Northwest Airlines Boeing 747-251B

The first of Northwest's fleet of 56 Boeing 727s entered service in 1964. 727-2M7 N722RW is seen here on the approach to Los Angeles in October 1994.

The last of Northwest's order for 50 Airbus A320s was delivered in 1993; A320-211 N322US, the 22nd example, was being delivered in January 1992.

One of Northwest's fleet of 29 McDonnell Douglas DC-10-40s, N151US, on the approach to Los Angeles in October 1994. Further DC-10s may be added to the fleet.

Mesaba Airlines are a Northwest Airlines Airlink operator at Minneapolis/St Paul as well as at Detroit and Grand Rapids, its fleet including DHC-8s.

Boeing 757s have been ordered to replace the ageing 727s and to meet the predicted growth in traffic, estimated to the equivalent to seven or eight aircraft per year.

Lockheed Orion at Grand Central Air Terminal, Glendale, Los Angeles. Northwest added these six-passenger 178kts airliners to its fleet in 1934.

Northwest added a large number of McDonnell Douglas DC-9s to its fleet in 1986 when it acquired Republic Airlines.

Fourteen-passenger Ford Tri-motors were added to the Northwest fleet in 1928. This particular aircraft, serial no 5-AT-48, registration NC8410, was photographed in the summer of 1932.

Two Sikorsky S-43 amphibians were added to Northwest's fleet in 1931 to serve Duluth which did not have an airport.

Northwest was the launch customer for the Boeing 747-400 and first introduced the type in January 1989.