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did not play an active role . The group pulled off a coup by purchasing two of the original Ludington Stinson SM-6000s from Eastern Air Transport for US $ 5,000 , including spares . Delivery of these airplanes to National Airways was scheduled for August 7 , 1933 .
As the SM-6000 was flown by a single Pilot , Collins felt that he needed only four Pilots total , with himself in reserve . Three former Ludington men were hired : Milton H . Anderson , Earl Smith , and Earle Steele . The fourth was a New Englander , Hazen Bean .
Solomon negotiated with the railroads for National Airways to operate the New England air service , with the Boston and Maine and Maine Central responsible for marketing and
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ticket sales . National Airways was just the operating company ; the Boston-Maine name would be used . The railroads dictated the route , initially from Boston to Portland , then on to Bangor via Rockland or Waterville . August 11 was set as the inauguration date , which gave the new enterprise only four days to prepare after receiving its first aircraft .
Proving flights were undertaken on August 8 with the group of Pilots and , on August 9 , a pre-inaugural publicity flight was operated with Earhart , Solomon , Collins , and several railroad executives , including Whittemore , plus three Boston newspapermen .
On August 11 , 1933 , the first northbound revenue service left Boston with Hazen Bean at
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11 The company ’ s May 1 , 1945 timetable introduces the long soughtafter route to New York . Northeast ’ s slogan is now “ The Wings of New England ’, accompanied by the likeness of a smiling pilgrim . // DAVID H . STRINGER COLLECTION
12 In order to compete more effectively with American and Eastern , Northeast introduced fourengine Douglas DC-4s on its New York-Boston route in 1946 . // DAVID H . STRINGER COLLECTION
13 The cover of the September 28 , 1947 timetable shows a growing list of cities served by Northeast . // DAVID H . STRINGER COLLECTION
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