This collection consists of the complete set of Seaboard & Western Airlines annual reports, from 1947-1979, as well as the following two Seaboard & Western technical manuals: Canadair CL-44 Operating Manual and a Lockheed Model 1049 Super Constellation Flight Manual. In the Lockheed 1049 manual, there is also a Lockheed 1049 exam (completed by Lawrence Nelson), a memo, and two issues of "Canadair Service News", one from October 1960 and one from September/October 1961.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of the complete set of Seaboard & Western Airlines annual reports, from 1947-1979, as well as the following two Seaboard & Western technical manuals: Canadair CL-44 Operating Manual and a Lockheed Model 1049 Super Constellation Flight Manual. In the Lockheed 1049 manual, there is also a Lockheed 1049 exam (completed by Lawrence Nelson), a memo, and two issues of Canadair Service News, one from October 1960 and one from September/October 1961.
Arrangement:
The Seaboard & Western Airlines Collection is arranged by content type.
Biographical / Historical:
Seaboard & Western Airlines was founded by Arthur and Raymond Norden. These brothers were both World War II veterans of the Army's Air Transport Command. Over a 33 year period the airline these men helped create established itself as the preeminent carrier of cargo on the world's richest trade routes. This airline was the first to fly an all-cargo flight across the Atlantic, the first to land and takeoff at Idlewild (now John F. Kennedy) Airport, the first to fly support for the Berlin Airlift, the first to fly a Military Air Transport Service (MATS) charter, the first to support Pacific Airlift for the Korean Conflict (with a planeload of Air Force fighter pilots), the first to order and operate the Lockheed 1049D Super Constellation, the first to order and operate the Douglas DC-8-55, the first to order and operate the DC-8-63 CF, the first to order and operate the Boeing 747F (first 747 built as a freighter from the beginning of its production), the first all-cargo airline to join the International Air Transport Association (IATA), and the first airline in the world to equip its entire fleet with Inertial Navigation Systems. On April 4th, 1961 the company's name changed to Seaboard World Airlines after Richard M. Jackson was brought in as the new Chairman and President. On October 1, 1980 Seaboard World Airlines was absorbed by The Flying Tiger Line, Inc., and on December 16, 1988 The Flying Tiger Line, Inc., was absorbed by the Federal Express Corporation.
Provenance:
David O. Hill, Gift, 2002
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access.
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
Photography in this collection was collected by Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum (NASM) Air Transport Curator R. E. G. (Ron) Davies from a variety of unidentified sources, presumably for integration into his airline reference files. It includes a mixture of black and white and color formats from 35 mm roll film to 4.75 x 6 inch sheet film. Aircraft pictured are predominantly airliners in use in the post-World War II period, circa 1947-1965, and include views of British, European, and American airliners at airports in the United Kingdom, and passenger and cargo aircraft belonging to various Central and South American airlines photographed at Miami International Airport (Florida, USA).
Scope and Contents:
Original and copy photography in this collection includes a mixture of color positives (transparencies), color negatives, and black and white negatives predominantly in 35mm roll film format, either as cut strips or as individual frames (no complete rolls). The collection also includes some medium format sheet film in 4.75 x 6 inch, 4 x 5 inch, and 120 format sizes. A small amount of film was found in annotated enclosures, but the bulk of the material was unidentified.
A large number of the photographs in this collection appear to have been taken of British, European, and American airliners on the ground at international airports in Britain (UK), with a few views of Royal Air Force or British government aircraft. An equally large number of photographs show passenger and cargo aircraft belonging to various Central and South American airlines; these are predominantly seen on the ground at Miami, Florida (USA), although some were likely taken at other locations in the Caribbean area. Views taken in Florida also include various American airliners and a few US civil, military, and government aircraft. Views taken in Central America include a few photographs of military cargo aircraft belonging to the Colombian (Fuerza Aérea Colombiana) and Salvadoran (Fuerza Aérea Salvadoreña) air forces. Aircraft types pictured include a large number of World War II military cargo aircraft modified for civilian service, particularly the Curtiss C-46 Commando and—to a lesser extent—the Douglas C-47 (DC-3) Skytrain (Dakota) and Douglas C-54 (DC-4) Skymaster. Other post-WWII American airliners such as the Lockheed Constellation family, various Douglas models (DC-6, DC-7, DC-8, DC-10) and the Martin (Glenn L.) Model 404 (4-O-4) are also seen, as well as various British airliners including the Bristol 175 Britannia, Handley Page Hermes and Dart Herald H.P.R.7, Britten Norman BN-2A-III Trislander, and Vickers Viking and Viscount. A small group of photographs focuses on flying boats used by various small airlines, particularly the Short S.25 Sunderland and S.45A Solent models.
Arrangement:
Photography is organized by format. Images found together have been grouped in the same folder or sheet. Cut strips or individual frames which appear to be from the same roll of 35mm film are presented in frame number order.
Biographical / Historical:
The post-World War II period saw an explosion in the number of new national and international airlines, many making use of readily available surplus military aircraft such as the Douglas C-47 and Curtiss C-46 modified to serve as passenger and cargo aircraft in regularly scheduled and charter operations. This period also saw the introduction of four-engine pressurized airliners such as the Lockheed Constellation and Douglas DC-6, providing airline passengers with a faster, more comfortable air travel experience.
Photography in this collection was collected by Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum (NASM) Air Transport Curator R. E. G. (Ron) Davies from a variety of unidentified sources, presumably for integration into his airline reference files. This material was transferred to the NASM Archives from the NASM Aeronautics Department following Davies' retirement.
Related Materials:
See related collection R. E. G. (Ron) Davies Air Transport Collection, NASM.XXXX.0604.
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
![View Seaboard & Western Airlines Collection [Hill] digital asset: Finding aid](https://ids.si.edu/ids/deliveryService?max=120&id=https://sirismm.si.edu/siris/findingaid.gif "Finding aid")
