Western Air Lines Boeing 720-047B    N93144             (c/n  18167)

                                 

                                     Western began receiving its 720s in the early part of 1961.  Here is N93144 at LAX while brand new
                                     in July of that year.  Originally designated the Boeing 707-020, the 720 was, in fact, a completely new
                                     design featuring a modified wing profile with increased sweepback.  The new Pratt & Whitney JT3-3
                                     turbofans fitted to WAL machines permitted economic operations from much shorter runways than the
                                     traditional 707.  The 720s were ideal for WAL's stage length and were in operation for almost two
                                     decades.  N93144 went on to be leased to Air Malta in 1979 as 9H-AAL.   It was then returned and
                                     retired to the Marana Air park in Arizona and broken up in the late 1980s.   In 1967 Western acquired
                                     Pacific Northern Airlines and N720W, seen below in this shot from the Mike Sparkman collection, was
                                     one of two non-turbo fan 720s absorbed into the WAL fleet at that time. (Note 'short' engine nacelles).
                                     The 720s were re-liveried into the well known "Big W" scheme in the 1970s as the shot at the foot of
                                     the page, taken by Ellis Chernoff  'over the blast barrier' at LAX in 1977 illustrates.

                                      Boeing 720-062  N720W                         (c/n  18377)

                                  

                                     Boeing 720-047B  N3162       (c/n  19208)