BusTalk

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2020 5:39 pm Post subject:

Speaking of international "flights"......

Dating to the late 1950's, this Italian airliner (the Agusta AZ.8L) clearly had the look of an American aircraft; only a prototype was built

This plane utilized tricycle landing gear.......

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agusta_AZ.8L

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2020 5:44 pm Post subject:

Another "one of a kind" Italian prototype from the 1950's, the bulbous "BP-471"..........

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breda-Pittoni_BP.471

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2020 5:50 pm Post subject:

Listings for Italian civil aircraft through the decades (this list, with links, also includes Italian cargo planes and business aircraft)........

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Italian_civil_aircraft

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2020 6:01 pm Post subject:

An interesting history on "ALITALIA":

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alitalia

Note that the "old" ALITALIA had been losing money for many years; today, most "new" ALITALIA planes are leased, and not owned by the airline.

The current color scheme (mostly bare white) is quite bland, compared the handsome livery used in the past......

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2020 6:14 pm Post subject:

Here's another interesting page, regarding "ALITALIA"*:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alitalia-Linee_Aeree_Italiane

*(there are also a number of sharp historical photos on this page; the handsome "ALITALIA" fleet once featured VISCOUNTS, DC-8's, CARAVELLES, and 747's)

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2020 9:14 pm Post subject:

"GULF AIR" began as "GULF AVIATION" in 1950; the following year, BOAC became a major shareholder.

The airplane liveries of the 1970's and 1980's were quite striking, yet simple.......

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_Air

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2020 9:20 pm Post subject:

The oft-forgotten VC10 was one of the types once operated by "GULF".

They were also quite popular in BOAC's fleet, many years back.......

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vickers_VC10

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2020 10:44 pm Post subject:

One of the pleasurable "what if's" I have regarding civil aircraft is wondering what present-day air travel would be like, had the jet era not begun until the later 1960's/1970's?

Imagine a "Connie" prop jet/pure jet?*

Imagine new "front line" props still being built for the major carriers, well into the 1960's?

In retrospect, it is indeed most interesting to recall just how quickly the jet era started in the late 1950's; by 1960, pure jets were already commonplace (or becoming commonplace) at the larger airport.

By 1960, we already had the 707, DC-8, and De Havilland COMET in service with several carriers.

Not long after, the CARAVELLE and the CONVAIR 880's taking to the skies.

Imagine, also, had DOUGLAS continued to build piston airliners in the late 1950's, the DC-8 would have been a "prop"!

Had Lockheed "Constellation" production continued past 1957, might have the new "Connies" been built as prop-jets?

Recall, also, that TWA went from piston airliners directly to pure jets; EASTERN, on the other hand, took delivery of the L-188 prop-jet ELECTRAS prior to the startup of pure-jet services (EASTERN began jet service using the DC-8 in January, of 1960)

Indeed, quite a few interesting "what if's?" to consider........

"NYO"

*Many, many years ago, I had a "Dennis The Menace" special "travel" comic (published circa-1960), where he and his folks fly to Mexico; the "Mitchell" family is seen landing in Mexico City, aboard a JET-POWERED "Connie"!!!!!! Shocked

In an earlier "Dennis" travel special (about 1958) Dennis and his family fly to Honolulu aboard a PAA "Stratocruiser"; the artwork was VERY realistic, and, I remember there was a VERY realistic view (as seen by Dennis and his dad) of the cockpit.

The "Mitchell" family still had to go through customs at the airports, which indeed realistically "dates" this wonderful old comic!! Wink

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2020 11:13 pm Post subject:

The long-defunct (and, also, long-forgotten) "TRANSOCEAN AIRLINES" (based at Oakland, California) was only in business between 1946 and 1960.

Over the years, they flew many now-classic aircraft, including 8 second-hand "Strats", which were in service only between 1958 and 1960 (there is a color photo of one of the "Strats" on this page)......

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transocean_Airlines

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2020 11:19 pm Post subject:

LOCKHEED's compact Model 18 "LODESTAR" was once operated by several US carriers........

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Model_18_Lodestar

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2020 11:28 pm Post subject:

The flying boat/seaplane amphibian CONSOLIDATED "Catalina"; note that QANTAS once flew the type........

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consolidated_PBY_Catalina

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Thu Jun 11, 2020 12:05 am Post subject:

"QANTAS".....from very humble beginnings, nearly 100 years ago, to quite an empire today......... Wink

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qantas

(some quite impressive photos on this page!)

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Thu Jun 11, 2020 12:08 am Post subject:

"QANTAS FREIGHT" cargo operations........

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qantas_Freight

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Thu Jun 11, 2020 12:21 am Post subject:

Here's an excellent page (with a number of rare and very interesting vintage photos) on the "SHORT EMPIRE"; primary civil users of this four-engined, medium-range monoplane were:

IMPERIAL AIRWAYS/BOAC

QANTAS EMPIRE AIRWAYS

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_Empire

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Thu Jun 11, 2020 10:53 am Post subject:

See also:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_S.26