Air Enthusiast 1973-03 / ??? - Martinair Holland: "A sheep with five legs" /Airline in outline/

The two Convairliners acquired by Martinair - one 340 and one 440 - were both later converted to have Dart turboprops as Convair 600s.

Air Enthusiast 2003-03 / Round-Out

Gleaming Convair 240 RP-C7 at Baguio in May 1978.

Aviation Historian 37 / M.Wickstead - Bringing Africa together (1)

One of Ethiopian Air Lines’s three twin-engined Convair 240s being loaded at Dire Dawa with khat, a herbal stimulant popular in north-east Africa, before a flight to Djibouti circa 1960. The first two EAL Convairs were acquired direct from the manufacturer in December 1950; the other came from Sabena in 1956.

Aviation Historian 18 / D.Stringer - Ted Baker & National Airlines

By the end of the 1950s National’s domestic route network extended as far north as Boston, where Convair 340 N8413H (c/n 115) is seen here awaiting its next flight. The CV-340 entered National service in 1953 as part of the company’s ongoing modernisation programme, and most had been withdrawn from service and sold by the beginning of the 1960s.

Aviation Historian 4 / D.Stringer - Fly America! (2)

Lake Central Airlines DC-3 N14967, with a company Convair 340 in the background, in December 1963. Lake Central struggled through the 1950s, but was rewarded with a huge route expansion in 1961, after which it acquired Convairliners.

Другие самолёты на фотографии: Another planes on the photo: Douglas DC-3 / C-47 Skytrain/С-53 Skytrooper / Dakota - СШАUSA - 1935

Aviation Historian 7

Aviation Historian 7

Aviation Historian 23 / B.Turpin - 748 into Africa

Another item of interest photographed along the way was the Cameroonian Presidential Convair 440 TJ-AAD (c/n 440-439), which still retained its Pratt & Whitney Double Wasp piston engines. It was acquired by the Cameroonian government in September 1963 and later saw service with Belgian airline Delta Air Transport as OO-VGJ from 1974 and American Airlines Inter-Island as N44829. It remains on the "active" list in 2018 as XA-TFZ with Mexican airline Aero Cedros.

Air Enthusiast 2006-01 / P.Howard, B.Hickox - Mercy Angels of Angkor /Airliners and air services/ (2)

Former TRI-9 CV-440 N999TZ 'Tina' in a congested storage area wearing full Air Cambodge trim.

Air Enthusiast 2006-01 / P.Howard, B.Hickox - Mercy Angels of Angkor /Airliners and air services/ (2)

View of the Thai Am ramp at Bangkok post fall, revealing a couple of escapees, left former CAS CV-440 N102KA, centre former Air Cambodge DC-7B N774R, and right, one who never made it, the Croix Rouge Internationale Carvair LN-NAA which ended its days at the airfield.

Другие самолёты на фотографии: Another planes on the photo: Aviation Traders ATL.98 Carvair - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1961Douglas DC-7 - СШАUSA - 1953

Air Enthusiast 2006-05 / B.Archer - Loyal Supporting Act /Air forces/

Convair 440 12+02 of the Luftwaffe FBS, based at Koln/Wahn, June 1970.

Air Enthusiast 2006-05 / B.Archer - Loyal Supporting Act /Air forces/

C-131A 52-5804 of the 322nd TAW used for aeromedical evacuation from Rhein Main, West Germany, at Lakenheath in September 1972.

Air Enthusiast 2006-05 / B.Archer - Loyal Supporting Act /Air forces/

US Coast Guard HC-131A 5782 based at Miami, and visiting Key West in September 1978.

Aviation Historian 2 / P.Davidson - Off the Beaten Track...

Another Reyes Convair aircraft was C-131B CP-2026, photographed in apparently airworthy condition at La Paz in late 2012. This machine was formerly 53-7797 with the Arizona National Guard.

Air Enthusiast 2006-05 / B.Archer - Loyal Supporting Act /Air forces/

Stylised Texas flag on C-131B 53-7811 of the 111th FIS/Texas ANG based at Ellington AFB, visiting Tyndall, October 1980.

Air Enthusiast 2006-05 / B.Archer - Loyal Supporting Act /Air forces/

JC-131B 53-7797 of Air Force Special Weapons Command Center, based at Kirtland AFB, to support nuclear weapons testing.

Air Enthusiast 2006-05 / B.Archer - Loyal Supporting Act /Air forces/

Immaculate C-131D 54-2809 flown by the 101st FIS, Massachusetts ANG, from Otis ANG at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, June 1982.

Air Enthusiast 2006-05 / B.Archer - Loyal Supporting Act /Air forces/

North Dakota ANG C-131D 54-2819 of the 178th US stationed at Fargo, visiting Norton AFB. The unit's motif ‘Happy Hooligans' is displayed on the tail. Note the extended nose housing a conventional radar, a retrofit.

Air Enthusiast 2006-05 / B.Archer - Loyal Supporting Act /Air forces/

C-131F 141009 of NAF Mildenhall landing at home base in the late 1970s.

Air Enthusiast 2006-05 / B.Archer - Loyal Supporting Act /Air forces/

US Naval Facility Mildenhall VC-131F 141021 at Heathrow Airport in March 1968. Note the 30 flags on the nose - countries visited since being based in the UK from January 1959.

Air Enthusiast 2006-05 / B.Archer - Loyal Supporting Act /Air forces/

VC-131G 145962 of NAS Sigonella was stationed at the Sicilian base from October 1981 until June 1986 when it was retired.

Мировая Авиация 93

R4Y-1, построенный на основе CV-440, являлся базовым транспортным самолетом ВМС США в серии двухмоторных машин "Convair". В составе ВМС также летало небольшое количество T-29B, полученных от ВВС.

Air Enthusiast 2006-05 / B.Archer - Loyal Supporting Act /Air forces/

VIP-configured VC-131H 55-0299 of the 1st Composite Wing based at Andrews AFB, at Pope AFB, October 1973.

Air International 2011-06 / News

Noted at McClellan Field in Sacramento, California, on May 9, 2011 was Convair C-131B Samaritan N131CR (ex 53-7819) of Airborne Resources of Midlothian, Texas. In addition to its long nose and fuselage top antennas, the aircraft wears a Lockheed Martin 'Skunk Works' motif on the tail. It previously had the words 'Airborne Imaging' on the forward fuselage (the operating arm of Airborne Resources), although the word 'Imaging' has since been painted out. The aircraft had been at McClellan for around a month prior to being photographed, reportedly undertaking aerial survey work. It has been deployed overseas several times, including to Honduras in early 2007.

Изд-во Schiffer / S.Markman & B.Holder - One-of-a-kind research aircraft

Expandable tire program. C-131 landing with expandable/deflatable tires.

Air International 1988-12 / D.Brown - Variable Stability: A valued flight test tool

The Convair NC-131H TIFS, owned by the USAF, has been used in a variety of aircraft programmes since 1969, typically to assess large aircraft handling qualities. It is at present configured as an Avionics Systems Test Training Aircraft, used for radar and FLIR testing at the USAF Test Pilot School.

Air International 2009-01 / News: Headline, Military, Civil, Accidents

Convair NC-131H Total In-Flight Simulator (TIFS) N793VS (ex 53-7793) was delivered to the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, on November 7, 2008. Up to that point, it was the oldest active aircraft on charge with the US Air Force, although it was operated by the civilian Calspan organisation from Niagara Falls International Airport, New York, on behalf of the Air Force Research Laboratory. The TIFS is a highly modified C-131B Samaritan, equipped with a second cockpit under the original, large side-force generators on the wings, and various other modifications for its role simulating the flight characteristics of other large aircraft types. It was used to evaluate new flight technologies in some 2,500 research flights.

Air Enthusiast 2006-05 / B.Archer - Loyal Supporting Act /Air forces/

One of a small number repainted in Vietnam-style camouflage: CT-29A 49-1912 of the 118th TPS, Connecticut ANG, at Bradley Field, visiting Pope AFB in October 1973.

Air International 2002-07 / Talkback

Two of Air Tahoma’s small fleet of Convairs are currently operating out of Pittsburgh International Airport on overnight freight flights, including T-29B N150PA (c/n 278, ex N38SA) seen here on April 3, 2002. The aircraft still wears its old American Eagle colours from its days at San Juan, Puerto Rico. The other aircraft currently in use at Pittsburgh is Convair 580 N584E (c/n 24, ex C-FAUF).

Aviation Historian 2 / P.Davidson - Off the Beaten Track...

Convair T-29B c/n 329 in its current location in a busy town square in Cochabamba, Bolivia, on October 18, 2012. Local enthusiasts see the city as a future home for a Bolivian air museum; perhaps this Convair has booked its place in a Metropolitan Museum. Ouch!

Air Pictorial 1961-10 / Photo Review

Well-known type in unusual markings is this Convair 240 piston-engined transport of Air Korea (HL-25) is in service on the Seoul-Tokyo run.

Aviation Historian 37 / M.Wickstead - Bringing Africa together (1)

Convair 240-19 ET-T-20 (c/n 168) was one of three examples of the type operated by EAL, and was the second to be delivered, on December 28, 1950; its stablemate, ET-T-21, was delivered on the 8th of the same month. The Convairs were given names by EAL, ET-T-20 becoming Eagle of Ethiopia and ET-T-21 Eagle Haile Selassie I. The third Convair, ET-T-22, which arrived in July 1956, was named The Spiritual Power.

Aviation Historian 24 / N.Stroud - Vikings in Africa /The John Stroud Archive/

Looking decidedly cutting-edge among the predominantly pre-war-vintage propliners then operating in East Africa, Ethiopian Air Lines’ colourful Convair 240 ET-T-20, named Eagle of Ethiopia, awaits its next departure from Nairobi on what the airline dubbed “The Wonderland Route”, connecting the various parts of East Africa and the Middle East.

Air Pictorial 1956-11 / R.Cross - Convair's 240-340-440 Series

The CV-240

Jane's All the World Aircraft 1980 / Encyclopedia of Aviation - Aircraft A-Z - v2

Convair-Liner 240.

Aviation Historian 27 / M.Wickstead - Rogues' Gallery

Bahamian inter-island operator Flamingo Airlines was established in March 1971 and used a mixed fleet of aircraft, including Convair 240 N17417 (c/n 108), seen here at Miami in February 1973, shortly before the airline was merged with Out Island Airways to become Bahamasair, although this aircraft did not join the Bahamasair fleet.

Aviation Historian 4 / D.Stringer - Fly America! (2)

Mohawk Airlines bested its local service compatriots in the equipment race by being the first of the LSCs to introduce pressurised aircraft in the form of Convair 240s. Here N1014C, acquired from Swissair in 1956, is prepared for another flight.

Air Pictorial 1988-02 / N.Mercer - USAir - Stretching across the Continent

Taken over by Allegheny in 1972, Mohawk Airlines of Utica-Rome, New York, had started its schedules with DC-3s and then purchased Convair CV-240s (N6632C illus.) before buying a large fleet of BAC One-Elevens, which eventually went to Allegheny

Air Enthusiast 1998-03 / N.Lees - Birds of Passage

Orient Skyliner Convair 240-7 AP-AEH, entered service in June 1949. The airliner merged with Pakistan International in 1955. AP-AEH crashed on take-off at New Delhi on May 15, 1958.

Aviation Historian 20 / N.Stroud - Heathrow. The Roaring Forties /The John Stroud Archive/

Named John Forrest in honour of the Australian explorer, Convair 240 VH-TAQ (c/n 64) was the first of five to be delivered to Trans-Australia Airlines. Fitted with extra fuel tanks, it was flown by TAA’s chief pilot, John Chapman, on a route through Europe and the Middle East to Melbourne, where it arrived on September 7, 1948.

Aviation Historian 20 / N.Stroud - Heathrow. The Roaring Forties /The John Stroud Archive/

An imposing view of Trans-Australia Airlines Convair 240 VH-TAQ, which became the first of the type to visit Europe when it arrived at LAP on August 28, 1948, on its delivery flight from San Diego to its new owners in Australia.

Мировая Авиация 188

Convair-Liner одним из первых получил встроенные пассажирские трапы, плюс возможность установки нижней двери в хвостовой части (у CV-240 на фотографии).

Air Pictorial 1977-04 / G.Endres - Airlines of the World

ARCO's Convair 600 CX-BJL, with a CV-240 behind, at Laguna de Los Palos, Colonia.

Другие самолёты на фотографии: Another planes on the photo: Convair CV-540/CV-580/CV-600/CV-640 - СШАUSA - 1955

Мировая Авиация 188

Convair-Liner из "Ethiopian Airlines" оснащались ускорителями JATO, помогавшими взлетать в условиях жары и высокогорья. На фотографии - Convair-Liner стартует из аэропорта Аддис-Абебы, расположенного на высоте 2347 м над уровнем моря.

Мировая Авиация 188

Один из шести Model 240-14, закупленных китайской "Central Air Transport Corporation" незадолго до победы коммунистов на материковой части Китая. После прихода компартии к власти пять самолетов перелетели в Гонконг.

Мировая Авиация 188

Первый увеличенный CV-340, N3401, испытали в октябре 1951 года. На фотографии хорошо видны особенности Convair-Liner: узкое крыло большого удлинения и тщательно закапотированные моторы.

Air Pictorial 1956-11 / R.Cross - Convair's 240-340-440 Series

The CV-340 model

Мировая Авиация 188

Другую новинку - дверь перед крылом (на CV-340 из "Braniff", фотография внизу) не раз копировали.

Aeroplane Monthly 1976-05 / H.Seabrook-Smith - Lufthansa 1926-76 (2)

Lufthansa Convair 340 D-ACAD at Heathrow on April 15, 1955, after its proving flight from Hamburg.

Air Pictorial 1957-06

The colourful Convair 340. HZ-ABA (c /n. 222), of Saudi Arabian Airlines, has passed through Blackbushe en route to Tollerton for overhaul.

Aviation Historian 18 / J.Stroud - Arctic Assignment: Propliner proliferation in Finland /The John Stroud Archive/

Convair 340 OH-LRC awaits its next flight at Bromma, Stockholm, shortly after the type’s introduction into Aero O/Y service in 1953. Note the CV-340’s "aspirated cooling" system, comprising a pair of “thrust-augmenter” tubes on the rear of each engine nacelle; this would be much modified on the improved CV-440 Metropolitan.

Aviation Historian 18 / J.Stroud - Arctic Assignment: Propliner proliferation in Finland /The John Stroud Archive/

A typical line-up on the ramp during a busy day at Helsinki-Vantaa in 1956; nearest the camera is CV-440 OH-LRD, beyond which may be seen the fin of Finnair CV-340 OH-LRA (still in the airline’s older predominantly bare-metal scheme), with Scandinavian Airline System Douglas DC-4 LN-IAE at the far end. The introduction of the CV-440 heralded a smart new white, blue and bare-metal colour scheme for Finnair.

Другие самолёты на фотографии: Another planes on the photo: Douglas DC-4 / C-54 / R5D Skymaster - СШАUSA - 1942

Aviation Historian 18 / J.Stroud - Arctic Assignment: Propliner proliferation in Finland /The John Stroud Archive/

Delivered in April 1956, CV-440 OH-LRD was followed into Finnair service by OH-LRE and ’LRF the following year, with ’LRG joining the fleet in April 1961. The airline’s CV-340s were upgraded to Metropolitan standard.

Aviation Historian 18 / J.Stroud - Arctic Assignment: Propliner proliferation in Finland /The John Stroud Archive/

The first Finnair CV-440 Metropolitan, OH-LRD, dubbed “Finnliner”, at Helsinki-Vantaa in April 1956. Although the company had begun trading as Finnair, the company’s original name, Aero O/Y, was still carried prominently on the fins of its aircraft.

Air Pictorial 1956-11 / R.Cross - Convair's 240-340-440 Series

A development span of nearly nine years separates the current CV-440 Metropolitan (photo) and Convair's original experimental post-war air liner, the Model 110, from which the Convair-Liner series sprang. Only the shape of the wing and tail assembly of the CV-440 gives a clue to its parentage.

Jane's All the World Aircraft 1980 / Encyclopedia of Aviation - Aircraft A-Z - v2

Convair 440 Metropolitan.

Air Pictorial 1956-08

First report of a Convair 440 Metropolitan in Europe comes from D. F. Gilpin, who took this photograph.

Aviation Historian 3 / D.Stringer - Fly America! (1)

Convair 440 Metropolitan N4407 of Mohawk Airlines at JFK Airport, New York, in 1965. Unusually for a local airline, Mohawk acquired its 440s factory-fresh from the manufacturer when it bought examples that had been built “on spec” for other airlines.

Air Pictorial 1957-12 / Air Pictorial's photo-review

A Convair CV-440 Metropolitan is registered N440EL and is the second Napier-owned "Eland Convair" which is currently undergoing transformation to Eland N.El.6s.

Air Pictorial 1977-07 / G.Endres - Airlines of the World

The Convair 440, HB-IMU, used for charter work by the Swiss carrier Air-Sea Service; nose colours are orange and blue on white

Air Enthusiast 2006-01 / P.Howard, B.Hickox - Mercy Angels of Angkor /Airliners and air services/ (2)

A daily occurrence at Pochentong as some fortunate passengers envelop an Air Cambodge Convair. The haste to board is very evident.

Air Pictorial 1957-08

The owner of this executive Convair CV-440 Metropolitan must surely be either a TV mogul or a candy king. The stripes are black and white, with wing and tail assembly trim in blue. Our New York correspondent, F. G. Freeman, Jnr., of Flushing, New York, took this photograph.

Air Pictorial 1957-09

Convair 440 Metropolitans of many nationalities now grace the tarmac at British airports, among the latest being EC-AMR to 'MV of the Spanish airline Iberia.

Air Enthusiast 2006-05 / B.Archer - Loyal Supporting Act /Air forces/

Spanish Air Force Convair 440 T.14-3 '911-03' was formerly with the national airline Iberia.

Aeroplane Monthly 1990-01 / Personal album. Military

Royal Australian Air Force Convair 440 A96-353 at RAF Kuching on April 30, 1966. No 34 Squadron RAAF acquired two Convair Metropolitans in 1955 for use on the VIP Flight.

Мировая Авиация 190

Среди военных покупателей 440 Metropolitan были ВВС Австралии (на фото; два самолета) и Германии (два), ВВС Италии (один) и ВВС и ВМС США (C-131D/E и R4Y-2, соответственно).

Air Pictorial 1956-11 / Air Pictorial's photo-review

METROPOLITAN in strange guise is A96-313 - one of the two V.I.P. Convair 440s now operated by the R.A.A.F.

Air Pictorial 1956-08 / Air Pictorial's photo-review

Only Convair T-29A resident in Europe is based at Sculthorpe, attached to the 47th Operations Squadron, U.S.A.F. The T-29A is a direct Convair 240 conversion with four dorsal astrodomes and built-in steps as shown in this photo of 49-1941-A (c/n. 20a). The suffix "A" indicates "last three" serial duplication .

Air Enthusiast 2006-07 / Round-Out

Early production T-29B 51-5118 wearing 'buzz-number' 'TP-118' on the forward fuselage in May 1949. Note also the number '249' behind the cockpit and below the rudder - this was the aircraft's construction number.

Jane's All the World Aircraft 1980 / Encyclopedia of Aviation - Aircraft A-Z - v2

Convair T-29B.

Air Pictorial 1956-11 / R.Cross - Convair's 240-340-440 Series

A U.S.A.F. T-29B

Air Enthusiast 2006-07 / Round-Out

View of the impressively-modified one-off NT-29B 51-5132 bedecked with radomes and additional aerials. What do readers know of the test programme that this machine was involved in?

Air Enthusiast 2006-07 / Round-Out

Air Pictorial 1956-11 / R.Cross - Convair's 240-340-440 Series

A U.S.A.F. T-29D

Air Pictorial 1956-11 / R.Cross - Convair's 240-340-440 Series

One of its military variants, the C-131B.

Air Pictorial 1956-05 / Photo-review

CONVAIR C-131D. First V.I.P. version of the Convair C-131 Samaritan to visit the U.K. is th is U.S. 3rd Air Force C-131D (55-291) command ship used by a "2-star" general. This C-131D is similar to the U.S. Navy's R4Y-1Z (Z = V.I.P.) and is basically similar to the airframe of the Eland-Convairliner (Model 340-D2). Thirty-three C-131Ds are being delivered to the USAF and MATS.

Air Pictorial 1973-06 / H.Carter, D.Lee - Fly Navy - Tidewater, Virginia

These Convair C-131Fs - 141026 and 141023 "JK" - belong to Fleet Tactical Support Squadron 1 (VR-1). Note the large freight door

Air International 2014-05 / K.Paloulian - Pearl of the Med /Military/

A 1960 photo showing the Royal Hellenic Air Force base commander greeting a US Navy admiral and adjutant as they step off a C-131 that’s just arrived from NAF Naples.

Air Pictorial 1956-02 / Air Pictorial's photo-review

Rarely illustrated is the R4Y-1, the U.S. Navy cargo-transport version of the U.S.A.F. C-131 Samaritan, the latest version of which is the RC-131G. Unlike the M.A.T.S. C-131s, the U.S. Navy's R4Y-1s have the white top decking extending to below the windows.

Air Pictorial 1956-12 / P.Bowers - U.S. Navy Aircrafts on Display

Convair R4Y-1 personnel-cargo-hospital transport capable of carrying twenty-seven stretcher cases or forty-four seats.

Мировая Авиация 190

Как и Model 240, 340-й получил военные заказы: 36 48-местных транспортных C-131B, 33 44-местных C-131D и VC-131D для ВВС США, а также 37 транспортных/грузовых/санитарных R4Y-1 (на снимке) для ВМС США.

Jane's All the World Aircraft 1975 / 01 - Aircraft

NC-131H Total In-Flight Simulator, operated by Calspan on behalf of the USAF and other agencies

Air International 1988-12 / D.Brown - Variable Stability: A valued flight test tool

The Convair NC-131H Total In-Flight Simulator incorporates a sophisticated computerised flight control system that embraces the conventional ailerons, rudder and elevators as well as the side-force generators (vertical surfaces at mid-span) and direct-lift flaps.

Aeroplane Monthly 1983-10 / J.Atkins - Back to the boneyard

Ranks of Grumman E-1 Tracers alternate with S-2 Trackers, sheltering under their AEW Radomes and folded wings. In the background stand twin-engined Convair C-131 Samaritans and Boeing KC-97s.

Другие самолёты на фотографии: Another planes on the photo: Boeing C-97 / Model 377 Stratocruiser - СШАUSA - 1944Grumman E-1 / WF-2 Tracer - СШАUSA - 1956Grumman S-2 Tracker / TF-1 Trader - СШАUSA - 1954

Мировая Авиация 188

Характерной деталью всех поршневых самолетов "Convair" были реактивные выхлопные патрубки, которые улучшали охлаждение моторов и давали небольшой прирост тяги. На фотографии капот двигателя откинут.

Aviation Historian 18 / J.Stroud - Arctic Assignment: Propliner proliferation in Finland /The John Stroud Archive/

The revised exhaust outlet of the CV-440’s Pratt & Whitney Double Wasp engine nacelle, in which the original twin tubes fitted to the CV-240 and 340 were enclosed in an attempt to palliate the high noise levels experienced in the cabins of the earlier models.

Air Pictorial 1956-11 / R.Cross - Convair's 240-340-440 Series

Cockpit line drawing is of the CV-440.

Aeroplane Monthly 1991-10 / M.O'Leary - Santa Monica auction

The opulent interior of Convair 240 N396CG, formerly used by Hollywood actor Cary Grant as his personal transport.

Aeroplane Monthly 1990-01 / P.Chinnery - Tucson news

After removal of its engines, Convair VT-29B 51-7900 sits on its tail at Bob’s Airpark.

Jane's All the World Aircraft 1947 / All the world's aeroplanes

A drawing of the Consolidated Vultee Model 240 40-passenger Airliner.

Air Pictorial 1956-11 / R.Cross - Convair's 240-340-440 Series

Convair Metropolitan 440

Air Pictorial 1956-11 / R.Cross - Convair's 240-340-440 Series