File:EI-BND at Stansted (1986).jpg

English: EI-BND Canadair CL-44-O Conroy Skymonster Heavylift Stansted Airport, EGSS, August 1986 : I forget how many times I have heard that this aircraft would be scrapped.

The Skymonster first flew on 26 November 1969, under the US registration "N447T". The CL-44 from which it had been converted also bore this same registration, and was previously operated by the Flying Tiger Line. Only one prototype was built. Another one was ordered, but the CL-44 on which it was to be based crashed before delivery. In 1970, the prototype was leased by Transmeridian Air Cargo, who gave it the name "Skymonster". Despite its being renamed "Bahamas Trader" later on, the name Skymonster stuck, and it is now commonly known as this. The Skymonster at Bournemouth when it was registered as 9G-LCA In 1978, it was bought by British Cargo Airlines. In 1982, it went to HeavyLift Cargo Airlines, who re-registered it with the Irish registration EI-BND.

The aircraft went into storage in 1993, but was bought by a leasing company only two months later and leased to Buffalo Airways. According to Mikey McBryan General Manager for Buffalo Airways in Yellowknife Canada, this Buffalo Airways was a different operator and had no connection to the Canadian company. Its next lease was to Azerbaijan Airlines in 1997, under the registration 4K-GUP. In March 1998, it was leased to Baku Express. In August 1998 it went to First International Airlines and was registered 9G-LCA. In 1999, it was placed into storage, initially in the US, but then it was flown to Bournemouth Airport, UK, where it was scheduled to be scrapped. In December 2006 the aircraft was registered in the Philippines (RP-C8023) and was being prepared for service in Australia.[3] As of March 2008, the Skymonster was still at Hurn.[4] In August 2008, it was reported that the aircraft was in the process of being scrapped,[5] however as of September this was on hold amid further rumours about donation to a museum in Germany.[6] On 14 January 2010, Bournemouth International Airport Limited offered the aircraft for sale in The London Gazette.[7]

N447FT at Bournemouth in 2014. After a long period of storage, activity was again seen around the Skymonster during the summer of 2013.[8] In July 2013 it was registered N447FT in the United States to a Jordan Harlan Wayne.[9]

As of 18th March 2021 the Skymonster remains at Bournemouth International Airport, parked at 50°47′07.7″N 1°50′37.1″W.