Continental Airlines   Douglas DC-7B     N8210H            (c/n  45193)

                                    

                                         When Continental was awarded rights to fly from Denver to Chicago and Los Angeles, they
                                         did so with a fleet of five new DC-7Bs.  The N8410H seen above is actually a replacement
                                         aircraft.  The original N8210H (c/n 45192) was destroyed following an almost head-on mid-
                                         air collision with USAF Northrop F-89D-40-NO Scorpion 52-1870 out of Palmdale. The
                                         collision occured on 31 January 1957 at 25,000 feet some 6.5 kms north of Sunland, Calif-
                                         ornia (which would put it right over the San Gabriel Mountains). The new DC-7B was doing
                                         engine carburretor tests prior to delivery to the airline, and the Sciorpion was engaged in all
                                         weather radar fire control.  The rate of closing was such that neither pilot had time to avoid
                                         the collision. Douglas moved the registration numbers of the aircraft on the line back by one
                                         to fill the gap.