National Airlines – The Airline of the Stars
THE BIRTH OF NATIONAL AIRLINES National Airlines got its start in 1934 when Ted Baker and his associate, Don Franklin, successfully bid for AM (Air Mail) Route 31 between St.…
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David H. Stringer
14 posts
A veteran of 32 years in the airline industry, David H. Stringer is currently the History Editor for AIRWAYS Magazine and a member of the Editorial Board of THE AVIATION HISTORIAN (TAH), a British publication. He is author of the book “America’s Local Service Airlines”, published by the American Aviation Historical Society.
The Transformation of Continental Airlines in the 1950s
On January 1, 1950, Continental Airlines was little more than a glorified local airline. The backbone of the fleet was made up of 12 dependable Douglas DC-3s, while five twin-engine,…
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Remembering Western Airlines: The Only Way to Fly!
We remember Western Airlines, one of America’s iconic air carriers that offered innovative in-flight service. It is Tuesday, May 7, 1957, and you are a passenger aboard Western Airlines flight…
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Silver Falcons & Golden Falcons: Eastern Air Lines in the 1950s
In an era before computers and before jets, Eastern Air Lines operated daily flights over an enormous network of routes – concentrated primarily east of the Mississippi River – bringing…
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The Wings of Man: Eastern Air Lines in the 1960s
The Jet Age dawned for the western world in October 1958 with the introduction of both the Boeing 707 and the De Havilland Comet 4 (the first commercial jetliner—the Comet…
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Nationwide, Worldwide: TWA in the 1960s
Trans World Airlines (TWA) entered the 1960s as one of America’s Big Four domestic airlines in terms of revenue passengers carried and revenue passenger miles flown (the other three were…
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Fly The Finest: How TWA Became a Synonym for the Best in Air Travel
TWA’s name change ushered in an era of transatlantic glamour On May 17, 1950, Transcontinental & Western Air underwent a corporate name change. Keeping the initials TWA, the company adopted…
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The Company that Called itself “The World’s Busiest” Airline
TAG was a true commuter’s airline. During the 1950s and ‘60s, Detroit – then the nation’s fifth largest city – and Cleveland (eighth largest) were both industrial powerhouses. Of course,…
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She Changed the Look of Commercial Aviation: Mary Wells and Braniff’s Flying Colors
It was referred to as the most dramatic image overhaul in the history of commercial aviation and it was the brainchild of one woman. In 1965, Braniff International unveiled its…
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1955: America Welcomes the Viscount, the World’s First Turboprop Airliner
Turboprop airliners are not an uncommon sight at America’s airports. But the first turboprop transport to operate in the United States was a modern marvel, the Vickers Viscount. It bridged…
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A Dream on a Cocktail Napkin: The Birth of Southwest Airlines
It has become a legendary tale that Rollin King and Herb Kelleher, fueled by several alcoholic beverages, mapped out their plans for a new intrastate airline to connect the three…
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