100 YEARS OF DELTA AIR LINES
STINSON A ( 1935-1938 )
The Stinson A was a trimotor monoplane airliner , and the first in Delta ’ s fleet with a retractable landing gear . It was also the airline ’ s first aircraft to carry a co-Pilot , who was called a ‘ handyman ’. Delta used the aircraft type for its first night service , and upgraded the passenger cabins with reclining seats upholstered with leather-edged whipcord .
DELTA FLIGHT MUSEUM
LOCKHEED 10-B ELECTRA ( 1936-1942 )
Delta operated six of the type , its flagship of the later 1930s . It purchased four new from Lockheed and one from Eastern Air Lines , and leased one from Braniff , operating it briefly from December 1939 to March 1940 . The Electra was Delta ’ s first allmetal aircraft . Earlier Delta aircraft were metal frames covered with a skin of fabric and epoxy , or ‘ dope ’.
DELTA AIR LINES VIA DHS
DOUGLAS DC-2 ( 1940-1941 )
Delta purchased four DC-2s from American Airlines , setting the stage for a long relationship with Douglas that spanned eight decades . The DC-2 was the first Delta airplane in which passengers and crew could stand erect when walking through the cabin . The larger size of the DC-2 required the addition of a new crew member — a Flight Attendant — who was then called a ‘ stewardess ’.
DELTA AIR LINES VIA DAVID H . STRINGER COLLECTION
12 AIRWAYS MAGAZINE APRIL 2025 www . airwaysmag . com