Parks Air Lines  Douglas DC-3  N12989                           (c/n  4815)

                              

                                   This grainy, but very rare shot was sent to me by R. Dean Denton, an Ozark Air Lines buff. 
                                   There are several anomalies attached to this image.  First off, Parks corporate name was Parks
                                   Air Transport; dba, I suppose, as Park Air Lines.   Secondly, as a Local Service Operator it
                                   was awarded a network of some 3000 unduplicated route miles within the states of Missouri
                                   and Illinois, but never, so far as I know, ever flew a revenue scheduled mile of it.  Thirdly, that
                                   being the case, the above image must have been a publicity staged event, as the businessmen
                                   with their carryon baggage boarding the starboard side door of this ex C-49C-DO look genuine
                                   enough!    Anyway, after a period of almost two years of inactivity by Parks, its routes were
                                   awarded to the newly formed (1950) Ozark Air Lines.  N12989 (formerly American Airlines'
                                   Flagship Akron) passed to that carrier and eventually became N128D (in 1966).    One story
                                   claims that Ozark were in such a rush to put this machine into operation, that the "P" was over-
                                   painted with "Oz" and the "S" eliminated.   Certainly the livery and titling font reflect the early
                                   scheme adopted by Ozark.