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Aviation Memorabilia Newsletter Since 1995

Aviation Memorabilia Newsletter

Since 1995

Allan Gray sent in the photo below for identification -

Ken Pickford advises -

The aircraft in the photo is a BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corporation) Boeing 377 Stratocruiser in the original bare metal livery.

Can see BOAC identification and their famous 'Speedbird' logo on the forward fuselage and large Union Jack on the tail. Note small 'FLOOD RELIEF' markings on rear fuselage below the windows, so it obviously participated in transporting relief supplies during the major Manitoba floods in the spring of 1950. The aircraft would have been almost new then.

BOAC took delivery of 10 Stratocruisers in 1949 and 1950. They also acquired United Airlines' fleet of 6 in 1954 when UA disposed of their Stratocruisers after only 5 years in service.

They were used almost exclusively on United's LAX/SFO - Hawaii routes and were replaced by the faster Douglas DC-7 in 1954.

P.S. A couple of items on the 1950 Manitoba flood disaster.

www.cbc.ca/player/play/1459183171917

www.gov.mb.ca/mit/wms/rrf/historical_1950.html

Ken

 

tmb 550 Boeing 377 Stratocruiser

Janice Harvey sent in the following -

"My father, John M. Wilton, was the TCA Manager in Lethbridge, Alberta from 1942-1960, and then Air Canada in Vancouver, British Columbia from 1961 until his retirement in early 1970 after 31 years of service. I have some old photos which I’d like to share or donate to aviation history, if possible."

We will be publishing the series of photographs over the next few NetLetter issues. 

tmb 550 Wilton 01

TCA Winnipeg, Manitoba 1942.

John Wilton is on the far right.


 
tmb 550 Wilton 03

TCA / Western Airlines office located in the Marquis Hotel, Lethbridge, Alberta.

John Wilton is on the left in the back row.

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