Canadian flies out the UK's last Lockheed Electra and it receives epic water salute send-off
Published on Jan 18, 2026 at 12:51 PM (UTC+4)
by Claire Reid
Last updated on Jan 16, 2026 at 11:22 AM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
This Canadian man flew to England to buy the very last Lockheed L-188 Electra still flying in the UK – and he even got a touching send-off.
The Lockheed L-188 Electra first took to the skies in December 1957, and the planes were initially introduced as airliners.
In more recent years, the planes were converted into cargo carriers and then later into tankers.
These days, finding a cargo Electra is extremely rare – so when a Canadian pilot found one up for sale in the UK, he was determined to get his hands on it
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The UK’s last Lockheed L-188 Electra is set for a new life
Buffalo Joe from the Ice Pilots YouTube channel learned that there were two Atlantic Airlines Lockheed L-188 Electras about to be retired at Coventry Airport.
He decided he wanted to buy both of them for his Buffalo Airways airline.
After picking up the first of the duo, he flew back out to Coventry to fly home with the very last Lockheed L-188 Electra still flying in the UK.
As well as the plane, he picked up a bunch of parts and ‘anything else that wasn’t bolted down’, including some DC-3 components that were about to be scrapped.
He even sent his son Mickey out to Wales to pick up some extra parts he needed for the Electra.
Getting ready to say goodbye to the old Electra was bittersweet for Atlantic Airlines workers.
“I’ve worked for Atlantic for 25 years,” one said.
“This is the last one, and I suppose it is a sad day for me.”
But others were pleased to see it going off to a new home, rather than ending up at an airplane graveyard somewhere in Europe.
The plane had a very sweet send-off after years of service
When a pilot embarks on their last flight before retirement, it’s customary for ground staff to blast the plane with water – often referred to as a water cannon salute or water salute.
The simple gesture marks the end of an era, and can also be used to mark the end of a particular type of aircraft.
So, when Joe flew out of Coventry airport in his newly acquired Lockheed L-188 Electra, the ground staff were on hand to make sure it got a fitting send-off as it went into its new life.
A crowd of onlookers gathered to say farewell to the classic plane.
“Well, I was quite surprised,” Joe said.
“There were a lot of aviation enthusiasts, and the ramps were full of people, like an airshow.”
Joe taxied the plane along the runway, and a couple of firetrucks aimed their water spouts in an arch above the plane, giving it a good soaking before it soared into the air.
“The send-off was way more than I expected,” Joe added.
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Claire Reid is a journalist who hails from the UK but is now living in New Zealand. She began her career after graduating with a degree in Journalism from Liverpool John Moore’s University and has more than a decade of experience, writing for both local newspapers and national news sites. Claire covers a wide variety of topics, with a special focus on cars, technology, planes, cryptocurrency, and luxury.
