Great Lakes Airlines  Douglas DC-4-1009    N33682                  (c/n 42921)

                                    

                                           Great Lakes Airlines was founded by Irving E. Herman in 1946.   This gentleman was to consist-
                                           ently defy the CAB's regulations and be a thorn in their sides for years.     He either controlled or
                                           owned the following lines in addition to Great Lakes:  Trans Continental Airlines, Currey Air Trans-
                                           port, Admiral Airways, Trans Alaskan Airways , Paramount Airlines and Skycoach Express.
                                           When one carrier was shut down, he simply opened another one, or bought the operating certificate
                                           of an existing carrier.  One such instance was when he purchased the certificate of Paul Mantz Air
                                           Service and inaugurated Paramount Airlines with it.   Anyway, coast-to-coast and L.A. to Chicago
                                           flights were flown by Great Lakes with DC-4s, one of which is seen above at Long Beach in 1959.
                                           Originally they were painted up in 'Super Skycoach'  livery but by the time I took the above shot this
                                           had been replaced by the airline's corporate name over the cabin windows.      Note 'squared off'
                                           window surrounds to give the general public the impression that they were flying on a DC-6!   Close
                                           up of minuscule registration below.
                                           N33682 was a post war purpose built DC-4-1009 and was originally delivered to National Airlines
                                           in 1946.  It was originally leased from NAL by Trans Continental and then "passed" to Great Lakes
                                           by nothing more, probably, than a journal entry on the books.  It was finally purchased.  Later it
                                           became Starways Ltd's G-APEZ in 1957.  It was broken up at Baginton, Coventry in 1968.