Northeast Airlines Boeing 727-295   N1641        (c/n  19446)

                                       

                                            Northeast were the first to order the stretched series 200 version of the Boeing 727, and the first
                                            airline anywhere in the world to put them into service, doing so on 14 December 1967.  The nice
                                            shot above of the first machine delivered, although gleaned from NEA, is clearly a manufacturer's
                                            photograph.  The trail of smoke it is trailing would never be tolerated today. Anyway, NEA's new
                                            owners, the Storer Broadcasting group were determined to make their investment pay off, and
                                            ordered a fleet of 11 of them.   NEA had already been operating the standard model 727 for two
                                            years in their old winged Pilgrim livery, but, with the advent of the series 200, a brand new yellow
                                            and white scheme was devised..  This became known as the "Yellowbird" as Bob Garrard's superb
                                            image (below) taken at Port Columbus (Ohio) International in June of 1972 illustrates.  This 727
                                            passed to Delta Air Lines when that carrier absorbed Northeast.

                                            Boeing 727-295      N1646                  (c/n 20140)