Delta has parked the DC-7B at the north end of E concourse for all to see. Just out of the paint shop 2 weeks ago. It’s beautiful! My father flew it as capt many times and is coming by ATL in a few days to sit in the cockpit. The funds for this plane were raised many years ago and it’s done...

Thanks Delta...

I am always glad when an airliner gets preserved.

It’d be so nice if DL did a retro livery on one of their existing aircraft in this paint scheme. This and other historical Delta and NW liveries.

dbo861 wrote:

It’d be so nice if DL did a retro livery on one of their existing aircraft in this paint scheme. This and other historical Delta and NW liveries.

You mean like this one? I liked it:

I believe the north end of E is still sealed off. Where is the best place to view it?

Is this thing airworthy?

Rbgso wrote:

Is this thing airworthy?

Nope.

It has been restored only as a static display.

What a beautiful thing!

The whole DC4 6 and 7 series had a certain elegance to them while at the same time looked “all business”.

Yes, the Lockheed Constellation series were stunners, I grant that. But, there is this special something about the Douglas planes; especially the 6 and 7. Planes from the days of sliderules, Marchant rotary calculators, T-squares and lucite triangles have a magic all their own.

AA737-823 wrote:

dbo861 wrote:

It’d be so nice if DL did a retro livery on one of their existing aircraft in this paint scheme. This and other historical Delta and NW liveries.

You mean like this one? I liked it:

Exactly. But, the management hates retros as they are not brand consistent. But, I think a 1990s Tristar Livery or NW livery would do. Oh well.

DIJKKIJK wrote:

Rbgso wrote:

Is this thing airworthy?

Nope.

It has been restored only as a static display.

Wasn't she flown in?

WayexTDI wrote:

DIJKKIJK wrote:

Rbgso wrote:

Is this thing airworthy?

Nope.

It has been restored only as a static display.

Wasn't she flown in?

That just means it was made airworthy enough to be flown in. That doesn’t mean the aircraft was restored in such a way that it remains airworthy.

Wondered but never asked, what led to the rounded tails getting angular? DC6/7 had rounded tails as did the DHC, whereas the later aircraft onwards (DC8,707) had angular tails that are similar to what we see today.

I'm assuming it has to do with speed, but I'm not quite seeing how.

Polot wrote:

WayexTDI wrote:

DIJKKIJK wrote:

Nope.

It has been restored only as a static display.

Wasn't she flown in?

That just means it was made airworthy enough to be flown in. That doesn’t mean the aircraft was restored in such a way that it remains airworthy.

Given the short timeframe between her arrival in ATL and now, the "restoration" was primarily cosmetic; how can that really affect airworthiness? DL TechOps is perfectly capable of performing a cosmetic restoration while maintaining the airworthiness status.
Restoring an aircraft for static display, after being flown in to her final destination, does not necessarily mean she is no longer airworthy; lack of future maintenance can easily make her non-airworthy in the future.

WayexTDI wrote:

Wasn't she flown in?

Yes, I believe with borrowed engines.

Antarius wrote:

Wondered but never asked, what led to the rounded tails getting angular? DC6/7 had rounded tails as did the DHC, whereas the later aircraft onwards (DC8,707) had angular tails that are similar to what we see today.

I'm assuming it has to do with speed, but I'm not quite seeing how.

Less turbulence? Clean break can lead to smoother transition.

Would be cool if parked near a Sky Club and used as a Bar/Lounge with retro glassware! Similar to The TWA Hotel Constellation.

gr8slvrflt wrote:

I believe the north end of E is still sealed off. Where is the best place to view it?

The north end of D concourse.

reltney wrote:

Delta has parked the DC-7B at the north end of E concourse for all to see. Just out of the paint shop 2 weeks ago. It’s beautiful! My father flew it as capt many times and is coming by ATL in a few days to sit in the cockpit. The funds for this plane were raised many years ago and it’s done...

Thanks Delta...

This is an interesting one. Apparently, this DC7B is one that actually flew for Delta - that's similar to the former Eastern DC7B that was restored and is now in Charlotte, but quite different from the Lockheed 1049H Constellation in TWA colors in the museum in Kansas City, which was actually an ex-Air Force airplane (or even the Breitling DC6 and L1049 in Switzerland). I'd love to see this airplane. I grew up in Hawaii in the mid 1950's and flew many DC7's (United) and DC7C's (Pan Am) on 8 hour plus runs to the West Coast and Transcon before the jets came, but never had a chance to fly a DC7B.

Anybody know the time frame before this one is on display at the Delta museum? I think it would be worth a flight over to ATL to see it

The L-1049H in TWA colors never operated by the Air Force.It was built as a civilian L-1049H and delivered new to Slick as N6937C.

DL_Mech wrote:

WayexTDI wrote:

Wasn't she flown in?

Yes, I believe with borrowed engines.

Correct. Two engines were leased to fly it to Atlanta. They were returned to the owner after arriving in ATL and the two "bad" engines reinstalled to display the aircraft.

Tuesday evening, I saw it sitting over by the old Eastern hangar, in the same alcove that the MD 11 was repaired in 20 or so years ago

I may have flown on this DC-7. My first flight on Delta was Knoxville to Atlanta on a DC-7 in early 1966.Somewhere I have a pic I took of it sitting on the tarmac taken from the Knoxville observation deck. The weather sucked in Atlanta so we had to circle for a half hour.

The next leg was Atlanta to Orlando on a DC-9. Must have been a -100.

airtechy wrote:

I may have flown on this DC-7. My first flight on Delta was Knoxville to Atlanta on a DC-7 in early 1966.Somewhere I have a pic I took of it sitting on the tarmac taken from the Knoxville observation deck. The weather sucked in Atlanta so we had to circle for a half hour.

The next leg was Atlanta to Orlando on a DC-9. Must have been a -100.

Way cool, thanks for sharing.

FYI, Douglas didn't use the same naming conventions as Boeing. I believe that the first DC9 version to enter service was the -10, and there were weight increases that created the -14 and -15 shortly thereafter. But I stand to be corrected

Look forward to seeing her at the Delta museum. As a kid I flew on a couple of Delta DC7B's offering Royal Service.

Air travel was special in the days of this aircraft, people actually had good manners, now like moving cattle and dealing with rude passengers dressed like slobs.

[quote="FF630" Air travel was special in the days of this aircraft, people actually had good manners, now like moving cattle and dealing with rude passengers dressed like slobs.[/quote]
Exactly my thought, too.
There was genuine romance to air travel in the piston era.

sparky35805 wrote:

The L-1049H in TWA colors never operated by the Air Force.It was built as a civilian L-1049H and delivered new to Slick as N6937C.

You're right. I stand corrected.

Jeff

Snapped a picture the other day...trying to add the photo

SteelChair wrote:

Tuesday evening, I saw it sitting over by the old Eastern hangar, in the same alcove that the MD 11 was repaired in 20 or so years ago

I saw it also. I also saw it right after it returned to ATL on the far side of the Eastern hangar next to the Delta employee lot. Neat looking aircraft.

AA737-823 wrote:

dbo861 wrote:

It’d be so nice if DL did a retro livery on one of their existing aircraft in this paint scheme. This and other historical Delta and NW liveries.

You mean like this one? I liked it:

That gray paint was NOT a retro Delta livery. Delta never had that scheme on any plane. It was a bad representation of a DC-4/3 scheme and ...well, yuck. Grey was wrong, cheat line was never around the windows, cowl paint wrong... just yuk. Now the next livery they painted it was the delivery scheme when my father flew it as captain on the inaugural flight and that’s the paint job it has in the museum.

Cheers.

I’ve always liked the deep shade of dark blue and orange-red of that livery.

I also really like the now retro Delta “Flying D” logo.

Above the door it says, “Delta Airlines.” I thought it was Delta Air Service then Delta Air Lines. Was it ever “Airlines”?

Does anyone know the history of the adoption and use of “crown”? E.g., Golden Crown, Golden Crown Service, Crown Room Club.

gaystudpilot wrote:

Above the door it says, “Delta Airlines.” I thought it was Delta Air Service then Delta Air Lines. Was it ever “Airlines”?

Good catch! It looks like they got that wrong. A picture from 1967 has it written correctly:

The Delta Museum, and the Delta volunteers who make things like this happen, really do an outstanding job.

Now they need to get an L10 for the museum...

gaystudpilot wrote:

Above the door it says, “Delta Airlines.” I thought it was Delta Air Service then Delta Air Lines.

I noticed that, too. I'm glad you asked the question, because I just figured that folks at the Museum would know and I must be wrong. Glad somebody posted a picture from the time. Good eye!!

gaystudpilot wrote:

I’ve always liked the deep shade of dark blue and orange-red of that livery.

I also really like the now retro Delta “Flying D” logo.

Above the door it says, “Delta Airlines.” I thought it was Delta Air Service then Delta Air Lines. Was it ever “Airlines”?

Does anyone know the history of the adoption and use of “crown”? E.g., Golden Crown, Golden Crown Service, Crown Room Club.

As I recall the Crown was a play off the “Royal Service.”

https://www.deltamuseum.org/docs/site/a ... 8ee4bb21_2

Would love to have a good laugh with this. Announce a delay due to aircraft type change and then pull this into the gate. The true aviation geeks would definitely show themselves

Beautiful airplane

Did Delta (and Eastern) buy DC 7B models because they were a bit bigger than DC 7s? I don’t think either airline needed the extra range the B came with.

SFOThinker wrote:

Did Delta (and Eastern) buy DC 7B models because they were a bit bigger than DC 7s? I don’t think either airline needed the extra range the B came with.

Not trying to be snarky but if you go to the Airliners.net homepage way down on the lower left is the Aircraft Data and History. Click on it. It is in alphabetical order. Scroll down to Douglas DC-7.
Tons of information right here.

Okie

GSOtoIND wrote:

gaystudpilot wrote:

Above the door it says, “Delta Airlines.” I thought it was Delta Air Service then Delta Air Lines. Was it ever “Airlines”?

Good catch! It looks like they got that wrong. A picture from 1967 has it written correctly:

Thanks for sharing the photo.

catiii wrote:

gaystudpilot wrote:

I’ve always liked the deep shade of dark blue and orange-red of that livery.

I also really like the now retro Delta “Flying D” logo.

Above the door it says, “Delta Airlines.” I thought it was Delta Air Service then Delta Air Lines. Was it ever “Airlines”?

Does anyone know the history of the adoption and use of “crown”? E.g., Golden Crown, Golden Crown Service, Crown Room Club.

As I recall the Crown was a play off the “Royal Service.”

https://www.deltamuseum.org/docs/site/a ... 8ee4bb21_2

Thanks. I browsed the museum’s site prior to posting but did not see that page. IIRC, in later years there was also a “Royal Medallion Service.” Obviously marketing/branding of the service. I just have not heard the origins of “Royal” and “Crown.” Perhaps there is nothing more behind it than Delta wanting to sound regal.

I found these two quotes from the link interesting:

Aloft, Scotch and a Bourbon highballs, Martini and Manhattan cocktails are offered at reasonable prices. They are limited to two per passenger.

A charge for cocktails in First Class, even in Royal Service flights. And an explicit drink limit.

And afterwards, complimentary mint and cigarette trays are passed around.

A cigarette tray! Fancy. Thankfully that’s been gone for decades.

gaystudpilot wrote:

A charge for cocktails in First Class, even in Royal Service flights. And an explicit drink limit.

Delta was a dry airline for a long time. Royal Service might have brought alcohol to Delta.

Nice photo, even has an Air Canada Vanguard in the background.

Does this DC-7 have a pressurized cabin?

Yes the DC-7 was pressurized along with the DC-6. DC-4 was not.

Beautiful plane. I can still envision those enormous windows with the cloth curtains. Speaking of museums, other than the superb DL and AA ones, are there any others in the U.S. Does UA have one?

GSOtoIND wrote:

gaystudpilot wrote:

Above the door it says, “Delta Airlines.” I thought it was Delta Air Service then Delta Air Lines. Was it ever “Airlines”?

Good catch! It looks like they got that wrong. A picture from 1967 has it written correctly:

No, it was never “Airlines”. Delta probably still uses that “16000” series bag tug! (The “stewardess” May be still flying too!)

admanager wrote:

Nice photo, even has an Air Canada Vanguard in the background.

I was about to pose the question, thanks for the answer !

blacksoviet wrote:

Does this DC-7 have a pressurized cabin?

Not for decades. Used as a fire bomber for many years. Pressurization was probably removed not long after it was retired by Delta in 1968(?). On it's IWA-MAF-ATL ferry flight a year ago it flew at a fairly low altitude. About 10,000ft, IIRC.

Delta should use this aircraft as a hot spare based out of ATL. It would be a perfect substitute for a 717.