Republic DC-9

Aeroclassics DC-10 in Continental Saul Bass colors - I've been looking for this beauty for a long time and found her at Jetway models collection sale. Gotta love the meatball with that gold paint...


Next up a Trans International DC8-61 - love how long these -61s are. Another Aeroclassics Classic Airliner - love it

fazeman

It's interesting that you paired these two airlines because Robert Six and Kirk Kerkorian were old friends. In 1964, Six was ramping up his new DOD contract flights with 707-320Cs when Kerkorian approached him with a proposal to have Continental take over TIA. Six liked the offer because TIA already had two DC-8s (a -51 and a -54CF Jet Trader). But, Six had to be talked out of the proposal for a few reasons. The DC-8s were not compatible with Continental's fleet, the CAB would have probably taken a dim view of a trunk carrier absorbing a supplemental and one of the DC-8s was considered old and more than shopworn. Instead, Six invested in two more -320Cs.

On another note, if Saul Bass had his way, the black meatball would have been blue with white jet streams or contrails. But, Bass had no say especially when Continental's slogan, "The Proud Bird with the Golden Tail" carried over to the meatball. Maybe Bass found some satisfaction when Continental changed to the globe logo.

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Steve

Republic DC-9

I had no idea! Interesting about Saul Bass and the meatball too - Vignelli didn't want American's classic eagle either - sometimes designers designs are better with "tweaks".

The Saul Bass design isn't timeless though - I showed my wife the DC-10 yesterday (she doesn't know about planes real or model and hates both) - she exclaimed "it looks OLD!"

I explained to her that AS it was an Aeroclassics, that that was exactly the idea!

fazeman

And because Massimo Vignelli eschewed American's classic eagle, I give Saul Bass all due credit as he designed the complete corporate logo for CO. Also interesting and somewhat confusing to me was that while CO flew the black meatball, the red meatball had always been their official corporate logo.

I totally agree with you and your wife about the overall scheme. It's old and stuck in the classic mood of latter '60s and '70s; downright gaudy! I never thought of black and gold as dominating colors, but only as trim, like their early '60s scheme. Throw in two more earthy colors like orange and red for a complete garish appearance. What I nominally accept about their colors is the western flavor they add like the other carriers of the day based west of the Mississippi River.

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Steve

Republic DC-9

Gaudy and old it is - which is why this child of the 1970s loves it! I have 2 more Continentals coming tomorrow in this scheme (one of them I a Gemini hybrid scheme 727-200). Frontier, Continental, United - I love all three Saul Bass schemes and all are gaudy!

fazeman

Frontier and United were hip.

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Steve