TWA (Trans World Airline)  Lockheed L-049 Constellation   NC86517   (c/n  2044)

                                 

                                     TWA began trans-Atlantic flights in 1946 with Model L-049 Constellations.   This early photograph
                                     illustrates one of them before its name, in this case "Star of Tripoli", had been applied.   By the end of
                                     that year the airline had a fleet of 25 of them.  Fleets of that size in that day and age were only counten-
                                     anced by very large airlines indeed.  This aircraft was sold to the Hacienda Hotel in Las Vegas in 1961
                                     and was used to transport punters from Los Angeles to that city of sin in the early 1960s.  As a matter
                                     of fact,  I managed to comp a ride in it myself in June of that year. (It's a long story - I  never was a
                                     "player" but knew someone who was).     The aircraft below,  "Navajo Skychief" was one of TWA's
                                     first, being delivered in December of 1945.  It was one of the few not given "Star" names from the outset
                                     This was soon rectified and it became "Star of  California" early in 1946.

                                   Lockheed L-049 Constellation    N86503    (c/n    2024)