Continental Air Lines  Lockheed 18-08 Lodestar  NC25635         (c/n   2027)

                                       

                                           Continental was one of the few airlines to purchase the Lockheed Lodestar in the 1940s in lieu of
                                           Douglas transports (although they did receive DC-3s after WW II).   They had an initial fleet of six
                                           of them to augment their Lockheed 12As.  During WW II the company had been permitted to expand
                                           its area of operations and by 1944 was flying east to Kansas City and south as far as San Antonio,
                                           Texas.   Seen on this page are three of the fleet.  The above image was taken at Pueblo in the 1940s
                                           and the lower over typical Rocky Mountain terrain.  The upper and bottom photographs are courtesy Continental Air
                                           Lines, and depict "true" civil Lodestars (not converted C-60s).   At the foot of the page is a color
                                           profile worked up by Tim Bradley for any modelers who might like to make a replica of this historic
                                           aircraft.  

                                          Lockheed 18-08 Lodestar  NC25636         (c/n   2028)

The photo below comes from a Lockheed promotional brochure and depicts NC25636. This aircraft first flew in 1940 but was damaged beyond repair in an accident at Albuquerque, New Mexico on 27 August 1945.

                                          Lockheed 18-10 Lodestar  NC25638      (c/n     2074)
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