Airline Promotional Airplanes

[MichaelB]

As many of you know, I have developed an affection for "give away" or promotional airplanes. "Givers" have generally been the aircraft manufacturers, the airlines - or together in consort.
As an example, many of you have probably seen the very common Delta L1011 on the various dealer tables. This little piece is an excellent example and also holds the distinction of being perhaps the last of the line - at least from an airline. Lockheed was very much into offering little planes of it's entire line -including military pieces going back to the days of the early Constellations, the 049. Again - with the help of the airlines.
Without going into a whole history of the genre I was very pleased to finally get together a classic set - these being the little DC-9s that seem to have been delivered from Douglas to all the airlines who bought their planes. While I'm sure I don't have them all, I am able to say that the most important ones for me are the Trans Texas Airways, Texas International, and Continental Airlines issues. Naturally, they are home-town favorites for me (I'm in Houston - hot and humid). These are about 3" long, and are one piece injected plastic. For those of you not in the know, TTA became Texas International which then became Continental (and will soon be United).
The toy itself is of a short body (-10) series plane, but both COA and TI ordered and used the -30, -50 or MD-80 variants as well. I figure that "one size fits all".
Anyway...a personal goal achieved and satisfaction gained!
There are many, many different examples in this genre - way more than I want to get into at this time, but I am up for future discussions.
Michael

[planepaul]

Here are a few of my DC-9s. I have others in differing scales and sub-types. I really do need to catalog what I have. I'm sure there are over a hundread different types. Yet there are examples I have not seen before, like your DC-9s, Michael.

I had a small collection of UAL types when I was young. Those all went bye-bye with housecleaning shortly after I left home. Then a friend gave me a UAL Convair 340, and the interest in them was rekindled. It's nice that a large collection can fit into a small area.

I ran across a lot of Northwest Electras recently, and painted one up as NASA 429. Great fun.

[planepaul]

Here is the NASA 429.

[dasimperator]

Here are my three premium planes - a Delta DC-8-61, a Delta L-1011 and a Convair 880 with no livery

3_premium_planes.jpg (36.28 KiB) Viewed 17879 times

[MichaelB]

Thanks y'all for checking in! Here's my list of all known DC-9 promo variants:
Continental
TTA
Eastern
Ozark
Southern
West Coast
Bonanza
Northeast (yellow)
Delta
Allegheny Fan Jet
Texas International

Paul, your Electra conversion looks great! It's a nice little model - surprisingly good casting! However, before you use another NW Electra in this way - drop me a line! I don't have one!
I have only found 3 UAL promotions: CV-340, DC-6 and DC-7. No jet airliners.
The 880 also comes in a white Delta CV-880 version, and I have seen a totally red one as well.
Fun stuff, guys - and true airline and model history!
Michael

[Tone]

I got this one last year.



A variant of the Allegheny DC-9.



Cost-cutting variant of the TriStar without the blue lettering, just raised relief in white.



A nice KLM 747.

[MichaelB]

Nice stuff, Tony! I'm sure you've got more in there...
Love that Jetstream! I've got a variant that just says Jetstream.
On the 1011 I've got Delta printed on the wing, raised numbers and letters (as shown) and finally raised with ink on them! Again, the last of the airline sponsored toys.
Tell me more about that KLM...I've not seen that before...
I have neither of the Alleghenys, so that's good to see. Since Allegheny didn't fly into my neck of the woods they are not often seen down here. Probably the same for you and Trans Texas, yes?
Michael

[Tone]

I bought the 747 either from Geoff or from Bob Post, as it was in a plastic zipper bag with a computer-printed label, a "hallmark" in toy packaging for both of you (and a good one at that!). I forgot what the label read but the plane is very dense plastic and the details are printed on. The grey plastic wing and stabilizers have been glued to the fuselage. Below the wings is printed simply "BOEING 747B." Was that an official designation? I think the plane is really a 747-100 series as the top fuselage has just the three windows per side, and it isn't painted blue. The plane is the size of a Dyna Flite 747.

[grwebster]

I don't remember it, it must have been Bob.
Say why hasn't he joined us here?- Next time you talk with him or see him, tell him about the forum

[MichaelB]

Here's a true odd ball...it's a Convair and it has KLM marks on it. KLM used both the CV240 and 340 from 1948 (240) to 1964 (340), so it has to date from that time. Considering the quality of the plastic (bright color, hard) and the overall genre, it has to date from the early '1950s. Even though it shows the 240/340 exhaust, it doesn't represent a Convair in any but the most general sense. It could be a Saab Scania - but it isn't!
The photo is "enhanced" to show the KLM on the top of the fuselage and "Fliegender Hollaender" on the wings. Two and 1/4 inch wingspan.
This is the solitary example of an early European airline "toy" that I have in the genre. I'm sure there are others - Douglas was just too much into it...
Michael