1959 brought a new invitation, but this time from far away Anchorage. It sure sounded like a great deal but as luck would have it only seven or eight of the team members were able to get to that game. Few seats and heavy northbound loads restricted available seats. Such is the life of a pass rider. In any event it also turned into quite an affair as local radio, TV and newspaper media and a few local officials met those team members that were able to get through. Despite being short handed the game was played, with a few volunteers along with our own traveling umpire Sam Wyman filling out the team roster. Allegedly the game was carried play by play live on local radio. Station Manager Clayte Schule and Sales Manager Cot Hayes did a great job creating a PR moment for the airline.
In 1960 with the opening of the new overhaul and general office facility at the MSP airport and the summer long labor dispute, the team disbanded. – Does anyone have fun like that anymore?
The End of Another Era
The highlight of January 7, 2007 will be the arrival of the last NWA DC-10 scheduled flight and allegedly the last DC-10 in scheduled U.S. service. Flight 98will be coming from Honolulu and more than likely will land on runway 30L, the same runway that saw the arrival of Northwest’s first DC-10 in November 1972. Back in 1972 that strip was called 29L, but it’s still the same runway used by arriving ship #143 under the command of Flight Standards’ Director, Captain Paul Soderlind. Watching the approach from the overhaul base ramp, the airplane presented an unusual silhouette with engine pods hanging below each wing and a third perched high in the vertical stabilizer. Most unusual was a strut and extra set of wheels positioned, center wing under the fuselage. As time went on that strut and wheel assembly elicited a somewhat disrespectful nomenclature.
Northwest’s first DC-10’s were dash 40 models. They received that designation partly due to the slightly different configuration with the extra gear, used to distribute its heavier weight, but also as a promotional gimmick to showoff its new and improved status. It also helped to define the installation (at the insistence of President Don Nyrop) of the same P&W power plants unutilized on NWA’s early 747 fleet.
The “Tens” were a good fit for the airline. Smaller than the 747’s but considerably larger than its predecessors Boeing B-720 and B-320 fleets. They were particularly useful on seasonable services to the southland and on Atlantic routes when those services were established. Over time the DC-10 was seen on just about all the company’s route structure. As time passed the dash-40 fleet was augmented with the addition of purchased and leased dash 30 versions.
The original fleet of dash 40 models was retired several months ago. Now all DC-10s, being somewhat fuel hogs by today’s standards, and with current high fuel costs, have to go. New more fuel-efficient A-330s have been added to the fleet over the past few months with more to come. They appear to be great replacements.
DC-10s were flown by many of the world’s airlines and as well by the military. Most of them are also being retired. Several of Northwest’s current pilot corps flew the Air Force DC-10s as in-flight refueling tankers. It is believed that the U.S. Forest Service may have some of the retired aircraft converted to tankers for forest fire fighting use.
Another Sales Pitch: We have a few special order DC-10 models available for sale. These are built to about a 1/160 scale with an approximate 12” wing span. These models are available in the original dash 40 colors and logos of more recent years’ dash 30 version. Our special price is $79.00 (members $71.00). We’ll absorb the taxes but will have to charge $5.00 to take care of the shipping expense.
Even a better deal –Anyone wishing to become a Lifetime Associate Member of the History Centre (one-time tax deductible dues of $500.00) will receive one of these DC-10 models with our complements.
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