Aeroplanes (known as airplanes in the US) are a type of fixed-wing aircraft which is powered by jet engines or a propeller. The Sodor Airport and Dryaw Airfield house a number of them.
In the Railway Series, two aeroplanes appeared in The Eight Famous Engines and one in Thomas and the Fat Controller's Engines. In the television series, they first appeared in the special, Calling All Engines!. They also appeared in the twelfth series.
Technical Details
Basis
The aeroplanes seen in the television series are based on the Douglas DC-3.
In World of Tomorrow, an aeroplane can be seen. The size made it hard to decipher it's basis, but it closely resembles a King Air B200 manufactured by Beechcraft. They were initially used for military service, but entered civil use in 1974. Australia currently leases a number of B200s as part of the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia and the Royal Australian Air Force. Emerson and Isla are other members of this class.
Livery
The aeroplanes in the television series are all painted white, with either a blue, green or red stripe.
Appearances
Thomas & Friends
- Series 10 - Thomas and the Jet Plane, Toby's New Shed and Sticky Toffee Thomas
- Series 11 - Dream On, Toby's Triumph and Percy and the Left Luggage
- Series 12 - Excellent Emily
Specials
- 2005 - Calling All Engines!
Magazine Stories
- 2001 - Harold Goes Quiet
- 2004 - Sound of Silence
- 2010 - Ready, Jet Set, Go!
- 2013 - Hover Bother!
Books
- 2005 - Harold and Calling All Engines!
- 2008 - Jeremy
Trivia
- One aeroplane is registered "D-AGDF". This is likely a reference to the plane in the 1942 film Casablanca, which carried the same registration number.
Merchandise
- Motor Road and Rail (discontinued)