CitationJet From United States of America, joined Mar 2003, 2235 posts, RR: 3 Posted (1 year 6 months 18 hours ago) and read 6940 times:
In reading an old Airliners magazine, I learned that Delta had the sideways widget on DC-9-14s starting in November 1965. The same widget design was also found on some DC-9-32s. There were two reasons for the "sideways widget". First, it was felt that the small tail area of the DC-9 (compared to the DC-8) made the straight widget look too cramped. Second, Delta marketing thought that the sideways widget looked more streamlined. Placing the widget on its side made it look like a rocket pushing in the direct that the airplane was moving.
The widgets on the nacelles and forward fuselage matched the orientation on the vertical tail.
type-rated From United States of America, joined Sep 1999, 4349 posts, RR: 20 Reply 3, posted (1 year 6 months 10 hours ago) and read 6207 times:
They were like the sports car model of the DC-9. Fun to ride in too. Flew on them a bunch with DL in the early 70's. This was the aircraft that brought pure jet service to a lot of cities that didn't have it before. A lot had to do with the fact that it was a self contained aircraft, no ground equipment needed.
Fly North Central Airlines..The route of the Northliners!
longhauler From Canada, joined Mar 2004, 4280 posts, RR: 36 Reply 8, posted (1 year 6 months 2 hours ago) and read 5691 times:
The sideways widget was originally a trademark, and appeared in ads before it appeared on the aircraft.
Remember at the time, all of Delta's aircraft had different paint schemes depending on the type. The DC-8 and Convair 880 each had their own image, and when the DC-9 was introduced, it bore this new scheme with the sideways widget.
When it was decided that the jets would all have one paint scheme, the "upright" widget was devised, and soon all jet aircraft wore this scheme. Other than the Herc, no prop aircraft wore the widget scheme in those days.
Quoting brushpilot (Reply 6): The early version " upright widget " with full tittle DELTA AIR LINES is missing ( DC9-14 only ).
Also missing, is the "Delta Prince" titles, as the DC-9 was called when introduced.
Quoting flyhossd (Reply 7): By today's definition, this would be considered to be a RJ and not flown by Delta (mainline) at all.
True, but it was an increase in capacity over the CV440 and DC-6/7 it replaced.
Never gonna grow up, never gonna slow down .... Barefoot Blue Jean Night
exFWAOONW From United States of America, joined Nov 2009, 284 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (1 year 6 months 1 hour ago) and read 5633 times:
Quoting flyhossd (Reply 7): By today's definition, this would be considered to be a RJ and not flown by Delta (mainline) at all.
It was a common type with the DC9-30 and DC9-50. Why would any airline split it off and loose that commonality and ability to substitute a/c as needed?
longhauler From Canada, joined Mar 2004, 4280 posts, RR: 36 Reply 12, posted (1 year 6 months ago) and read 5494 times:
Quoting type-rated (Reply 11): Never seen the words "Delta Prince" on a DC8, and I have seen a lot of them. Does anyone have a photo of this?
It was on the DC-9, not the DC-8. And I don't think it lasted very long, as it was a marketing term. The "Delta Prince" title was on the nose, under the cockpit windows.
If you have the R.E.G. Davies book, "Delta, an airline and its aircraft" it is pictured there. Also, you will see it in a couple of Cearley's books, during the Delta Introduction of the DC-9.
Never gonna grow up, never gonna slow down .... Barefoot Blue Jean Night
Viscount724 From Switzerland, joined Oct 2006, 21481 posts, RR: 24 Reply 13, posted (1 year 5 months 4 weeks 1 day 18 hours ago) and read 3355 times:
Quoting exFWAOONW (Reply 10): Quoting flyhossd (Reply 7):
By today's definition, this would be considered to be a RJ and not flown by Delta (mainline) at all.
It was a common type with the DC9-30 and DC9-50. Why would any airline split it off and loose that commonality and ability to substitute a/c as needed?
The DC-9-14/15 series is actually about 4 feet longer overall than the 737-200 due to the T-tail configuration.
type-rated From United States of America, joined Sep 1999, 4349 posts, RR: 20 Reply 14, posted (1 year 5 months 4 weeks 1 day ago) and read 2987 times:
flyhossd From United States of America, joined Nov 2009, 545 posts, RR: 1 Reply 15, posted (1 year 5 months 4 weeks 17 hours ago) and read 2767 times:
Quoting exFWAOONW (Reply 10): It was a common type with the DC9-30 and DC9-50. Why would any airline split it off and loose that commonality and ability to substitute a/c as needed?
I never to meant to suggest otherwise. Rather, I simply pointing out that a twin jet with a capacity of this size (DC-9-10 series) would be flown by a regional airline "vendor" today. In other words, it was an observation about how things have changed.
Is that a good thing? I have my opinion, you're certainly entitled to yours.
My statements do not represent my former employer or my current employer and are my opinions only.
PSU.DTW.SCE From United States of America, joined Jan 2002, 6871 posts, RR: 29 Reply 16, posted (1 year 5 months 4 weeks 14 hours ago) and read 2618 times:
Interesting to think that NW flew the DC-9-10 up through 2005, the -30 through Sept. 2011, the -40 through Jan. 2011, and still has the -50.
The -10 series really is what the 70-seat RJs is of today.
Yukon880 From United States of America, joined Sep 2011, 113 posts, RR: 2 Reply 17, posted (1 year 5 months 4 weeks 10 hours ago) and read 2459 times:
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Excellent topic and wouldn't it be something if the folks at DELTA could find a way to get this scheme slapped on a dash 50 before their days with the Widget are finally done!
Yukon880 From United States of America, joined Sep 2011, 113 posts, RR: 2 Reply 18, posted (1 year 5 months 3 weeks 6 days 13 hours ago) and read 2137 times:
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Quoting longhauler (Reply 8):
Remember at the time, all of Delta's aircraft had different paint schemes depending on the type. The DC-8 and Convair 880 each had their own image, and when the DC-9 was introduced, it bore this new scheme with the sideways widget.
When it was decided that the jets would all have one paint scheme, the "upright" widget was devised, and soon all jet aircraft wore this scheme.
Well, not quite.
While it is true that the initial DC-8s and the CV-880s were delivered with fleet-specific schemes, the "upright" Widget was on Delta metal long before the arrival of the sole "Delta Prince" (N3304L) and 'his' siblings. In April 1962 Delta's first DC-8-51 FanJet was delivered in full (upright) Widget livery, as were all subesquent deliveries. During 1963 the turbojet DC-8s were converted to FanJet power and received Widget paint. By the time DC-9 deliveries began in 1965, the entire Delta DC-8 fleet would have been sporting a Widget.
The DC-9 provided an interesting 'canvas' for Delta's marketing department to work with. What they came up with, in my mind, was genius!
zippyjet From United States of America, joined Sep 2001, 4724 posts, RR: 13 Reply 19, posted (1 year 5 months 3 weeks 6 days 12 hours ago) and read 2106 times:
Either way, this DL livery is the best of them all. Why did they change a timeless good thing. Today's DL livery is generic boooring!
mayor From United States of America, joined Mar 2008, 9188 posts, RR: 14 Reply 20, posted (1 year 5 months 3 weeks 6 days 2 hours ago) and read 1953 times:
Quoting longhauler (Reply 8): Other than the Herc, no prop aircraft wore the widget scheme in those days.
Not early on, but after the Northeast merger, the FH227s sported the standard "Widget" scheme.
delta2ual From United States of America, joined Dec 2007, 575 posts, RR: 1 Reply 21, posted (1 year 5 months 3 weeks 6 days ago) and read 1869 times:
All they told us in training is what you already mentioned: that the sideways widget was that way to represent moving forward or motion in that direction.
From the world's largest airline-to the world's largest airline. Delta2ual
Yukon880 From United States of America, joined Sep 2011, 113 posts, RR: 2 Reply 22, posted (1 year 5 months 3 weeks 4 days 10 hours ago) and read 1445 times:
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Ahh the irony...
After all these years the Widget is starting to lean forward again...
and the DC-9 is back in the fleet again too!
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