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Started in 1945 by eleven former members of the Flying Tigers, the nickname for a special operations group of military pilots deployed to China during World War II, the Flying Tiger Line was the first scheduled all-cargo airline in the United States. Initially established as National Skyway Freight, the company changed their name to the Flying Tiger Line in 1947. Through the 1950s, their fleet, consisting of Lockheed Super Constellations, Douglas DC-4s and DC-6s, completed transcontinental commercial air cargo service and other charter operations. Early in 1961, the airline purchased a number of Canadair CL-44 all-cargo aircraft, nicknamed “Swingtails” as their tails literally swung open for loading cargo. In 1965, in a collaboration between the Flying Tiger Line, the Rockwell-Standard Corporation, TWA (Trans World Airlines), and Boeing Aircraft, a specially modified Boeing 707-302G, named Pole Cat and painted in Flying Tigers livery, flew around the world over both the north and south poles. As a result, it became the first plane to fly the route and set an around-the-world speed record. By the mid-1980s, Flying Tigers became the world’s largest air cargo carrier, operating scheduled cargo service to six continents and served 58 countries. As with many airline companies, airline deregulation created cutthroat competitive conditions and in 1989, the Flying Tiger Line merged with Federal Express.
This image was posted on May 12, 2022.
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