|
Post by jamesvswanson on Sept 17, 2013 22:45:46 GMT -5
Sears Roebuck DC-3 N34113 in Rio de Janeiro, March, 1949. Looks like a hot day in Rio. Standard cockpit attire for Sears pilots was a business suit: jacket off, necktie on.
|
|
|
Post by jamesvswanson on Sept 20, 2013 22:20:50 GMT -5
Sears Roebuck hangar at Midway Airport, Chicago, in the mid-1960's. This building was formerly the Capital Airlines hanger. Sears Convair 440 N9730 at the rear, and one of the Chicago-based Sears DC-3's to the front. Sears also leased hangar space here----to the left is a Howard 500 operated by Chicago Gas & Pipeline. The stylized Sears Roebuck logo on the building is the same one used on the Convair 440 in the unusual livery shown in my previous posts of 03/23/13 and 04/24/13.
|
|
|
Post by Tom/CalClassic on Sept 21, 2013 9:18:19 GMT -5
Hi,
Thanks. I wonder where this hangar was located on the airport?
|
|
|
Post by jamesvswanson on Sept 21, 2013 21:44:34 GMT -5
Hi Tom -- Looking at the current Wikipedia diagram of Midway, this hangar was located on the east end of the South Ramp, along 63rd Street; that is, in the southeast section of the airport. Here's a photo when it was occupied by Capital Airlines----the view is southwest with Butler Aviation to the left (to the left of Butler was the southeast corner of the airport and the threshold to what is now Runway 31C----looks to me like the North Central DC-3 is taking off on that runway), and, heading west, the Capital hangar (with an attached two-story office section on the east side) and then a much smaller hanger (identified as "Storage" in this picture) that I believe housed Monarch Aviation at one point (Monarch may have occupied the other two hangars as well at different times). I think Sears leased space at different times in both the Butler hangar and the "Storage/Monarch" hangar before buying the Capital hangar. Hope this nails it for you.
|
|
|
Post by Tom/CalClassic on Sept 21, 2013 22:36:20 GMT -5
Hi,
I've never seen those buildings before, thanks. I'm keeping this photo in my MDW file in case I ever redo the airport.
I assume that is the American Airlines hangar in the background, which appeared to me to be in the middle of the south side.
I only had good pictures for a few of the hangars.
Thanks again,
|
|
|
Post by jamesvswanson on Sept 23, 2013 20:57:27 GMT -5
Boarding the "Pacific Coaster" with my parents. Apparently I was the first TSA agent. Tom - I e-mailed you some additional pictures of the Midway Airport South Ramp----hope you got them.
|
|
|
Post by Tom/CalClassic on Sept 24, 2013 9:43:56 GMT -5
Hi,
No, I have not received anything, apparently. My address is tgibson at sunstroke dot sdsu dot edu.
Thanks,
|
|
|
Post by jamesvswanson on Sept 24, 2013 10:57:14 GMT -5
Tom - I got a message that delivery to your address is delayed, so I guess I'll give it a little more time before trying again.
|
|
|
Post by jamesvswanson on Sept 27, 2013 15:09:49 GMT -5
Refueling and sprucing up Sears DC-3 N34113, somewhere in South America, I think. I have some 8mm film of a similar South American refueling operation, except that instead of a fuel line, a 55-gallon drum has been lifted onto the wing, and the avgas is being poured into the tanks through a chamois to guard against contamination. The result was some fast dance steps and fuel-soaked shoes for the Sears pilot who was also up on the wing keeping an eye on things. The good old days.
|
|
|
Post by Tom/CalClassic on Sept 27, 2013 15:37:43 GMT -5
Nice shot - there aren't enough pictures of people actually working on the plane.
Thanks,
|
|
|
Post by jamesvswanson on Sept 28, 2013 16:20:03 GMT -5
I haven't come across many pictures of people working on the Sears planes, but here's one of Chief Mechanic Charlie Russell working on one of the DC-3's----probably N34113. Looks like this photo was taken at the same time as the gag shot I posted on 07/27/13.
|
|
|
Post by jamesvswanson on Oct 2, 2013 16:36:00 GMT -5
Tales of the "Pacific Coaster" (Sears Roebuck West Coast DC-3 N49952) - No. 4
|
|
|
Post by jamesvswanson on Oct 7, 2013 14:15:58 GMT -5
Pilots in the cockpit of the Sears Roebuck Convair 440 N9730 (left-Vic Swanson; right-Taylor Holman).
|
|
|
Post by Tom/CalClassic on Oct 7, 2013 16:08:35 GMT -5
I think that may be a DC-3? But I'm not sure.
|
|
|
Post by jamesvswanson on Oct 7, 2013 16:30:32 GMT -5
Hi Tom -- You could be right. I based my comment on the apparent ages of the pilots, my belief that these two usually teamed on the Convair once it became part of the Sears fleet, and the weather radar installation which was first put into the Convair----but I think the DC-3's were equipped later as well (one of the Sears CEO's would not fly with no radar and any thunderstorm activity en route, so weather radar became necessary in the early 60's).
I'll check around some other photos to see if I can confirm which cockpit. I'm headed for some surgery tomorrow, so I may be out of commission for a while.
|
|