Bonanza Air Lines  Douglas DC-3A   N25622                     (c/n  2270)

                                    

                                           Bonanza Airlines was formed in Las Vegas, Nevada on the last day of 1945 primarily as a
                                           charter operator with a fleet of three Cessna T-50s.  Scheduled intra-state services began
                                           on 5 August 1946, by which time a couple of DC-3s had been acquired.  N25622 was one
                                           of them, although by the time this shot had been taken the original livery had changed slightly.
                                           The above image is courtesy of the Jennifer Gradidge collection.  The photograph below,
                                           from the Leo J. Kohn collection, illustrates a DC-3 in the original Bonanza motif (similar, but
                                           sans "air lines" on the lower fuselage).  Bonanza's first route was from Las Vegas to Reno.
                                           However, in 1955 the CAB changed its route policy and gave more market accessibility to
                                           the small carriers by creating the "Local Service" airline group  . Bonanza was deemed to fall
                                           into this category and began to expand its route structure. 

                                           Douglas DC-3  N91232                         (c/n  4595)

                                    

                                      Footnote on the above aircraft:    N91232 was a former Allegheny Airlines machine which was
                                      sold to Southern Airways and later went to Canada as CF-JNR.  One source states it became N498
                                      with Bonanza, although my listing of Bonanza Air Lines' DC-3s shows N498 was ex N16063.  I find no
                                      reference of N91232 as ever having been owned by Bonanza, but there it is!