News 2024, 1-

The iconic TWA Constellations

In the April issue of Airways Magazine, we take a nostalgic look at the long line of Lockheed triple-tailed airliners that served Trans World Airlines (TWA). The article is accompanied by a series of stunning images from Zoggavia - probably the most comprehensive Constellation photo collection. TWA became synonymous with the Constellation and eventually deployed more Constellations of all series - 049, 749, 1049, and 1649 - than any other airline worldwide. The article offers insight into the company's history and famous slogan, "Fly the Finest."

Airways Magazine has been a leading publication in commercial aviation since 1994. It is available digitally and on newsstands in North America and 35 countries worldwide and has subscribers in over 60 countries.

Lockheed L300 StarLifter

President John F. Kennedy's first official act after his inauguration was to order the development of the Lockheed 300 on 13 March 1961. The contract for five aircraft for test and evaluation was designated the C-141. One unique aspect of the plane was that it was designed to meet military and civil airworthiness standards. Lockheed hoped to sell the aircraft to airlines like the C-130 Hercules. The prototype C-141A (c/n MSN 61-2775) was manufactured and assembled in record time. The prototype was rolled out of the Lockheed factory at Marietta, Georgia, on 22 August 1963 and first flew on 17 December, the 60th anniversary of the Wright brothers' first flight. Following this, the company and the Air Force began an operational testing program and the delivery of 284 C-141 aircraft.

The effort to sell the aircraft on the civilian market included some detail changes, such as a different yoke and cockpit equipment. Lockheed offered two versions: the original aircraft (designated L300-100 StarLifter), based on the C-141's hull, and a strongly stretched version, 37 feet (11 m) longer than the L300-100, marketed as the L300-200 SuperstarLifter. Specialized versions, such as an aerial firefighting water bomber, were proposed, and an initial L300-100 prototype made a global sales tour (which was later donated to NASA). However, the response from the civil market could have been better, resulting in only four orders each from Flying Tiger Line and Slick Airways.

Nevertheless, the civil StarLifter was launched in 1966 since its differences from the military aircraft were minimal, and Lockheed considered the financial risks acceptable. However, only twelve aircraft were initially ordered, though never delivered, when production was greenlighted, expecting to attract more sales once the aircraft proved itself in daily business. Despite an excellent service record, the aircraft didn't attract more sales.

British Eagle

was a major British independent airline that operated from 1948 until it went into liquidation on 6 November 1968. By the time of its 20th anniversary on 14 April 1968, British Eagle ranked fourth among the five major contemporary UK airlines (behind BEA, BOAC and BUA, and ahead of Caledonian).

British Eagle operated scheduled and charter services on a domestic, international and transatlantic basis. Please look at the development of the airline in images over the years.

The Home of Eagle site

Probably the smartest Super H Constellation

Real Airlines placed an order for four L1049H aircraft in May 1957 to compete with Varig. These Super Connies were delivered in February/March 1958 and were used to serve routes connecting Buenos Aires to Trinidad, Caracas, and Miami/Chicago. As time passed, the airline expanded its services to include Bogota, Mexico, and Los Angeles. In May 1960, the Los Angeles route was further extended to Tokyo via Honolulu and Wake Island. However, the expansion took its toll on the airline, leading to Varig's gradual purchase of the consortium Real-Aerovias-Nacional between May and August 1961. At this time, the airline also began flights to Chicago-Midway.

Read the story and see their Super Connies.

Se-210 Caravelle in Finland

Today, France is a key center in the world of aircraft manufacturing. It is home not only to European juggernaut Airbus but also to turboprop manufacturer ATR and business jet and military specialist Dassault. However, if you look a little further back in history, the name Sud Aviation also crops up. It made history in the 1950s by producing the first jetliner specifically for the short—to medium-haul market: the SE 210 Caravelle.

Zoggavia contributed images to the new Sud Aviation SE-210 Caravelle in Finland book, written by Antti Hyvärinen and Juha Klementtinen.

The Jumbos of the 1940s - The Douglas C-74 Globemaster I

Juan Terry Trippe, the visionary President of Pan American, was determined to maintain the airline's position as a leader in global passenger service. In 1944, Pan Am boldly placed an order for 26 Douglas C-74s, also known as Clipper 9, which boasted a capacity of up to 108 passengers. These state-of-the-art aircraft were designed with luxurious lounges and private staterooms for the proposed New York to Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires service. The estimated cost of each plane was approximately $1,125,000, a significant investment for the airline. However, following the Second World War, the commercial air travel market did not grow as anticipated, and market analysis indicated that the high passenger loads required to justify the operational cost could not be guaranteed. Undeterred, Pan Am strategically canceled the C-74 order in October 1945 and opted for smaller aircraft. As a result, the opportunity for a commercial version of the C-74 Globemaster I was lost forever.

Convair 880

A trip down memory lane - Rare Convair CV880 in European Skies - Swissair ordered 7 Convair CV990 Coronados, which were supposed to be more economical and faster than its direct competitors, the Douglas DC8 and Boeing 707. After delays in certification and due to under-performance in range and speed, the delivery of the aircraft was postponed, and Convair made two CV880Ms available to Swissair, which were predecessors to the CV990. After the CV990s were delivered, the CV880 returned to Convair after being in Swissair Service for less than a year from 1961 to 1962. The image shows HB-ICL CV880 in Swissair colors during a test flight, eventually with all four General Electric CJ-805 turbojets at full thrust, in 1961. 

Fighting Forest Fires from the Air

In early attempts to put out fires with airplanes in the 1920s, water was carried in various containers including wooden kegs, cans, buckets, waxed paper bags, and balloons. These were used as projectiles to attack the fires. However, the "water bombs" were found to be more dangerous to the firefighters on the ground than the fire itself.

Since then, many advancements have been made in the field of fighting forest fires from the air. The Classic Firebomber Gallery showcases both civil and military planes that have been converted for this purpose.

New Arrivals to the the Lockheed Constellation Collection

Zoggavia has located old, high-quality Kodachrome slides and integrated them into the constantly growing Connie Collection.

Airways Magazine covers history of Swissair Part II - with Zoggavia images

Swissair was a successful airline in the 1980s, celebrating its 50th anniversary and transporting its 100 millionth passenger. It was voted the Airline of the Year for five consecutive years and expanded its businesses by founding 252 companies. However, after implementing a cost reduction program and an ambitious expansion strategy, involving a partial takeover and investments in various airlines, some of which were struggling financially,, Swissair suffered its worst financial loss in 2000, putting 72,000 jobs at risk. The effects of 9/11 brought about the grounding of the entire Swissair fleet on October 2, 2001, ultimately leading to the company's demise.

Finnair, formerly known as Aero Oy, owned and operated fifteen Sud Aviation Caravelle planes between 1960 and 1983, of which three were leased. The first three Caravelle IA planes, namely OH-LEA "Sinilintu," OH-LEB "Sinilintu," and OH-LEC "Sininuoli," were ordered on 18 January 1958 and put into service in 1960. These planes were converted to Caravelle III planes in 1961, and a fourth Caravelle III, OH-LED "Sinipiika," was acquired in 1962. Aero became the first airline to certify its aircraft for a two-pilot cockpit crew in 1960.

The Caravelle planes replaced the Convair 440 Metropolitan piston engine planes in international scheduled scheduled traffic, which resulted in improved travel comfort. The Caravelle III planes were more spacious and quieter, making them ideal for international travel. The jets also facilitated night charter flights to holiday destinations without disrupting daytime scheduled flights.

All four Caravelle III planes were sold back to Sud Aviation as part payment for six new Sud Aviation 10B3 Super Caravelle planes in 1964. Finnair was the first customer to order six Super Caravelles, which were OH-LSA, -LSB, -LSC, -LSD, -LSE, and -LSF. A strike in the French metal industry delayed the delivery of these planes, and the factory ended up leasing one VI-R type Caravelle, OH-LER, to Aero for 3.5 months in 1964. Finnair ordered two more Super Caravelles, OH-LSG and -LSH, in December 1965, which were delivered in 1967.

The Super Caravelles had a cabin layout with either 12 first-class seats and 70 economy-class seats or 95 economy-class seats. The maximum capacity of the plane was 107 passengers. Between 1974 and 1976, Finnair leased two aircraft, OH-LSI and -LSK, from Sterling, in addition to its eight Super Caravelles.

Finnair retired its Super Caravelle fleet in 1983.

It is possible that you searched for "Propliner", and the search results displayed 2000 images. 

The Zoggavia database is continuously expanding. To ensure a quick response time, we show the first 2000 search results by default. To obtain more precise results, you can refine your search terms by adding specific criteria such as manufacturer, type, airline, location, time frame, etc.

Airways Magazine covers history of Swissair - Zoggavia contributes the images

Airways Magazine is going to publish a comprehensive history of Swissair from its inception in 1919 to its collapse in 2002. The January 2024 issue will cover the airline's early years, from 1919 to 1979. Part 2 of the publication will delve into the turbulent years of Swissair, including the failure of its ambitious expansion strategy, which ultimately led to the airline's demise. The articles will feature classic aviation images from Zoggavia's extensive library.

You can find the January issue at Airways Magazine has been a leading commercial aviation publication since 1994, distributed through newsstands in North America and 35 countries worldwide, and subscribers in more than 60 countries. 

How Constellations brought the Austrian Flag to New York and Tokyo

Aero-Transport started operating passenger charter flights in 1958 using Vikings, a single Dove, and a Taylorcraft Auster. In June 1961, they bought an ex-TWA aircraft and added a L749 in 1962, followed by a freighter L749 in 1963, using all three aircraft for passenger and freight charters around the world. They visited various destinations including New York and Tokyo in 1961, Hong Kong and Nairobi in 1962. To learn more about the airline's operations and fate, please click here:

Zoggavia's new photo book of the Lockheed Constellation series

I have some exciting news to share with you! Zoggavia released a new photobook of the - Lockheed L1049 Super Constellation Commercial Operators". This book, the fourth covering the Connie, is a collection of the best images of the famous Super Connie, showcasing her uniqueness and beauty. The book features 256 excellent photos of the 259 Super Constellations built for commercial use, printed on 170g/m2 photo paper and bound in a high-gloss hardcover. You'll get to see the Queen of the Skies in action - at airports around the world with and without passengers and crew, during takeoff, landing, refueling, and more. So, fasten your seatbelts and join us on this journey into the past - it's going to be a great one!

See what you can expect: