Red Parker 45 Flighter

[Captivelight]

Can anyone please tell me anything about this Red Parker 45 Flighter - it's not something I have come across before with matching red section and end tip on a brushed steel Flighter body with gold trim.

Pen was made in the US but I purchased it from Japan. Fine 14K Gold nib fitted when I got it.

 

Was this a standard colour? Any idea of dates ... anything would be useful! Thank you.

 

http://pencollect.co.uk/personal/45red.jpg

[dave-]

Not sure but I think there were hell of alot of 45 flighter varients. I have 3 45 flighters and there all different to each other and different to yours. Even all 3 filling mechanisms are different and some have the nib size letter under the barrel by the nib and some dont. Very confusing these 45 flighters.

[Chrissy]

Wow! What a great looker. I've never seen one before. Lucky you

[Captivelight]

I made a rough "Time Line" for the 45 Flighters and their off-shoots ... but not sure where this particular pen fits in to it!

Time Line can be found here: http://www.pencollect.co.uk/45timeline.htm

[mallymal1]

I haven't seen a Flighter like this before, either. It looks superb...and what a great find.

[Runnin_Ute]

Never seen one like this before. Mine has a black section and no end piece on the bottom where yours is red. Mine is a late 60's model.

[ac12]

Cool find.

I'm jealous. Now I want one.

Edited August 10, 2014 by ac12

[Mob Mentality]

I know this post is old but I recently purchased a similar pen. Mine is more of a burgundy than a red, doesn't have the gold trim, and has a steel nib. The only mention of this type of pen I have found is here: http://pencollect.co.uk/parker45.htm According to the article, "Early models had a silver arrow clip and a black plastic end cap although at some point in the early 1970s the black tip was changed to a silver metal tip. Rarer versions exist with coloured end caps and shell section to match, for example red."

 

Here's mine next to a regular flighter:

 

 

 

 

http://i1377.photobucket.com/albums/ah48/Davide_Borrelli/Parker%2045%20Flighter_01_zpssiym9zqo.jpg

[Captivelight]

I was watching that one as well but didn't bid on it in the end ... since the original Red one I've also found a Burgundy and a Blue one so there are a few out there!

 

As far as I know they are called "Flighter Specials".

[Mob Mentality]

According to the article linked above, the Parker 45 Special wasn't introduced until 2001. If that article is accurate the red model you original post is a rare Flighter Deluxe which has gold trim and nib. Also Parker 45s with the plastic end cap were no longer produced starting in the early seventies when they switched to a metal end cap. This would indicate that both of our pens are likely from the late 60s to the early seventies. By the late 70s the pens no longer had any end cap plastic or metal. Would you mind posting a picture of the blue one.

[Captivelight]

The "Parker 45 Special" was the "new style" Parker 45 introduced in 2001

 

The "Parker 45 Flighter Special" were Flighters that had different color plastics.

 

The Blue One:

http://pencollect.co.uk/personal/45blue.jpg

[Mob Mentality]

Thanks for the correction. Wow! That's a real looker! Excellent picture. Thanks. Now I'm wondering if mine is an earlier version of the flighter special because it doesn't have the gold trim.

Edited October 25, 2015 by Mob Mentality

[Number99]

String another related thread.

 

 

[inkstainedruth]

How did I miss this thread before now?  Of course, now I WANT a Flighter Special....   That red one is pretty sharp!

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth