Color Scheme: Delivery Colors

Composition: A Refinished Douglas Factory Polished Aluminum Model

Dimensions: Length: 45" (115cm), Wingspan 35" (89cm)

Condition: Very Good

Model History: I originally acquired this model on August 4, 2000 from Aeronautical Classics, Alexandria, VA. In February 2002 I traded it to my friend Ira Kuperstein.  I reacquired this model on May 27, 2010 from Judy Kuperstein, Ira's widow.  I am most grateful to Judy for allowing me to bring this model back into my collection!

Delta's DC-8 History: Delta Air Lines had a long and wonderful past with the DC-8. Back in the mid to late 1950s when the large "trunk" carriers were ordering their first pure jet equipment, Delta made a very smart decision to take over Eastern's first six DC-8 delivery slots when Eastern decided to change their DC-8 order to one with more powerful engines - the DC-8-21. This enabled Delta to begin their DC-8-11 service several months ahead of Eastern and on the same date as United. Both Delta & United inaugurated their DC-8 services on September 18, 1959. Since United started their first DC-8 flight San Francisco to New York departing at 8:30AM local west coast time and Delta started started their first DC-8 flight from New York to Atlanta departing at 9:20AM local east coast time, Delta actually holds the record for starting the Very First DC-8 Service due to the 3 hour difference in east and west coast time zones. Delta went on to operate a Factory Delivered Fleet of 21 DC-8-51s (the 6 original DC-8-11s were converted to DC-8-12s and then to DC-8-51s in the early 1960s) and 13 DC-8-61s. In addition Delta purchased, on the used aircraft market, 6 DC-8-33s from Pan American in order to continue the successful Delta/Pan Am interchange flights between the USA and Europe (since Pan Am was phasing out the DC-8 during that time). Delta also purchased "Ship One" N8008D from Trans International Airlines and utilized it from 1967 to 1979 - thus being the longest airline operator of the Original DC-8. During the early to mid 1980s Delta was involved in a very successful effort to extend the life of the DC-8 Super Sixties Series by reequipping them with new quiet & very efficient General Electric/SNECMA (of France) CFM56 engines, a new pressurization system, more advanced avionics and an auxiliary power unit (APU) for use on the ground - which eliminated the need for ground power and air start facilities. These reequipped DC-8s were then designated as the DC-8 Super Seventy Series and some of these DC-8-71, 72 and 73 aircraft are still flying today as freighter aircraft. A new company named Cammacorp was created to work along with McDonnell Douglas in performing these conversions and/or selling conversion kits for the airlines to install themselves. Delta's first DC-8-61 which was converted to 71 status (N1305L) was performed by Cammacorp at McDonnell Douglas' Tulsa Facility. During this first conversion Delta's own mechanics were trained to perform the conversions and not only converted the remaining 12 Delta DC-8-61s but also performed 36 additional Super Seventy conversions for other airlines. Of the total of 110 DC-8-70 conversions Delta had performed nearly half of them (48 total). Finally, what a wonderful testament this has been about the DC-8's superior versatility, flexibility and especially durability! When Douglas designed the DC-8 they had figured it's useful life would be about 20 years and that has now been doubled and is still counting. Click Here to See Delta's DC-8 Fleet Information.

Click Here to View a Photo of the Actual Aircraft
[When Finished - Please Press The Back Button On Your Browser to Return to this Page]
Photo Courtesy Of & Many Thanks To: AIRLINERS.NET and The Burger Collection

Links To Other Delta Air Lines Models On This Web Site:
DC-8-11 1/50 Scale in 1959 Delivery Colors
DC-8-51 1/50 Scale in All White Scheme From Early-1960s
DC-8-71 1/50 Scale in Final Colors

DC-9-14 1/50 Scale In Delivery (Side Widget) Colors