Flying Tiger Line
Flying Tiger Line ( from October 1980 Flying Tigers ), was an American cargo airline. It was founded originally under the name National Skyways Freight Corporation on June 25, 1945. Founding fathers of the airline were Robert W. Prescott and Sam Mosher. 1946, the company was renamed to Flying Tiger Line, as many former pilots of the American Volunteer Group (also known as Flying Tigers ) came to the society. Had your home base, the airline initially in Burbank near Los Angeles.
History
Early flight operation
Establishing in 1945, was used at that time extremely modern Budd RB-1 Conestoga, the first cargo plane over the hold arranged cockpit and thus larger usable cargo space, which also consisted entirely of stainless steel. A short time later closed to freight contracts with the USAAF and the Douglas C -54 joined the fleet. Since 1949, civilian orders were processed and the fleet was 6 DC and Lockheed L -1049 increased by several Douglas DC-3, Curtiss C-46 Commando, Douglas. On the flight plan cities like New York, Boston and Chicago were to be found.
Expansion in the 60s
Early sixties and international destinations such as Tokyo, Manila and Frankfurt were added to the route network on the Main. In 1961, the Canadair CL -44 collided with turboprop fleet in 1965 drew the airline with its headquarters from Burbank to Los Angeles. 1965 took over Flying Tigers its first Boeing 707 and opened the cargo with jet aircraft. With later expansions were Douglas DC-8- 63F and added to the fleet in 1974, the first Boeing 747-100. 1962 crashed a Super Constellation with U.S. military personnel with Flying Tiger Flight 923 from on the way to Frankfurt over the Atlantic.
Purchase of Seaboard World Airlines
In 1978, the Flying Tiger Line shares of Seaboard World Airlines began buying up and eventually took over on 1 October 1980, the company completely. After the acquisition, the name of the Flying Tiger Line was changed to Flying Tigers.
Metro International Airways
In 1981, the subsidiary Metro International Airways was founded, conducted by tourist charter flights on behalf of tour operators. The subsidiary company set up a Boeing 747 Flying Tigers, which was equipped for this purpose with a seating. If necessary, Metro International Airways attacked shortly back on other airplanes of the parent company. The subsidiary was dissolved in November 1983.
Largest cargo airline
Flying Tigers became the largest cargo carriers around the world with flights to six continents and operating henceforth a huge fleet of DC-8- 63 and DC - 8-73 freighters.
Takeover by Federal Express
The running costs for the upkeep of the fleet grew from the mid-1980s, however, rapidly, thus Flying Tigers was temporarily forced to sell part of their DC-8 -73 fleet. Your biggest competitor at the time fedex finally bought on January 29, 1989 Flying Tigers for $ 852 million.
Fleet
At the time of sale of the company to FedEx the following machines were in use:
- 8x Boeing 747-100
- 13x Boeing 747-200
- 19x Boeing 727-100
- 6x Douglas DC 8-73