At the Airport, 1950's
I need to start scanning more non-theme park stuff for my "Anything Goes Saturdays"! What I really need is more slides, but they're just too expensive these days. So... I'll use what I have.
It's back to the airport. I wish I knew which airport, but have no idea. Maybe one of you guys can figure it out. A woman and her little girl watch passengers de-plane. I believe that the aircraft is a Douglas DC-7 - as always, correct me if I'm wrong. I wonder if they are waiting for Grandma and Grandpa, visiting for Christmas (since the father presumably took the picture)?
This next one is from a different photographer, but is probably from roughly the same time period. I love this dramatic angle looking aft along the polished fuselage, with the control tower peeking up above the tail. Once again, I have no idea where this picture was taken.
15 comments:
"The children are meeting Grandma and Grandpa now at our new jet airport!"
The plane in the first photo is actually a DC-6. Built in 1953, it flew for American until 1959. In 1961, it was destroyed in an accident at Shannon Airport that killed all 83 people aboard in the deadliest aircraft crash in Irish history (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1961_President_Airlines_Douglas_DC-6_crash).
Additional photos of N90773:
In AA livery, date/location unknown: http://www.planepictures.net/netshow.php?id=599276
Crash site: http://www.baaa-acro.com/Photos-61/N90773.jpg
(There was a DC-7C that was later registered to that N-number (http://www.planepictures.net/netshow.php?id=599276), but it never flew for American. The DC-7 is essentially a lengthened, uprated DC-6 and the two types are very similar in appearance.)
The airplane in the second photo is actually a DC-6, built in 1947 for American Airlines. By 1974, it was no longer operated by American and in storage at Tuscon Airport (https://www.flickr.com/photos/11977330@N00/8432153337). In 1978, it was owned by a gentleman whose address was - get this - a PO box at 1331 Flower Street in Glendale, which put it right next door to what was then WED Enterprises. It appears to have been deregistered in 1985 and scrapped at some later date.
Additional photos of N90737:
Chicago Midway Airport, date unknown: http://www.flickriver.com/photos/tags/n90737/interesting/
In a line of retired AA DC-6s, Tuscon Airport, 1977: http://www.goodall.com.au/photographs/dc-6-usa70/DC-6-N90737-TUS-10.77-stored-KKK.jpg
Major, glad to hear you'll be scanning more of your non-theme park stuff. I enjoy it and there's nothing wrong with a little diversity in interests and subjects. I love vintage air travel stuff and WWII military aircraft too. Thanks!
TokyoMagic!, it took me a minute, but I got it!
Chuck, thanks for the detailed information as usual. I figured if it was the planes it'd be you who'd identify them. Are you good at the military aircraft too?
@ TM!-
You have no idea how many times I've used that line when referring to trips to the airport-! Touché.
@ Chuck-
Wow - all this great info is making my head spin, and is about to ground my brain. (Of course that often happens even without any prompting...)
Thanks to you both.
Wow, nice work Chuck! I made an initial error by thinking that was the same registry number in both shots and was going to point out my not-so-clever insight. That's why I should always let the others post first.
TokyoMagic!, that's a good line, but I prefer it when Father implies that Grandma and Grandpa are dead.
Chuck, what, is that ALL the information you could find? ;-) You clearly had the "eye of the tiger" when it came to these airplanes, but that's not much of a surprise for an Airman. Weird to think that plane #1 crashed and killed so many, especially when you consider how rare plane fatalities are.
K. Martinez, as you know, Saturdays are generally a "non-Disneyland" zone, so I am merely continuing that tradition.
Nanook, I like to tell women to keep ironing my shirts, like Father does. They love it.
Patrick, both photos look so "related" that it is easy to think that they are a matched pair.
Nanook, and Ken, ;-)
Major, do also make them polish your stove?
Ken, military airplanes are actually my first love.
Nanook, my brain was grounded (along with the rest of my body) years ago. Probably why they didn't let me be a pilot.
Major, I was actually astounded that you had a photo of that particular airplane. I'd read about the crash a year or two ago but never dreamed I'd run into a photo of the plane on GDB (I never thought of it during my conscious moments, either).
TokyoMagic!, yes, she's got to get to canning, or we'll starve in the winter.
Chuck, you mean you actually knew about that plane beforehand? How weird.
Major-
'Mother' is all tied-up at the moment remodeling Father's basement workshop into something called a "rumpus room", and ingeniously using her food mixer for stirring paint-??!! Heavens - just what will Mother think of next-?
I love airports and airplanes. These are so nice.
Chuck, my dad actually loved military aircraft as well. Im sure its where I got my love of them as well. (A fave movie of mine is Strategic Air Command with Jimmy Stewart. The footage of that B-36 and the music in that film are incredible!!!)
Great info about those two beauties. Very odd how David has a photo of that very plane.
Thanks to all for the fun comments and info, everyone :-)
Nancy, "Strategic Air Command" is a fun film. Not only do you get footage of B-36s, you also get B-47s and C-124s (my dad's first airplane after pilot training).
At least as of 1996, the giant B-36 model used for filming the crash sequence in "Strategic Air Command" was on display (minus one of the jet nacelles) at the DC Planet Hollywood, donated by a James M.Stewart, Brig Gen, USAFR (Ret). I think I have a really badly-exposed snapshot somewhere.
Cool info, Chuck! Thanks for all the stuff you do around here to enhance the experience of GDB...you are Major's copilot!
My parents brought me to Tucson from NYC in 1955 in a DC6 I believe.
I was 5 years old. I've been here ever since.
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