MARTIN 404 First Arrival at Save-A-Connie 1990
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- čas přidán 14. 06. 2019
- This is a story about a very rare short-haul legacy propliner, the Martin 404. We feature complete, detailed and close-up video coverage of the very first arrival, from Florida, of Save-A-Connie's 404 at Kansas City Downtown Airport base in late 1990. We are not aware of any other published footage of this event.
The obscure Martin 404's heyday was through the 1950's and into the early 1960's, which was before and during the dawn of the jet age. Completing its first decade with TWA and Eastern Airlines, ever dwindling numbers of 404's were past on to second- and third-tier airlines, with a handful of both scheduled and charter 404 operations lasting into the late 1980's.
While considered a very fine (and safe) aircraft by crew and passengers alike, it was produced in very few numbers, and served relatively unnoticed by the general public. That is, until a preventable and totally sickening disaster gave it a depressing notoriety in late 1970, which we cover right here.
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Authors, former aviation contacts, providers of current useful commentary and information, and those with business inquiries may reach us at:
John A. Reed
j.reed3930@sbcglobal.net - Auta a dopravní prostředky
I flew on a Martin 404- operated by PBA- Provincetown-Boston Airlines, in about 1981-82, cannot remember the exact date. It had that cool rear airstair, and that's how we boarded. I was going to LaGuardia, from Martha's Vineyard. The first leg- was on a Cessna 421 out of Katana. Then, from Provincetown, MA., to LGA. They were also operating a DC-3 around the Martha's Vineyard area, as well, during that period. The 404 arrived, landing in a fairly steep typical of old piston powered airliners- approach to the runway, and we watched as it rolled up to us and shut down on the ramp. I had flown on a CV-580 in 1978, and thought how similar these aircraft were. But those radials made all the difference. The start sequence- revealed just how much torque those R-2800's have. The whole plane rocked as they fired. I really enjoyed that flight.
Thank you for sharing your experiences on the PBA Martin. I think PBA was the last scheduled airline to fly it--the 404 had a surprising longevity in passenger service. Glad we were able to help bring to the surface some memories for you--the R-2800's meant business and were deliberate, weren't they!
R 2800s tended to get too rich and "load up" with fuel during the transition to reverse thrust and sometimes quit. During taxi out one night at DCA in an Eastern CV 440 as 1st officer I was checking the auto feather systems which also lug the engines and managed to kill them both passing the Atlantic Aviation ramp enroute to runway 15. The tower said "Eastern continue taxi --- oh, I see you've lost them both". The batteries were usually not strong enough to start the engines and we just got a radio call to the company for a power cart as the 28 vdc batteries were falling through 24 v like a rock. The captain was a normally gruff guy but all he said was "gee, that never happened to me before". He didn't blame me at all.
Well, you just solved a 30 year mystery for me! Thanks for sharing your R2800 experiences--I especially enjoyed the humor of your tower controller!
Very enjoyable. The 404 will for ever fly proudly on CZcams.
You bet, glad you enjoyed! THANKS!
I worked on them right out of A&P school in 1978 until 1980 with Florida Airlines in St. Simons is. Ga. Great memories
Thanks a million for watching. Glad to reach people like you who were there.
In 1977 we leased a Martin 404 N142S. This Martin was originally an Eastern Airlines flagship. We obtained it from Southern Airways for our charter Travel Club based in Essex County airport at Caldwell New Jersey. In 1979 the plane was sold to a private owner.
In 1990 it was reported removed from service. I have no further information on its location or condition,
The official record is fairly close to yours for N142S (MSN 14157) but date ranges don't perfectly correspond. I think your travel club leased it from East Coast Aircraft Sales. After your Travel Club it was apparently acquired by a Dominican concern, re-registered HI-285 and leased to scheduled airline Quisqueyana for a short time, then for years stored in Panama, Port-au-Prince and Kingston. After two more short-term owners it finally wound up with a private owner in U.S. Jesse Soltes in 1986 and registered back to N142S, then N404JS. It just sat in Kingston and Soltz apparently never operated it. It was last seen intact in Kingston in 1997--no record after that.
My first flight was on an M404 with Piedmont Airlines in 1968 from Roanoke to Charlottesville. What a memory!!
Thanks for watching and glad to bring back some of your memories flying on the 404! You're a step ahead of me--I never got to fly on one, just the Convair 440.
@@AeroDinosaur It was a thrill to say the least. My flight to CHO was on the M404 and the return was on Piedmont's first B727. From a Model T to a dragster!
Did you know there is a 404 at Martin Airport in Middle River MD? When my step dad died there was a memorial service at Martin airport in one of the hangers. It was quite a deal. The 404 was pulled up to the hanger and we could all inspect it inside and out at our leisure. Jack also wrote several Books from technical manuals to biographies on Dick Merrill, Eddie Rickebacker, and other aviators. When he died he was collecting information to do a book on Authur Godfrey. We still have a locker full of Godfrey's information that his family has no interest obtaining, so the info just sits there. Jack was also Co-founder and senior managing editor of Professional Pilot Magazine. Jack was also a corporate pilot for Langenfelder Construction, they built Dullus Airport. Arthur Godfrey had a landing strip near there that Jack used to land while the Airport was under construcyion, in fact, Jack was the first to ever land at Dullus Airport.
Was as not aware of the 404 at Middle River, but when I looked it up I now recall seeing that one before in photos. Sounds like your stepdad got quite the sendoff. I got your number and will attempt to reach you later this week--didn't know he was such an accomplished aviation historian and author.
@@AeroDinosaur When you call I'll get your address, I have a copy of one of his books about Dick Merrill that I'll send you, "Wings of Man" you might recognise the title as Eastern Airlines logo, Frank Borman approved Jack using that as the title of the book. At one time I think there was talk of making it into a movie. Dick Merrill was quite a character, Married an Actress, Drove around town with a lion in his car, cheated at dice, was Eisenhowers Pilot during his campaine for President, Flew mail in an open cockpit, with his pet squirrell in his jacket, would make a great movie.
A book on Arthur Godfrey? Very interesting; I hope the material in the locker gets used to create something we can enjoy.
I still remember my last TWA 404 ride 1961...memories!
Thanks for watching! Glad to facilitate your memories--I never rode in one. JA Reed.
Great documentary on a fine old bird. Rode these on Mohawk, Southern, and Eastern. My dad worked for Eastern when they had the Martin. He liked the the 404 with their reliability and outstanding safety record. I have ridden them in good weather and bad. Always felt safe on the fine combination of the 404 and the smooth running P&W R-2800s. Well done.
Thanks for watching and sharing your interesting impressions on flying in the 404--glad you enjoyed our video! I think I've heard from almost everyone in the southeast who was lucky enough to fly on the Martins, and they all share your sentiments. I'm disappointed that I never got a chance to fly in one. The several Martin pilots I've talked with tell me that the controls were really heavy--especially ailerons--even with the hydraulic boost activated. They say that part of the type rating checkride protocol was to fly a full pattern with the boost turned off--almost impossible! But everyone had to do it if they wanted that rating.
@@AeroDinosaur One snowy December afternoon I and some co-workers boarded a Mohawk Martin at Broome Co. for the hop to JFK. Enroute JFK was snowed in, and it seemed nearly all alternates closed. We circled in the "stack" for several hours then the crew made an "no sweat" PAR (or GCA?) approach into Bradley Field after dark. Snow so heavy they couldn't use landing lights. Crew had the cockpit door open. Got the impression she was a decent instrument landing platform.
I used to fly the 404's from Tampa to Ft Myers in the mid 1970s. It was a huge upgrade over the DC 3 that the airline on that route also used. Once Interstate 75 was completed to points south from Tampa the route faded.
I never flew in a 404 or a DC-3. I guess you were flying (piloting?) on PBA or Marco Island Airways, but I think Air Florida and also a few obscure airlines also flew them down there then. JA Reed
@@AeroDinosaur Sorry, I'm not a pilot. Just a rider. In those days we had Florida Airlines and a different firm called Air Florida. I don't remember which one had the Martin, but I think they both operated DC-3s.
@@jimparker7778 No apologies needed for not being a 404 pilot. Neither am I!
I flew both the 202, and 404. Loved the planes.. have about 300 hours in each.. Last 404 I flew, later to found out it was crashed in south America. It was a sad day when I learned of it.. N404LS "Dont recall the tail number of our 202. Just as a side note, Jim Lovell, ya that one, flew right seat on the 404. Imagine, a friggin astronaut flying right seat.. Memories...
You are the first 202 pilot I ever came across--that 202 is an oldie! I had no idea that Lovell was once a 404 copilot! Thanks for watching, sharing your experiences, and for the great info. That is why we do these videos.
@@AeroDinosaur and why I watch. We flew freight out of San Juan late 60's early 70's. 202 and C46's. Always liked the tail doors. The "Honey Bucket" not so much
Ozark flew them into my small local airport in the mid-1960's, which was also served by Delta Convair 440's. Each had about 4 flights a day, and were the only scheduled airlines at this airport. It's was always interesting to me, given the almost identical size and appearance of the two types, how different they were. Same engines, but a different sound. I was once told by an Ozark mechanic, that Convair put more effort into refining the exhaust system, resulting in a smoother sound. The Martin always had a steeper nose down pitch attitude on final approach compared to the Convair. The wing design and flap system were obviously different.
Also the Martin's ventral stairway was somewhat of a novelty at the time, albeit that feature would appear on the 727 and DC-9 a few years later.
Convair had a unique exhaust system that was also adopted by the Canadair DHC-4/C-7 Caribou. The cylinder exhaust stacks were siamesed and divided to dump into two large-diameter augmenter tubes inside the upper nacelle, exiting at the wing trailing edge. The venturi effect caused by this arrangement pulled cooling air through the engine (between the cylinders) eliminating the need for most of the cowl flaps you see on most large piston aircraft. The augmenter tubes also acted like a big muffler, accounting for the sound difference compared to the 404. They also added a little "jet thrust" slightly increasing cruise speed. The 2800's on the 404 had all individual exhaust stacks ejecting into a single collector ring and then out through two dumps on each side of the lower part of each ring. This was almost like an expansion chamber making it noisier.
My Step Dad, Jack L King was the test pilot and engineer for the Martin 202 and 404...Dr. Jim King
Dr. King: Thanks for reaching out and making this connection for us, I notice your stepfather J.L. King also wrote an interesting chapter in the book The Martinliners by Gary Killion entitled "Flight Testing the Martinliners". He is quoted in a few other places in the book.
@@AeroDinosaur I probably have a lot of information you might be intersted in...please feel free to call me at 502 541 1917, i talk better than i type
My dad used to take me to Hartsfield ATL back in the 60's. We could walk out on the roof of the terminal extension of the old terminal to see Southern Airways 404's as well as the DC-3's still in revenue service. I caught the aviation bug from those moments.
Thanks for sharing that--I spent time on the terminal roof at Lambert St. Louis in the late '50s and early '60s as well. We had a lot of TWA Constellations and 404s. That's where I was bitten by the bug too. Those days on the airport roof long gone! Thanks for watching! J.A. Reed
Thank you for making this tribute to the 404 which appeared to be a great work horse for many years for a variety of carriers. I purchased an excellent book on the plane from the Air and Space Museum many years ago and refer to it from time to time. It may have had better ability to operate from smaller airports than the Convair 240 which had only a 91 ft wing span.
Glad you appreciate our 404 tribute. Thanks for your additional comments, I think you got the comparative takeoff distances right!
I think this is a real beauty, i flown one in 1977 this aircraft was from “Marco Island Airways “
Back in 1984 I was planning a special trip to fly on the Marco Island 404's, but they retired them right out from under me! Marco Island has a museum that gives recognition to their unique Martin 404 service. JA Reed
Love this channel. And great job on the details of that model.
Thanks for the great comment, glad you like! More to come.
R 2800's on 404s and CV440s would sometimes quit when going into reverse thrust if not enough throttle was used. I flew 440s for Eastern
Thanks for watching-glad to reach pilots that were part of that era of aviation. I've had a few Martin and Convair pilots like you explain that quirk to me. I should have asked our Martin crew about it when they pulled up but was afraid they might have been a bit embarrassed about it--nobody else asked either!
@AeroDinosaur Quitting in reverse was common, no embarrassment.
44,900 lbs was the max gross weight. The engines would quit on landing due to using reverse. It wasn't that uncommon to have one quit like that coming out of reverse and having to restart it. It happened to me more than once. I flew them in the 70s. There was someone who had a 404 painted up in a US Coast Guard scheme. It was at Sun 'n Fun and had a good sized crowd touring inside it. There was some actual use by the Coast Guard in it's past. I wouldn't be surprised if that plane had been one of Marco Island Airways planes. All theirs had N numbers that ended in "M".
Thanks, Rich. What you've said exactly verifies what other 404 pilots have told me about the R2800s stalling after touchdown (including one of the Doobie Brothers' pilots). I believe the Coast Guard flew two of them until 1969 when they handed them off to the Navy who flew them for another year before retiring them. About five 404s, including the Coast Guard one you saw at Sun 'n Fun flew the airshow circuit in the 1990s. I saw the one flown by Mid Atlantic Air Museum in EAL colors at Oshkosh 1993--unlike your experience, it was not attracting very big crowds. I understand the last 404 flew in February 2008 -- N636X. That was Jeff Whitesell's demonstration plane done in Pacific Air Lines. A previous corporate owner based that plane at Lambert International near my house 1978-1982.
I remember the sound of piston driven twin props when i was a kid, rare back then as most were turbo props but nearly extinct in these parts now. Being a kid in the 80's and 90's was a wonderful and adventurous period in time.
Wow, where did you live? I hardly saw any after 1985! You were lucky to have experienced it.
@@AeroDinosaur Born, Raised, and Still in Calgary, Alberta. It was rare to see and hear radial engine planes in the 80's and epecially 90's but not impossible. They have a very specific sound and my proximity to YYC afford's the sights and sounds of many aircraft. Back then i remeber playing outside with my friends and hearing the rare radial go by, they were loud, in a large piston engine sort of rumbling way. My late grandfather had an affinity for aircraft especially world war planes and he took us to a few air shows where i really got to be up and into a few old bombers and such. I would pay now a days to ride in a 404, or even better fly the aircraft :). To hear, smell, touch and feel those machines is a fantastic experience.
@@gidderman Because Canada has so many remote communities the heavy recips lingered on a bit longer compared to U.S. and in some cases still do (Buffalo Airways Yellowknife NW Terr) .We're both to late to ride on a 404--last recorded flight was by N636X on February 29, 2008.
Thanks for posting the great footage and static shots, along with a good narration that gives a nice overview of the 404. As you know, Jeff Whitesell's "Pacific Air Lines" 404 was the last of its type ever to fly. The final flight was on Feb. 29, 2008. -- D Kaufman
Thanks for the detailed 404 information, which I have entered into my database (with source). Glad you liked!
What a fantastic video! I'm going to share on The Airline History Museum Facebook page! We currently have a few exciting irons in the fire, restoring the Martin back to airworthy being one of them. The 404 was given a "Save A Connie" (SAC) paint job and flew on the airshow circuit with the Connie for few years, her last flight was in 2000. She now sits inside out of the elements in our hanger to be appreciated by many visitors. There are several videos featuring our 404 and many other new and old aircraft in our collection. Thank you again for such an amazing production!
Thanks so much for your nice comments and I'm really glad you liked it. Also, thanks for briefing me on the 404's airshow activities in the '90's. I left SAC around 1992 after 5 years as a member and lost track of things. Glad to hear that -45Sierra may in the air again at some point, I'd like to see that. Also, this AeroDinosaur channel features 5 additional videos on my work with (and my 2 flights on) -37C from 1987 through 1990. I welcome AHM to freely use any of these--and/or our other propliner videos--to in some small way help further AHM's purpose and goals.
@@AeroDinosaur I was PR Director of SAC-AHM 1993-2001 and assisted in the-renaming of the group, the new logo (still above Hangar 9's door and on the nose gear door of 37C), and the PR launch / introduction of the new hangar facility (the former Slick hangar). It was my "fun" job for a long time. I had the considerable thrill of flying in both the Connie and the Martin. One of my favorite memories was flying into Minneapolis / St Paul in the Connie and (after a very hot weekend on the tarmac with my video gear) flying BACK in the air conditioned Martin as the sole passenger. This may have been in 1998 or so. I am a video producer by trade and spent much of my time collecting footage and stills of the planes; much of it is still in storage at AHM on DVD. I produced three VHS's using footage I shot around the museum together with a number of TWA archival films the airline let me borrow (strictly for promotional purposes). THANKS for sharing the footage of the Martin arriving at Downtown Airport. I thought I'd seen ALL such footage. A nice surprise.:)
@@PeteBarrett Pete: I do know you--but you may not remember. We corresponded back and forth around Y2K, a "short" 20 years ago. You sent me your fine video "Connie Flight Deck" which I still enjoy from time-to-time--a really fun piece. I had to convert it to DVD several years back. At the time you and I were talking about SAC/AHM carrying my video "Flight of the Super Constellation" but it never moved forward for some reason. Also, just my opinion, I think you (or AHM) should publish some of that video feed you did of the Connie and Martin. I've never seen any onboard footage of any Martin and I bet it would be well received by the propliner audience, including me. What is your current involvement at AHM? Thanks again for filling me in and for your great comments.
AeroDinosaur Yes, I remember the conversation! I have since moved to Champaign IL for work and am no longer involved. I consider the entire SAC/AHM experience a major thrill.
Enjoyed the video. I loved to go to the airport in the 50's and 60's and regularly saw Eastern Martin 404s. Then starting in 1961 Piedmont purchased 36 404s mostly from TWA but a few were Eastern. The Eastern 404 had a red beacon atop vertical stabilizer and the TWA 404s did not. Two beacons midway back top and bottom. I wrote on those 404s many times including a night flight from Atlanta to Roanoke, Va. Set next to no.2 engine. Fire coming out the exhaust and the roar and rattle was exciting. Also I was planestotting in Roanoke when a Piedmont 404 collasped in front of the terminal. The gear folded up and some props we're bent. That plane was scrapped and much of it was in a junk yard in town for years.
Glad you enjoyed the video and thanks for your personal reflections. In 1972 and 1973, four ex-Piedmont 404's showed up in St. Louis, all former TWA units. They were to be used on a commuter startup to be called Missouri Air Commuter (MAC), which was to provide scheduled services between St. Louis and Kansas City. TWA and Frontier put a stop to that and MAC was never certificated. Two of the planes were cannibalized, and two went to corporate owners, before each going through subsequent owners. Both eventually crashed in South America, one of the crashes killing all on board. Also, I notice the TWA 404 scale model I featured in the program had a red beacon atop the vertical stab--looks like I need to remove it!
@@AeroDinosaur Well I wouldn't worry about the beacon:) I was born in 1946 and eventually noticed a few Piedmont 404's had the beacon atop the vertical stabilizer. Most were half way back, top and bottom, on the fuselage. So I asked a Piedmont pilot. Back then there was no security in Roanoke. You could walk out to the plane and as at 13 or 14 year old they were friendly. The pilot said all but about 3 were built in 1951 and 52 for TWA and Eastern and they began retiring them in the early 60's so Piedmont got 36 to replace DC3 aircraft and the few which they received from Eastern had the beacon on the vertical stabilizer. Apparently that was how Eastern wanted it. I remember Eastern using 404's in Roanoke all through the 1950's. They were called Silver Falcons. American served Roanoke then too with Convair 240s. Pilot told me in late 50's the engines were the same as the Martin. Pratt and Whitney R2800. But the exhaust was in the rear of the wing of the Convair so they didn't sound as loud. It's nice to get to know a Martin fan. It was a fun airplane to watch and ride on back then!
No problem--but I take that stuff "seriously", and after cross checking your beacon comment with photo sources, my red beacon has been removed--good catch! Yes the Convairs had a different exhaust system, exhaust ejected into augmenter tubes which added a little bit of "jet thrust" while muffling the engines. The venturi effect of the tubes drew enough properly metered cooling air through the engines over the range of throttle settings that cowl flaps were 80% eliminated on the Convairs, resulting in the more streamlined nacelles than the Martins.
@@AeroDinosaur Well I'm impressed with your commitment to accuracy. I imagine either TWA or Eastern wanted the beacon located differently than where Martin placed it in the design. Also it just occurred to me in the 50's when Piedmont flew DC3 (they got some F27s in 1958, my dad and I were at the airport to see the first one land), Eastern used 404s in Roanoke and American the 240, the American's 240s had the stairs on the right side. While traveling with dad to Nee York, I noticed other carrier's Convair planes had the stairs on the left.
I just remembered there is s video on CZcams called Piedmont Raw. At the beginning there is sound footage of a Piedmont 404 starting its engines and taking off at the airport I visited countless times in Roanoke, Virginia. It then transitions to other aircraft. Thought you would enjoy it if you haven't seen it.
@@AeroDinosaur Just found a picture of one of the two Martin 404s that went to the Coast Guard and the beacons are placed on the fuselage like TWA. Does that mean Eastern decided to relocate it from the Martin design? Just read TWA got 60 beginning in 1951 and Eastern 40 with 2 to the military and 1 was a private order. Only 103 built. Convair built over a 1,000 and several of those have crashed in recent years. One ditched in the ocean just last year near the Florida coast and the pilot was never found. Engine trouble.
Personally the sound of the P&W R2800, especially on the Martin 404, is the most exciting noise coming from an airplane I've ever heard:)
I remember this aircraft well. I flew on some of them when I went on trips with my father in the 1950's.I remember it mainly because you boarded it through the tail. The convair was boarded from the side up near the front of the aircraft. I remember the martin as a comfortable aircraft, although it was noisier and had more vibration than today's jets.
Thanks a lot for your comments, I was alive in the 1950's but didn't know what a Martin 404 was!
Skyliner Kansas City made an appearance at an air power display in St. Paul, MN in the early 1990's. When it departed the announcer described what a unique aircraft it was and other activity was paused while we watched the departure.
Would be great if you could get some videos on flying the DC-8 and B-707 Freighters as they are getting rare, like the old piston rigs. Thanks again for
your efforts in keeping the piston pounders alive!
Pulled 4 hrs as a teenager in a 707. Good times
I well remember the M404’s operated by Southern Airways in and out of UOX during the sixties when I was an undergrad at the Univ. of Mississippi. One crashed and burned on that airport during Christmas Holidays 1968 (?). Fortunately, only the crew was onboard and all escaped without injury before the aircraft was consumed by fire. Only the tail and outer wing panels were left as well as a large burn hole in the asphalt runway. IIRC, the airframe was life limited which likely contributed to their demise as active flyers. Thanks for great video. The sounds of the radial engines are always welcome music to my ears.
Thanks for you comments and glad you enjoyed the video. I was not aware of the 404 crash at Oxford, so I looked it up--it happened on New Years Day January 1, 1968. Also, my nephew graduated from Ole' Miss 2 years ago--he loved it there.
Great footage, thanks for sharing. I dont know why he re-started #2...could of easily single-engine taxied to the ramp.
The engine probably stopped during reverse thrust because of the high resistance. This often happened with radial engines with thrust reversing propellers if you went into full reverse too quickly.
John, is your well done 1/72 Martin 404 model the old Airtec kit? If so, I built that too, but back in 1990. I recall having to use a lot of Squadron plastic putty to fill in the seemingly endless holes that would appear especially when hand sanding the rear fuselage. Nonetheless, I persisted and built the model with the "gear up" and instead used a wooden stand for an "in flight" display. Still have the model in TWA markings to this day. I also built the Airtec Western Airlines Convair 240 which I still have and the Air California Lockheed Electra which, to my regret, sold at an airline collectibles show many years ago.
That's what it is. I used epoxy to attach the main components which I thought a strange way to build--I also remember sanding down to the foam "bubbles" as well, requiring lots of filler. I built it in early 1978, but over time could no longer live with the annoying "elliptical" cowl shapes made of what seemed to be zinc, so in 1990 I ground them off and replaced with a correct and round set I designed and built myself out of normal plastic. I also installed R-2800 C engines/nose cases from another model. All other engine accessories, including air scoops, oil cooler and exhausts had to be done by hand, which I did during the original build. I kept the props which are reasonably accurate. The zinc gear are weak and the weight of the model requires me to bend them back every few years. Never got around to replacing those.
I saw this and two others in FLL summer of 1988.
Steve thanks for the info. I think our video captures the terminus of the last flight SIA N145S ever made.
Sadly I think this is the last time she was in the air.
You may be quite right, I don't know any specific instance when this aircraft flew again after this arrival at Kansas City Wheeler Downtown.
I love old planes🙏😍
We do too, thanks for checking us out! JA Reed
And now under lock and key along with the rest of the collection.
Yes, things are not looking good--probably will be scrapped on the spot. J.A. Reed
It makes me laugh when people tell me not to bother hoarding portable VHS equipment. I bet the people who filmed boring old prop liners back in the day were similarly ridiculed. Not anymore.
I love your models. Where oh where are all those beautiful vacuumed formed Travel Agents display models from the 50s and 60s? All junked? I hope not.
Luckily, many travel agent models survived in aviation museums but are hard to find.
Most of those "travel agents display models from the 50s and 60s" were made of cast aluminum. Yes, a lot were tossed but many are now preserved by collectors of these model airliners.
I saw it at Sun And FDun in the 90.s
After making this video I did find out that this Martin attend airshows on a limited basis from around 1992 or '93 until the year 2000. AHM invited me to KC for a visit after viewing the video and they filled me in.
I wonder if with a single large nose wheel it was capable of operation from unprepared reasonably hard and lengthy fields whereas Convairs obviously could not.. I never had the opportunity to fly on a Martin as they were not operated into airports where I lived. It must have been an excellent rugged aircraft that served TWA and Eastern well. Martin just didn't enjoy a very good reputation from the B-26 onward: The whore from Baltimore who had no visible means of support! (in structural terms)
Southern Airways flew the 4-0-4 after TWA and Eastern's turn was completed, along with Ozark Airlines, Piedmont Airlines and Mohawk Airlines.
Is this the same one that crashed not long ago?
No. The last 404 ever to fly was February 2008. The last 404 crash was in the 1980’s.The 404 we featured is intact and on static display at Airline History Museum Kansas City. Thanks for watching!
Sounds like an old lawn mower.
Or, even a new one!
"obscure, relatively unknown short-range piston airliner". You mean like the Saab Scandia, the CASA Azor, and Vickers Viking?
Yep, you there are several of them, just as you mention. Also, you might throw the Airspeed Ambassador into that category!
@@AeroDinosaur Yes indeed.
pilot was a ham handed dude terrible traffic pattern! John did you check to see if pilots were type rated/ current in 404!
Does look like he did a tight, circling approach, not a standard rectangular pattern.
@@AeroDinosaur Don't have a clue what type of pattern that could be named. Not 121 quality. But one fine looking 404, thanks for your video
Thanks, glad you enjoyed the video. They were on a Part 91 ferry permit, which doesn't condone that kind pattern either. However, I've seen hot dogging military jets do it.