Back in the 1960's all those military Super Constellations were transferred to the Navy. My brother, a Navy vet, sez that was done because the AF pilots couldn't handle three pieces of tail at once!
thank you for posting this, a number of the planes produced in this building had a direct impact on my existence and life. first of all my dad survived 35 bombing missions over europe in the ball turret of several of these great ladies produced in this building. she always brought him home and some years later i came kicking and screaming into this world.
then some years later a I worked for southwest airlines which utilized the 737's exclusively, the reliability and lower cost of operation of these hearty aircraft was a facet of the airlines success. providing me and my family a comfortable income during times when airlines were going bankrupt left and right.
so yes, I owe a lot to this humble building and the history that has rolled out her doors.
My family and I drove up to Seattle about 5 yrs ago to look specifically at the B-29 in front of the Air Museum. A volunteer told me the B-29 had just been taken into a hanger to begin restoration. Man was I disappointed. My dad flew 30 combat missions from Tinian over Japan, and I have yet to see a B-29 in person. Oh, well. It looks like the restoration is well underway. Good for you guys, please let me know when it's done so I can drive up and look at it. Hah Hah, amazing building and history.
I only airplane I flew in my Air Force career that was not a Boeing product was the Cessna T-37. I flew RF-4s that were made by McDonnell Douglas, but they were eventually bought by Boeing. The T-43 (military version of the 737), B-52, and KC-135 were all Boeing built. As an AFROTC cadet, I even had 2 flights on a KC-97. If anyone could make steel defy gravity, it was Boeing.
I will never forget flying as a kid in a Northwest Orient Airlines Stratocruiser (the B-377). What a thoroughly cool post about some great airplanes. I just got off a 16 hour flight from China on a 747. Flew in a 777 on the way over. Unlike the A380s, the engines don't blow up and fall off of Boeing planes. We continue to make some outstanding airplanes in this country, and I can't wait until the 787 comes into service.
FWIW, all of the Chinese domestic airlines fly virtually nothing but 737s. That's one market that we've apparently sewn up.
I wonder if our country will ever be as great as it was when those folks built those wonderful aircraft, those peple who worked at all the aircraft plants and all of the liberty ship builders during world war 2 were GREAT and special people. I wonder if we would have people step up now as they did back then? Makes me wonder. Jeff
I worked all of those airlines as an air traffic controller and it was sad to see them close down. Especially PanAm, that was truly an American airline!