With a new beak, feathery body and sharp tail in steaks of gold, British
Airways has unveiled "The Dove" - the first jet specially painted to mark the
London 2012 Olympic Games.
The British national carrier announced that some tens of thousands of its
customers travelling to Europe over the next year will have the chance to fly
on one of nine celebratory 'Dove’ aircrafts.
The exterior designs were done by artist-designer Pascal Anson, who was
mentored by Tracey Emin.
The first "Dove" - an Airbus A319 - has been painted with gold strokes to
represent the feathers.
The cockpit has been resprayed to look like a beak, with the body, wings and
tail also getting a makeover.
Doves are internationally recognised as a symbol of peace and social unity
and were used at the London Games in 1948.
Emin and Anson unveiled the new design in a hanger at London's Heathrow
Airport on April 3, 2012.
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British artist Tracey Emin stands with designer Pascal Anson as they unveil
British Airway's Olympic A319 aircraft "The Dove", at Heathrow airport in
London April 3, 2012.
The aircraft has been painted white with gold strokes of paint to represent
feathers of a dove.
The cockpit has been resprayed to look like a beak.
The cockpit: Newly repainted with details of a dove's eye.
The tail of the A319 also got a makeover. It was repainted gold, instead of the
usual blue and red colours of the airline.
Pilots look at the British Airway's Olympic A319 aircraft "The Dove", at
Heathrow airport in London April 3, 2012.
His design is all encompassing of the livery, using the cockpit for its beak,
fuselage and wings for its main body and wings, and the tailfin as its tail.
Artist-designer Pascal Anson and his inspiration, a dove, and an British
Airways airplane model.
Doves are internationally recognised as a symbol of peace and social unity and
were used at the London Games in 1948.
