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Post by Tom/CalClassic on Sept 7, 2008 9:19:14 GMT -5
Hi,
Since Gary didn't create a discussion thread I thought I would.
I flew in a United Caravelle from Cleveland OH to Atlanta GA in 1964. It was one of my first jet trips, and I remember the takeoff and steep climb was thrilling, compared to the old propliners.
Thanks,
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Post by Deleted on Sept 7, 2008 9:33:40 GMT -5
The Caravelle never flew into my childhood airport (Municipal Airport, KC, Mo.) but I've always loved the livery on her. Great job, Gary!  Brian |
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Post by hobofat on Sept 14, 2008 21:26:53 GMT -5
One simply cannot get tired of looking at the Caravelle! It's too bad technological advancements took precedence over aesthetics ;D
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Post by Kristopher Crook, RAI on Sept 15, 2008 10:53:28 GMT -5
The Caravelle never flew into my childhood airport (Municipal Airport, KC, Mo.) but I've always loved the livery on her. Great job, Gary! Brian Actually, it did, but not in airline service. I have seen a picture of it with the KCP&L Building behind it while on final to KMKC - unfortunately, I cannot scan it and post it, as it is from a microfilm of the Kansas City Star, so it would violate their copyright. You - and others - may recall that in the early 1960's Douglas explored the idea of building the Caravelle in the U.S. under license and a model was flown around the country to see the possibilities and show it off to airlines. TWA was interested in it because of the limitations on jets at KMKC, so Douglas brought it to Municipal to show that it was capable of safely operating from the airport. They also brought it to my hometown, Oklahoma City, with TWA pilots in command to test the operational ability out of the higher elevation and a similarly-sized runway, as KOKC had, at the time, only a 7,200' main runway and a 5,000' crosswind. Expansion at Will Rogers in 1965-66 made the STOL capabilities of the Caravelle moot, as the expanded airport featured a new 9,800' runway, an expanded cross wind to 7,000' and the old main runway also taken out to 9,800' making KOKC capable of handling any commercial aircraft under any condition. In Kansas City, of course, the same concerns were erased in 1972 when KCI opened. But back to the Caravelle... The joint deal with Sud Aviation and Douglas never panned out. Some have speculated that Douglas engineers were not so much interested in marketing an American-built Caravelle as they were exploring its technology. And, oddly, many Caravelle features showed up a few years later on the DC-9 - a plane TWA bought largely to operate in and out of KMKC. The Caravelle was still better-looking, always will be. It and the Vickers VC-10 were, IMO, the most elegant and dare I say, sexy, jets ever built. |
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Post by Tom/CalClassic on Sept 15, 2008 11:15:18 GMT -5
Yep, I agree - Caravelle and VC-10. Too bad no US airline ever bought the VC-10...
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