Minicraft Models 1/144 Eastern Airlines Electra 188

[dmorrissette]

 

 

 

Description Eastern Airlines Electra 188

 

Item # 14661 Carton Qty: 12

 

Available Week of December 19, 2011

 

 

 

The L-188 Electra was introduced in the late 1950’s to serve as a fast, economical medium range airliner for short and medium range service. Eastern Airlines was one of the earliest airlines to support the Electra taking delivery in late 1958 with the first revenue flight in January 1959. While the Electra had a short career as a front line airliner, the Electra did prove the effectiveness of the “turbo-prop” engine design and eventually proved to be a sound and economical design as demonstrated by the military counterpart, the P-3 Orion patrol bomber.

 

The new 1/144 scale Minicraft Electra features new markings representing the Eastern Airlines “Hockey Stick” livery and position-able landing gear.

 

Suggested Retail $24.99

[ClareWentzel]

Actually, the Electra had a short career here in the states but a longer one in other countries. In Brazil, it was the perfect airplane to fly between Sao Paulo and Rio. The service was called "Ponte Aerea" or Air Bridge. In Sao Paulo, the service used the Congonhas airport that was close to downtown. In Rio, it landed at Santos Dumont airport, again much closer to the center of the city. International flights to both cities landed at larger airports, in both cases way out of the cities.

 

My family lived in Sao Paulo during the '70s and our house was on the final approach to Congonhas. I saw the Electras several times a day. I believe that the Electra was used until 1992 for this application.

[ClareWentzel]

This would be a great project for some after-market decal manufacturer to come out with a "VARIG" or "VASP" markings.