Legends of Flight – serie

First flown in 1982, the Boeing 757 was an impressive accomplishment. The aircraft was fast, quiet, and fuel efficient while still exhibiting stellar takeoff, climb, and landing performance. Hear firsthand accounts from the leaders of the 757 program who skillfully established an extraordinary culture within their organization. This team, empowered by the program's expert guidance, overcame the challenges of producing a new aircraft type in an environment that was fast paced and unforgiving. It was originally designed as a domestic aircraft, and the 757's performance, along with the advent of twin-engine overwater authorizations, led it to become one of the primary aircraft conducting long-range overwater operations. To place the reader in the pilot's seat, a technical chapter is also included, describing the airplane's systems and actual handling of the airplane. Learn about this special aircraft and the people who designed, built, marketed, and flew it.

The McDonnell Douglas DC-10 three-engine jet is one of the most distinctive wide-bodied aircraft and since the early 1970s has been operated by many airlines on medium- and long-distance routes throughout the world. Successfully flying passenger service for over 40 years, the DC-10 currently still flies for FedEx in an airfreight delivery role. Filled with design and construction information, background history, technical data, and rare images, this book describes the exciting story of this aviation legend as flown by such current and past airlines as Aeroflot, American, Delta, Eastern, KLM, Lufthansa, Northwest, Pan Am, Qantas, SAS, Swissair, United, and many others. Also, the US Air Force has been flying the KC-10 Extender aerial-refueling tanker variant since the early 1980s. Coverage of the follow-on MD-11 series of aircraft is also included.

The Boeing 737 is undoubtedly one of the best known of all passenger aircraft and has been built in greater numbers than any other commercial aircraft in the world. There are few airline passengers of the last decade who have not yet flown on one of these aircraft. More than 10,000 examples have been built in all its variants—an unbelievably high number for an airliner. This book describes the aircraft’s early development—from the first concept drawings in the early 1960s to construction, testing, and first flights—to the present, with exciting photos, drawings, and information from the Boeing company archives. From the 737-100 through to today’s 737MAX, all versions are covered in detail, including its use by many of the world’s airlines, including Air France, British Airways, Delta, Easyjet, Lufthansa, SAS, Southwest, and many others.

By producing the A300—the first twin-jet, wide-body airliner in the world—the European Airbus consortium succeeded in joining the league of leading aircraft makers. Filled with detailed text, including historical, technological, and flight information, as well as colorful photos, this volume provides a fascinating insight into the history of commercial aviation. The first aircraft designed, built, and sold by Airbus, the A300 airliner debuted in 1974 with Air France and was in constant service throughout the world. Among the many past and present airlines flying the A300/310 are Air Hong Kong, Air France, Air India, American, China Airlines, Eastern, EgyptAir, FedEx, Finnair, Iberia, Korean Air, Pan Am, SAS, UPS, and many others. Though it is no longer produced, examples of the aircraft still fly today.

The history of the DC-9's design, development, and operational use is presented in detail in this book, as is its use by many of the world’s most famous airlines, including Delta, Eastern, TWA, USAir, Air Canada, Swissair, Finnair, KLM, and Qantas. With their unmistakable silhouette, the Douglas DC-9 family of twin-engine passenger jets was a familiar sight on many of the world’s airfields well into the 1990s. Douglas initiated development of the DC-9 at the beginning of the 1960s and, in doing so, developed an entirely new market—the short-range jet airliner. The DC-9 became an instant bestseller for Douglas. To this day, the DC-9, and its MD-80 and -90 variants, are among the most successful passenger airliners ever produced, with nearly 1,000 examples being produced from 1965 to 1982. In this book you will learn everything from the first designs to its gradual elimination from the market by more-modern designs from Airbus and Boeing. Technical specifications for the DC-9 and its variants, as well as period photographs, bring to life the fascinating history of Douglas’s most successful commercial jet airliner.

A fascinating history of one of Boeing’s most iconic aircraft More than half a century ago, the Boeing 747 took to the air for the first time. It's considered the first large-capacity civilian airliner. Lovingly nicknamed the “Jumbo Jet,” the aircraft quickly became the flagship of any airline that operated it. While sales were initially modest, the unmistakable four-engine jet became a bestseller after much-improved and more-advanced versions became available in the 1980s. Though recent technological developments have caused the age of the big four-engine passenger jet to slowly come to an end, the elegant 747 is undoubtedly an aviation legend that still turns heads at airports. Sadly, after a 50-year-plus service career, the last 747s are due to come off the factory line in 2022.  The history of the 747’s design, development, and operational use is presented in detail in this book, as is its use by many of the world’s most famous airlines, including TWA, Pan Am, Lufthansa, Qantas, British Airways, El Al, Air France, and nearly 100 others throughout its long career. Governments and militaries worldwide have also flown the 747, for missions including ferrying NASA's former space shuttle fleet, and the current US Air Force One presidential aircraft. Technical specifications for the 747 and its variants, as well as period photographs, bring to life the fascinating history of one of Boeing’s most iconic aircraft.

The history of the Caravelle’s design, development, and operational use is presented in detail in this book, as is its use by many of the world’s most famous airlines. The Sud Aviation S.E. 210 Caravelle was a 1950s-era French-built jet airliner named after the famed 15th-century caravela ships used during the Age of Exploration. Along with the British de Havilland Comet, on which it was partially based, the Caravelle was one of the earliest jet-powered passenger airliners. In April 1959, it became the world’s first successful jet airliner to enter scheduled service, which it did with Scandinavian Air Lines System (SAS). The S.E. 210 remained in production until 1972 and eventually retired in 2005. With its unusual rear-mounted engines, it influenced such later jet airliner designs as the Douglas DC-9 and Tupolev Tu-134. The history of the Caravelle’s design, development, and operational use is presented in detail in this book, as is its use by many of the world’s most famous airlines of the era, including Air France, SAS, Swissair, Finnair, Royal Jordanian, Austrian Airlines (AUA), United, Indian Airlines, and VARIG. Technical specifications for the Caravelle and its variants, as well as period photographs, bring to life the fascinating history of this early, and influential, commercial jet airliner.

This book from the "Legends of Flight" series offers a concise, visual history of Douglas's famous and influential American commercial aircraft.  The Douglas DC-3 was a twin-engine airliner that first flew in 1935 and was a pioneer during the early ears of international commercial flight. An elegant and robust design, the DC-3 was the definitive American airliner of the immediate pre-World War II era and was flown by many of the world's most famous airlines at the time, such as Delta, Eastern, Pan Am, United, Swissair, Air France, Cathay Pacific, KLM, and many more. During the Second World War, the DC-3 was repurposed for military transport duty as the C-47 Skytrain (also affectionately known as the "Gooney Bird"); it was also flown by England as the "Dakota," and by the Soviet Union as the Lisunov Li-2. Its wartime service cemented the aircraft's legacy as one of history's great planes.

A new illustrated history of the first commercial jet airliner. The de Havilland DH.106 Comet was the first jet airliner. Prototypes first flew in 1949, deliveries of production aircraft began in 1951, and the type entered commercial service in 1952. It was expected to deliver great prestige and prosperity to the postwar British aerospace industry, but the Comet's reputation was badly tarnished by several fatal crashes. About a quarter of the aircraft built were destroyed or written off in accidents.  This book by freelance aviation journalist Wolfgang Borgmann provides an account of the type's development and production in the 1940s and then proceeds to describe the technical details and operational histories of all variants including models 1, 2, 3, and 4. The work features about 250 images, the majority of which are in color.  Even dedicated fans of the Comet will find new information and unseen images. Aircraft in various nostalgic liveries are featured, including those from BOAC, Air France, PanAm, Nigeria Airways, and Japan Airlines. Military variants operated by the RAF and RCAF are also included.

A concise illustrated history of the Lockheed Constellation, Super Constellation and Starliner The Lockheed Constellation is the definitive postwar prop airliner. The type was developed during the Second World War by a talented and famous development team, which included Howard Hughes and Kelly Johnson. This book provides a colorful illustrated history of the type. Readers will enjoy several hundred vintage photographs featuring aircraft and airlines from all over the world. There is ample coverage for all three major commercial variants of the aircraft: the Constellation, the Super Constellation, and the Starliner. Wartime service by military versions is also described.  She was affectionally named "Mona Lisa of the Skies" by her fans, and the Constellation's graceful lines were the epitome of elegance and beauty in the "golden age" of air transport. One chapter is dedicated to the special features and extra comforts provided by luxury carriers. Freighter models and conversions are also detailed in their own chapter.