Convair Liner Promo Film - 1955

[@buckzx12r]

The first plane i ever flew on was a Mohawk Airlines 340 in 1957,from Watertown ,NY to Newark,NJ.We then continued to Dallas on a Braniff DC-7C.What an experience,one Ill never forget,and one which started me on a lifetime love of aviation!So lucky I got to fly on these old classics.

[@victoriapendleton4099]

we used to call them SlowHawk

[@videopokernetwork6824]

I was an F/A on quite a few 580's. Oh, the stories I could tell. They were my favorite prop planes. So dependable, comfortable and functional.

[@rob737700]

Fantastic video. My father flew these for Braniff in 1966. This is the first good look that I've had at the airplane. Thanks

[@billbright1755]

The R/2800 as ubiquitous as an engine could be. Flying for our country for 70 plus years and still able to shoulder the load, to shake the hand of the designer would be a honor. It's rugged reliable performance records the stuff of legend. Our country was so blessed with hard working men and women who may not have ever saw the limelight, but their devotion to the demands of the job at hand built the country that I love dearly.

[@diamonddog257]

Yes ! ..Canada consistently builds the best aircraft !

[@monsieurcommissaire1628]

Respect to Canada's aircraft, but Pratt & Whitney here in Les États-Unis did build the finest radial aircraft engines in the world so they and many other aircraft could take to the skies!

[@glens7775]

I have said this before, but worth repeating. I want to thank you for crediting GDS Creations, that's me, for this footage. I worked hard to acquire the footage from General Dynamics and after quite some time, found a super-nice woman who appreciated my passion for these classic airliners. I was lucky enough to find equally as helpful and nice people at Boeing and LAX for my other two videos. I am happy that you posted these and very much appreciate the credit. These old jets have been my passion since growing up at the end of the approach lights to runway 22-L at JFK in the 1960's. Miss those days!!

[@mcdonnell220]

Glen, thanks for chiming in again, good to hear from you...when I saw your tapes in Airliners, couldn't buy them quick enough, and loved 'em ever since. Thanks a million for making them available. I was the opposite side of the country, SFO, and hanging out at the end of 1R was just amazing.

[@juancarlosalmiron2055]

I MISS THAT PLANE, I FLEW FROM BUENOS AIRES TO RIO DI JANEIRO, IT WAS VERY SMOOTH AND QUIET!

[@Steve1959]

The man who narrated this promo film for the Convair Liner is the actor Hugh Marlowe. He was Col. Ben Gately in the movie" Twelve O'Clock High" starring Gregory Peck.

[@trainboy20072009]

ever since i was 3 years old the convair is still to this day my favorite, my dad used to take me to the airport to watch these planes land and take off, finally at age 12 i took my first flight in a convair 580 (north central/republic airlines) i remember taking flights in these newer models that replaced the convair the saab 340 didn't offer things the convair liners did, the seats were more narrow and there wasn't much room where the convair had a wider seat and more space for comfort, the speed of the convair was remarkable compared to the slower flying 340. when northwest retired the fleet of convairs after merging many convairs were in great shape, some were sold to resorts airlines and other countries. N8444H was built as a 340 and converted to a 440 then bought by north central airlines, by 1969 it was converted over to a 580, in 1983 jan 9th late in the evening making its flight from Minneapolis mn on rout to brainerd mn then to bemidji then to thief river falls it had an accident while trying to land in brainerd, it was the perfect mixture for disaster, the runway was covered with ice and slush about 2 inches deep, snowbanks too close to runway lights 3ft high cloud level at 300ft fog. it slid off to the right of the runway causing propeller and engine damage, propeller #1 ripped through the cabin 1 fatality 1 serious injury, it came to a stop at the end of the runway losing the left propeller after sliding sideways. N8444H was repaired and put back into service only to fly 4-5 more years then sold 2 times to private companies. in 1996 it was bought by chatham airlines under the registration of zk-cib. it still flies today for chatham airlines. these are tough old birds no doubt

[@allenlang4466]

I got to fly on a 440 from Charleston, SC to Atlanta, Ga back in the early 60s. As we crossed the state line, boy did we hit turblance. Many got sick, but, the bird the old bird just kept flying right along. It is a great bird.

[@andersonnettleship845]

As a kid I flew on the original Frontier Airlines CV-580s. Without a doubt the CV-580 is the best looking twin engined airliner as far as I’m concerned. One of Frontier’s 580s survived a belly landing in a muddy onion field while flying for United Airlines, they raised her back up and made temporary repairs then flew her to a nearby airport for permanent repairs. Currently she is flying as part of the Honeywell Aerospace Test Fleet (N580HW), she is also the oldest CV-580 flying and was the second airframe to be converted to a 580! An interesting fact about the CV-580 that most people are unaware of, the CV-580 designation is not the official designation it is a marketing name that Frontier came up with. The aircraft that were converted are officially CV-340A or CV-440A depending on weather the aircraft was originally a CV-340 or a CV-440, the A stands for Allison, the manufacturer of the T-56/501 Turboprops that power the CV-580.

[@rossmartenak5517]

Shortly after that came the CV 580, my favorite airliner from a passenger perspective.

[@Bartonovich52]

The Braniff one... N3433.. is still flying in as a Convair 580 for Norlinor Aviation out of Quebec... 60 years after this was filmed!

[@mcdonnell220]

Excellent info, thanks!

[@therandomytchannel4318]

Re engined with turbine power?

[@lewisjohnson8282]

@@therandomytchannel4318 your kidding right?

[@chrishaug9858]

Sweet. Thats awesome

[@bubbaclinton1105]

@@therandomytchannel4318 580's were powered by Allison T-56's (501-D13's) if I recall the civ designation correctly. Our's pumped out 4,000 shp at 971 TIT at sea level. Ours had a max TO weight of 58,200 lbs and almost 20,000 lb fuel load! These were a huge upgrade to us after having C-118's. Much easier to maintain.

[@RockerWasRight]

Beautiful bird......... especially as the 580!

[@bingobango170]

RockerWasRight -- lots of room to play " snakes on a plane "? That cabin looks big.

[@RockerWasRight]

Nothing huge BUT big enough for a mile high!

[@TRONABORON]

Back in 1970 we flew on a plane like this from Mexico to Ecuador on a vacation. I never forgot the sound of the props- always thought it was cool as a kid! It was more enjoyable then the Jet we were on from Miami to Mexico! 😅

[@outlawbadge1]

Very good Old film and aircraft. Thanks for sharing

[@thefartpoweredcyclist24]

These were one of my fantasy choice of aircraft as a kid. I used to dream of owning one.Awesome looking design.

[@garysherrill1296]

I believe all of the 240 film was taken in Tulsa. At 1:49 you can see the Arkansas River, and downtown to the far right. Oil tanks clearly seen. AA maintenance base in Tulsa.

[@ronsoderlund8039]

Thanks for sharing this very nostalgic video which wakes old memories back. The Swedish domestic airline LINJEFLYG had 21 CV340/440s for almost 20 years, and I still remember the wonderful sound of her piston engines. As I understand this construction was a real hit, loved by the passengers and crew. In the 80s LINJEFLYG sold many of their Convairs back to America, and some rumors says, that the american Convair people said, they were still in "like new" condition..

[@mcdonnell220]

+Ron Soderlund Thank you for the good words, Ron.

[@FritzKraut]

as a boy aged 8 i had a flight in the "Metropolitan" from Lufthansa. From Hamburg to Bremen. Seeing this video proofs that i am aging. ;-)

[@TheGbeecher]

Fantastic aircraft...beautiful ❤😊

[@DavidBurgessMechanicalMusic]

Air Chathams of New Zealand still operates Convair 580s for passenger use!

[@andymadden8183]

They have three aircraft, two in all-passenger configuration and one combi.

[@skippmclovan1135]

@@andymadden8183 ..but now sadly being taken out of service after 26 years ..now ending..! : (

[@SuperScratch1]

Great Machines, I flew as a passenger on the and 240 and 440 - ( Mohawk )

[@wayneferrall3382]

The finest aircraft that i ever worked on and would fly it anytime anywhere

[@starliner1649A]

VARIG bought CV240s from PANAM. They were fitted with P&W R2800 engines the same model installed in DC-6, 100HP more power per engine than standard ones. Very good for hot and high airports.

[@fawnlliebowitz1772]

The 580 was the ultimate Convair. Truly a wonderful bird FAR better than any other model.

[@robyoungquist5803]

Thanks for the memories! Flew many times on North Central Airlines CV-440s and CV-580s throughout the Midwest.

[@MachTuck]

Very cool! flew as a pax in the 340, 440 and 580s

[@RicardoFerreiraMiranda]

Men and women were so determined, dependable. All trained to do one job, and do it right!!

[@Rayburn58]

Convair 240 is the plane the rock bancd Lynyrd Skynyd died in. Most likely due to pilot error and lack of proper maintenance. Nothing to do with the aircraft itself.

[@kreepingdeth198]

Only a couple of members died in the crash.

[@acersalman8258]

beautiful God bless you ❤❤❤❤❤and you make human life happy because what your made

[@monsieurcommissaire1628]

That is one beautiful aircraft. Wow. They really know how to MAKE things back then.

[@andradejurk]

Amazing machine! Regards from Brazil.

[@northover]

I remember as a kid back in the fifties going to the airport in Jackson, MS with my mom to meet my Dad as he got off a Delta Convair coming home from a business trip. Dad loved that airplane and I did, too, because it always brought him back home safely. I also remember him getting off of a Southern Airways DC-3. I made a short flight on a Southern DC3 as a teenager and I will never forget it. I remember the stewardess handing a basket of chewing gum to compensate for the unpressurized cabin

[@johneddy98033]

The ancestors of today's American Airlines used the "Convair-Liner" a lot. The "original" American was the launch customer for the 240, while Allegheny (US Airways) used the 340, and Mohawk, which would later be acquired by Allegheny, used the 240 and 440. Allegheny also used the Napier turbine-powered 540, and the Allison turbine-powered 580, both based on the 340 (both Napier and Allison are now Rolls-Royce heritage companies).

[@Tampa0123456789]

OMG how many companies did US Air gobble up? LOL

[@paulchew7675]

Worked and flew in the 440’s and 580’s.

[@georger64]

Passengers who will dine aloft = who die in a loft. Never change, YT subtitles. Never change! ❤️

[@ricogerard]

If you look carefully at about 8:10 thru 8:20 in this promo film, the guy checking some switches is not a pilot at all. He's an unknown fledgling actor (at the time) modeling as a pilot for this Convair film. If you have viewed this part and guessed the gentleman to be Telly Savalas you would be correct!

[@dryan8377]

Wow. Good catch!

[@michaelmcmurtrey8543]

Don’t think so.

[@melvingeloneck3344]

How do you know that's Telly as opposed to someone who happens to look like him?

[@shawnbeckmann1847]

Its not Telly lol

[@TheChoochooboy99]

I actually thought it looked like Vic Tayback for a second. I’m sure it wasn’t but his profile was very close.

[@salty-as-heck9915]

80 Convairs out of 1181 built were involved in serious accidents. Sounds like a lot, but given their long service history (some are still flying), a 6% accident rate for the fleet is actually pretty good for an aircraft from that time. Other famous aircraft such as the Stratocruiser lasted far less in service and had far worse rates than that, and people consider them iconic.

[@huskyvacs]

Mexico still is flying a 1953 model, N381FL as of April 13, 2022. I just seen it when messing around in a flight tracker website.

[@craigpennington1251]

Now that's how you dress for flight travel. Nice craft for sure. Very beautiful. Thanks for a fabulous video.

[@steveevans4093]

Wow! Single engine takeoff training. Fun stuff.

[@kohnea1]

If you survived!

[@paulchsney5994]

I worked/flew on the Navy’s Convair 440’s and 580’s.

[@semsemeini7905]

Loved this plane. Flew on Swissair and Pacific Airways.

[@johneddy908]

To the best of my knowledge the first overseas customer for the "Convair-Liner" was Trans-Australia Airlines. Since the 240 was not capable of flying over the Pacific between the U.S. mainland and Hawaii, the first TAA example had to be ferried eastward over three continents before it arrived in Australia and reached its final destination at Essendon Airport near Melbourne. Other overseas airlines must have taken notice during that long delivery flight, including Swissair.

[@kingjumo2266]

I've flown on both the 240 and 580 --- great airplanes.

[@sarahlilly1745]

One of these planes are displayed at Dover Air Force Base. It’s only 5 minutes away from where I live.

[@WitchidWitchid]

I.love.it when airliners were shiny silver and had.piston engines.

[@josephliptak]

Lynryd Skynryd's plane was a Convair that went down in 1977.

[@dknowles60]

it was not convair fault they did not put enough fuel for the trip

[@drewalsup9200]

it was a convair 240 that was suffering engine problems, running too rich and spitting 6 foot flames out the exhaust it was on its way to being serviced by the charter companys own mechanics at its next stop if it would have made it, the fuel gauges weren't functional and the pilots were drunks and neglected to check fuel tank levels with a stick before takeoff either they did and they had enough fuel and the engine problem burned way more of their fuel than they knew about, people thought the pilots accidentally dumped fuel when trying to switch to reserve tanks but all dump valves were closed upon investigation of the crash, what a sad crash the pilots also made the mistake of picking a field to land in and then changing their mind to a different field they came up short and landed in heavy timber sheering off wings pitching the canopy into a steep nosedive and breaking it into three pieces 6 people died on impact or very shortly after all other survivors were seriously injured

[@wetdoginadesert7561]

This was great, thanks, I found it searching for "Last CV 440 in service for Frontier"? I flew out of Denver in '78 and was 'sure' it was a 440, but then I started thinking maybe that was too late and it was a 580?

[@FlightSimDude]

A friend use to Fly the T-29 out of Mather AFB 3535th Navigator training wing Rancho Cordova Ca. in 1967

[@track1219]

Nice video, Convairs are cool!

[@badcompany-w6s]

Beautiful airplane!

[@dimitrioshatzinikolaou9494]

Beautiful years ......

[@erniescardecchio5271]

I liked the 340 the most.

[@jenniferrucker2266]

I flew on a Convair equipped with turboprop engines. Close to jet smooth.

[@dmcc-norcal]

Hi, it looks like this is zoomed in for 16:9, but the original was filmed in 4:3 aspect ratio? So parts of the film frame are missing (top and bottom). Can you post the original 4:3 version? thanks

[@ShakespeareCafe]

Probably want to confirm the props have stopped spinning before putting down the stairs

[@noway5590]

after the convair 880, general dynamics msde boeing 757 fuselage assemblies

[@Agwings1960]

I can guarantee one thing, that single engine takeoff wasn't anywhere near MTOW.

[@leifvejby8023]

A 340 have just crashed in Pretoria because it couldn't fly on one.

[@omepeet2006]

And even that one was lightly loaded...

[@andymadden8183]

It was last operated by Rovos Air before being transferred to a Dutch museum. It carried the registration ZS-BRV.

[@johnmonkus4600]

The 240 was the plane that crashed and killed members of Lynyrd Skynyrd. It ran out of fuel because the procedure used to calibrate the fuel gauge had a fallacy. The fallacy was discovered when an Air Force airman was acquitted when he was courts martialed. This knowledge failed to reach civil aviation.

[@johannesbols57]

That and both pilots were known to abuse alcohol and drugs. There was one band, don't quote me, but I believe it was Aerosmith (their people) were shocked at how openly the pilots used alcohol when they went out to see if they wanted to charter this aircraft.

[@johannesbols57]

It was later discovered that the very same aircraft had earlier been inspected by members of Aerosmith's flight crew for possible use in their 1977 American tour, but it was rejected because it was felt that neither the plane nor the crew were up to standard. Aerosmith's assistant chief of flight operations, Zunk Buker, told of observing pilots McCreary and Gray sharing a bottle of Jack Daniel's while he and his father inspected the plane.[15]

[@scratchdog2216]

I believe Collins equipment at 8:37.

[@tomsamuelson8512]

Don't forget several 240's were converted to 600's with RR Dart engines and 340's and 440's were converted to 640's with more powerful RR engines. Lots of people love that whine of those RR engines.

[@jeroenjansen2709]

Modern design in the sense that it only uses 2 engines instead of 4.

[@ManInTheBigHat]

What were planes of that era painted with? Were they using epoxies?

[@comander402]

GENIAL AVIÓN!

[@2view428]

Thanks.

[@jorgeperez7048]

Excelente

[@spooqus6541]

Would buy 10/10 👍

[@raybassman7536]

Maybe the 340 was Skynyrds model.

[@j.m.5300]

Wasn't the Skynyrd plane one of these?

[@mcdonnell220]

Yup.

[@comander402]

LOS MEJORES RECUERDOS.......

[@alexmguimaraes9399]

O áudio diz que se passa em 1956, e não em 1955!!!

[@johnharris6655]

The Rolls-Royce Trent engine on the Airbus 380 is almost as big as this entire airplane

[@ManInTheBigHat]

Next time I'm jammed in on a Frontier flight I'm going to say to my mute neighbor with her headphones and say, "Mind if I dine aloft?"

[@eugeneweaver9020]

Take off the big hat and you'd have more room, and futher more, if Iv'e got to be crammed onto any airliner , I want it to be on Frontier .

[@larryluttrull5992]

flew the T-29 in Air Force good airplane

[@CooperCarr]

Look at that giant tail!

[@alexpaar2708]

Golden age

[@jorgeperez7048]

👌👌👌👌

[@lavalampluva55401]

Hot food!!?? Good luck getting that today!

[@fawnlliebowitz1772]

There was nothing "fast" when servicing a 2800.

[@kurtbowermaster2015]

The narrator sounds like Johnny Carson.

[@googaagoogaa12345678]

liked the 340 a lot love the convairs in general such beautiful machines especially that braniff one the 580 was the best so cool both in market share and design it f***ed the martins in the a** speeds comparable to some bombardment airplanes like which? what were they at the time?

[@markemanuele1929]

WOW!!! A Blue Line Speed of 0!!!!!!!

[@APVW-aviation-videos]

I had the pleasure to fly many times in a CV440 from Delta Air Transport Belgium. See my videos of vintage propliners.

[@lynngrantz7642]

3 de mayo de 2002

[@RexMoneymaker]

Alan Martini

[@hardcorehunter9438]

Lynyrd Skynyrd died on a con air. Believe it was one even older than these

[@lynngrantz7642]

AMBULANCE PEUGEOT J5 MICHELIN IPV A 8473 AN

[@fernandoalbuquerque3992]

😃😃😃

[@lynngrantz7642]

USA HEER ALICANTE 452002

[@hcrun]

Was the commentary in this movie voiced by Humphrey Bogart? Sure sounds like him.

[@lynngrantz7642]

MISTRAL MC2

[@lynngrantz7642]

Abril2001

[@lynngrantz7642]

352002

[@justincase3880]

Has the “unequaled” record for crashing with Lynyrd Skynyrd aboard .. albeit poor maintenance noted …

[@mizzyroro]

I never liked Convairs. Why does the prop blades not taper off?

[@wa1ufo]

Mind your own business.

[@marthavaughan4660]

they remained squared off to keep prop noise to a minimum.

[@davef.2811]

Ground clearance and noise issues.

[@markchadwick2286]

Who noticed the GEAR being put away OUTWARDS instead of INWARDS 😂😂😂

[@tenpiloto]

Not sure what you saw-the main landing gear retracts forward!