Delta Air Lines  Convair 880-22-2      N8802E             (c/n    7)

                                       

                                           Eight months after the DC-8 commenced operations, Delta initiated another first with the introduction
                                           of the Convair 880 into revenue passenger service.  This occurred on 1 May 1960. The honors should
                                           have gone to TWA who were instrumental in developing this General Dynamics produced aircraft, but
                                           they ran into financial complications with major stockholder Howard Hughes and, as a result, did not
                                           commence 880 service until 12 January 1961.   Delta used their Convairs on both the Caribbean routes
                                           and also on the Delta/American Interchange services to California.  N8802E went to Transexecutive
                                           Aviation in 1974 and was eventually written off at Mexico City in May of 1983 whilst flying for Groth
                                           Air as N880SR.