Southern Airways  Martin 4-0-4   N149S         (c/n  14141)

                                    

                                        In the early 1960s Southern acquired a large fleet of some 25 Martin 4-0-4s (mainly from Eastern
                                        Air Lines) with which to augment their DC-3s and give them the capacity that their rapidly expanding
                                        route structiure required.  By now some 25 cities throughout the southeast were being served. .  The
                                        above image is from the Jennifer Gradidge collection and illustrates the former N450A at Atlanta in
                                        the mid 1960s.  Incidentally, Southern Airways had the distinction of being the only Local Service
                                        airline never to have operated turboprops, electing to stick with their Martin 4-0-4s until the delivery
                                        of their first DC-9 pure jets.   In truth, they did operate Swearingen Metroliner IIs in the late 1970s,
                                        but did not acquire them until after the DC-9s were in service.  The only other major airlines never to
                                        operate turboprops were TWA and Pan American.  Every other line went through the turboprop era.  
                                        This Martin 4-0-4 now reposes in the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum in Reading Pa, repainted as N450A
                                        in full Eastern Air Lines' livery.    The nice color shot below is by Bob Garrard and was taken at
                                        Hartsfield Airport, Atlanta, in 1973.  This aircraft wound up with Marco Island Aiurwatys (also a
                                        great Martin user) as N973M.

                                        Martin 4-0-4    N141S    (c/n  14156)