet. Apollo Airways was a passenger and cargo charter airline based in California, which operated in the 1970s and 1980s.
1983: Octopussy
This iconic scene features a Bede BD-5 homemade light aircraft developed in the late 1960s.
Another memorable scene from the same movie features James Bond climbing a Beechcraft Model 18, an American military aircraft used during WWII.
1987: The Living Daylights
The plane used in this scene is a Lockheed C-130 Hercules, a transport military aircraft used by the American Air Force, the Canadian Air Force and the RAF.
1989: Licence to Kill
True 007 aficionados will remember this classic scene featuring James Bond water-skiing after a Cessna 186 Skywagon before climbing onto it. The Cessna 186 Skywagon was a light aircraft from the 1960s.
1995: GoldenEye
The plane used in this famous jumping scene is a Pilatus PC-6 Turbo-Porter, a Swiss short take-off and landing utility aircraft first flown in 1959.
1997: Tomorrow Never Dies
The pre-title sequence features a rare Aero L-39 Albatros, a Czechoslovakian high-performance aircraft, which was introduced in the early 1970s.
2006: Casino Royale
The plane used in “Casino Royale” is a British Airways’ Boeing 747-200 and was used by the airline during the 1980s.
2008: Quantum of Solace
And, of course, we can’t forget this iconic scene featuring a Douglas DC-3-G102A aircraft first flown in 1935 and used during WWII.
So how do you travel like 007 without breaking the bank?
