Any Braniff Fans?

I passed-by a newsstand yesterday and saw the latest issue of Airways Magazine. It is entirely devoted to the history of Braniff. I did not purchase as there is no poster stapled inside but it contains numerous photos, mostly in color of the "Jellybean Airline" as it was affectionately called since many aircraft were in various colors. I wonder whatever happened to their "Big Orange" B747 and their B74L? The cost is $8.95. I'll probably pick it up today at the newsstand. They published a similar issue a few years back for PanAm and it quickly sold-out.

Loved Braniff! Out of all the airlines to have graced the skies their culture was the most colorful...and not just because of their planes. They attempted many very novel and racy things to keep them standing out from the crowd.

This was I believe a 2pm departure daily from EWR to probably Dallas... I always looked forward to seeing it.



Tommy is right btw....they were a well run airline and one of, if not the most, profitable prior to deregulation, but they couldn't adjust in time afterwards...

Speedbird - there was also a Playboy issue devoted to the "Women of Braniff" shortly before their demise... perhaps you remember seeing on the newsstands as well? possibly worth a pretty penny now, but again, Tommy is right, it was more than just the planes.. :D

Tom

I just bought the issue the other day and it is fantastic. Goes into the whole story, their use of the BAC 1-11, a writeup on the BA/AF Concorde codeshare including the "legend" that the last SST flight from DFW-IAD went Mach 1.1. I loved reading about it

Not having the benefit of the magazine in front of me, is it all possible they went supersonic on their last flight?

Tom

If anyone hasn't had a chance to check out the book "Splash of Colors: The Self Destruction of Braniff International" It's a great piece of reading.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tom_Turner

Not having the benefit of the magazine in front of me, is it all possible they went supersonic on their last flight?

Tom

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Well it does say it's a "legend" that it happened on the last flight, with "the blessing of the FAA inspector riding in the jump seat". Of course, that's the sort of scuttlebutt sure to keep us talking about Braniff.

The issue really is worth picking up, the photos are amazing. There's a great shot of one of their 707's that was outfitted with an engine transport pod slung beneath the #2 powerplant and the fuselage. As the story goes Braniff ordered their 707's with the JT4 instead of JT3 turbojet, and the pods helped to get spares around their network less expensively than to keep a stock of them at every station. Great stuff.

I didn't grow up in Braniff's heyday and therefore don't count but I'm a fan. I can say I got to see some of Braniff II airplanes still stored after the company shut down and saw Braniff III flying in the early 90's. I love all the Braniff liveries since the introduction of the colorful jets all the way until the last Braniff, even the simpler Braniff II. The Calder DC-8 was spectacular!

Braniff had two different schemes on their planes at a time, both shots from 1978:




Now those were attractive aircraft!

Whats Braniff?

sighed,

Gerry Arpey

Calder DC-8 Photo

I'm glad those brave ex Braniff people traveled to Minnesota and we know have Sun Country!

remember the jelly bean fleet gracing JFK,EWR,andLGA in the 60's and 70's,remember the Calder DC-8 coming in on the Canarsie approach,the Wunala of its day, and I remember watching the Great Pumpkin pulling a contrail over Manhattan sometime in the late 70's, good old Braniff a spotters dream!

And don't forget the "Big Orange". I saw the B747SP version once arriving on Rwy 22L from Rio. The 'good ole days".

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/d...reid/N1805.jpg

The first time I came across the above Calder DC-8 picture my reaction was WOW! The artwork on the wings make the whole design even more spectacular.

I thought about looking for that pic and posting it, but was too lazy :) The angle is rarely seen on this aircraft, most shots are usually from the side.

Hey Speedbird....

Braniff's fleet of 747's had some great history. Here is some information on one of their three 747SP's.

Tail # N606BN - 747SP was delivered to Braniff on May 19, 1980

On September 23, 1983 it became N529PA and flew for Pan Am. - Most notably flew their LAX/SYD non-stop

On February 2, 1986 it became N150UA and flew for United Airlines

On August 20, 1992 it became A4O-SP and flew for Oman Grant.

Currently it is Stored at Roswell as N747A.

any Braniff fans?"

Were going to get along just fine!

I lived the "FlyingColors" in my time. That is the two tone scheme, 4 of them and the solid orange 747. They operated one 747 N601BN, that was the 100th 747 built and was used for the HNL-DFW flagship run. She logged more time then any other 747 and held a record for one of the fastest engine changes done. Service was decadent.
Then came the solid color "Ultra" and they dropped the International name and " BI " from the planes.

I loved going to EWR with my dad, we would bet each other what color would arrive next.

After deregulation Braniff was hell bent to "take over the world and snapped up other 747s and new 747SPs. Too much, too soon, too little money.

See here:
http://www.braniffinternational.com/
http://www.braniffpages.com/
http://www.thebranifffamily.org/

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Lets keep this Braniff thread going!

Just picked up a BI keychain from the Cradle of Aviation museum- that place is great!