100 YEARS OF DELTA AIR LINES
CONVAIR 340 ( 1953-1970 )
At first , Delta had tentatively agreed to buy 10 Martin 2-0-2s , but instead ordered 10 Convair 340s in June 1951 . The Convair 340s were longer and had a greater wingspan and power for improved high-altitude performance . Delta ’ s final 10 Convair 340s had initially been ordered by Chicago and Southern Air Lines ( C & S ). C & S merged with Delta on May 1 , 1953 . Delta used the Convair 340s to promote its nighttime ‘ Owl ’ discount coach services on its southern routes , among other services . Delta retroactively modified all its Convair 340s to the -440 standard .
DELTA FLIGHT MUSEUM
LOCKHEED CONSTELLATION ( 1953-1958 )
Delta acquired its first Connies — five Model 649As and one Model 749A — through its merger with Chicago and Southern Air Lines of May 1 , 1953 . Delta converted the Model 649As to Model 749As and , by June 1954 , had leased or sold all the former C & S Connies . In 1956 , Delta purchased four early Connies from Pan Am to quickly launch new service from the southern US to New York City . All had been built as Model 49s , but two were upgraded to Model 149s . By July 1958 , Delta had withdrawn these Connies ; it sold them to American Flyers in April 1960 .
DELTA AIR LINES VIA DAVID H . STRINGER COLLECTION
DOUGLAS DC-7 ( 1954-1968 )
The Douglas DC-7 was the last pistonengine airplane ordered by Delta . Deliveries began in February 1954 . The first flight was operated on April 1 , 1954 , from Chicago to Miami . The non-stop flying time was three hours and 40 minutes , compared to four hours in the DC-6 . As Delta started jet service in 1959 , and as its fleet became increasing jet-powered , it started selling its DC-7s . It last flew the type on February 1 , 1968 . In all , Delta flew the DC-7 for a total of 604,623 hours and 24 minutes .
DELTA FLIGHT MUSEUM
14 AIRWAYS MAGAZINE APRIL 2025 www . airwaysmag . com