Northeast Airlines Boeing 727
In the 1930s, it was by no means unusual for railroads to set up their own airlines, relying on name recognition to sell tickets while cashing in on the “fad” of airline travel. The Boston-Maine Railroad, in partnership with Maine Central Railroad and Pan American Airways, set up Boston-Maine Airways in July 1931. Its purpose was mainly to provide connections for Pan American between New York and Boston. Due to the Depression, it flew only intermittently before World War II, but by the American entry into the war, the airline was experienced enough that its pilots pioneered transatlantic ferry routes between the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. In 1940 Boston-Maine became Northeast Airlines.
With its wartime experience, Northeast hoped to fly transatlantic, but those routes were awarded to the industry giants, Juan Trippe’s Pan American and Howard Hughes’ Trans-World Airlines. Northeast was relegated to serving only the northeast United States, though it did operate a popular shuttle to Miami in the winter months. Through the 1950s and early 1960s, Northeast suffered from poor management and a high accident rate, and flirted with bankruptcy. In 1965, new ownership rebuilt the airline: older piston-engined aircraft were retired, as were the gas-thirsty Convair 880s that were Northeast’s first jets. Instead, Northeast concentrated on what it did best: regional service, using a mix of all-new Boeing 727s, Douglas DC-9s, and Fokker F.27 Friendship turboprops. Its fleet was repainted in an attractive white-and-yellow scheme, and marketed as the “Yellowbirds.” Though Northeast did see more success, it still was not turning a profit, and by 1972, it merged with Delta, giving the latter its first foothold outside of the American South.
This aircraft, N1640, was bought new by Northeast in 1967. It would go onto a long career with Northeast and Delta before finally ending up with USAir and retired in 1996. It was scrapped soon thereafter.
Northeast Airlines Boeing 727
In the 1930s, it was by no means unusual for railroads to set up their own airlines, relying on name recognition to sell tickets while cashing in on the “fad” of airline travel. The Boston-Maine Railroad, in partnership with Maine Central Railroad and Pan American Airways, set up Boston-Maine Airways in July 1931. Its purpose was mainly to provide connections for Pan American between New York and Boston. Due to the Depression, it flew only intermittently before World War II, but by the American entry into the war, the airline was experienced enough that its pilots pioneered transatlantic ferry routes between the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. In 1940 Boston-Maine became Northeast Airlines.
With its wartime experience, Northeast hoped to fly transatlantic, but those routes were awarded to the industry giants, Juan Trippe’s Pan American and Howard Hughes’ Trans-World Airlines. Northeast was relegated to serving only the northeast United States, though it did operate a popular shuttle to Miami in the winter months. Through the 1950s and early 1960s, Northeast suffered from poor management and a high accident rate, and flirted with bankruptcy. In 1965, new ownership rebuilt the airline: older piston-engined aircraft were retired, as were the gas-thirsty Convair 880s that were Northeast’s first jets. Instead, Northeast concentrated on what it did best: regional service, using a mix of all-new Boeing 727s, Douglas DC-9s, and Fokker F.27 Friendship turboprops. Its fleet was repainted in an attractive white-and-yellow scheme, and marketed as the “Yellowbirds.” Though Northeast did see more success, it still was not turning a profit, and by 1972, it merged with Delta, giving the latter its first foothold outside of the American South.
This aircraft, N1640, was bought new by Northeast in 1967. It would go onto a long career with Northeast and Delta before finally ending up with USAir and retired in 1996. It was scrapped soon thereafter.