loading image

#OnThisDay in 1959, the Convair 880 took off on its maiden flight. The aircraft was claimed to be the fastest commercial jetliner in service at the time with a maximum cruising speed of 615mph. Developed and produced by the Convair Division of General Dynamics in San Diego, California, the medium-range aircraft had a narrow body, sharply swept-back wings, and a capacity for just over one hundred passengers. Delta Air Lines initially packaged its 880 flights as a first-class premium service configured for seventy-two passengers. Its first-class lounge was touted as the largest available in a jetliner. Have you ever flown on a Convair 880? Image: Delta Air Lines timetable, Convair 880, 1960. Gift of the Mark F. Adams Collection. 2001.106.358 This image was posted on January 27, 2020.