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~~Air India was formed in 1932 as Tata Airlines after winning the airmail contract from Karachi to Bombay via Ahmedabad. It survived prior to WW2 on the airmail contracts and returned decent profits operating a collection of small aircraft throughout India. Postwar the airline became Air India and in 1948 the new Indian government acquired 49% of the company and made it the country's designated international airline. In June that year an Air India L-749 Constellation began operating a London route via Cairo and Geneva. In 1953 the Indian government took a majority stake and transferred all domestic services to Indian Airlines.
10 L-1049s joined the fleet from 1954 with the L-749s being sold in 1958. VT-DHN ‘Rani of Chittor’ was one of a trio of L-1049Es later upgraded to G status. The Super Connies inaugurated services to Bangkok, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Singapore. They served until the early 1960s as Air India began jet operations with 707-420s in May 1960. Almost all of the Super Connies joined the Indian Air Force where this frame became BG-577. She operated in the maritime recon role and wasn’t finally withdrawn from use until January 1976.
Air India was in fact the first jet operator in Asia and 11 707s were delivered enabling the retirement of the L-1049s by 1962. In 1971, the airline took delivery of its first Boeing 747-200B named Emperor Ashoka. This coincided with the introduction of the 'Palace in the Sky' livery famous for the temples arches around each window.
VT-EHQ, ‘Cauvery’, was the last of three A300s, originally to have been Laker Airways aircraft, delivered in 1982 for regional services. These aircraft paved the way for, and served alongside, a fleet of 30 A310s delivered from 1985 onwards. All three aircraft were sold to the Indian Government in mid 2002 and subsequently gifted to Afghanistan to help rebuild Ariana Afghan’s fleet. EHQ became YA-BAC at the end of 2002.
For a more detailed fleet history of Air India see here: http://www.airwhiners.net/whine_cheez/20040726.htm
Air India Lockheed L-1049 Constellation & Airbus A300 by rstretton, on Flickr
Air India Lockheed L-1049 Constellation & Airbus A300 by rstretton, on Flickr
Air India Lockheed L-1049 Constellation & Airbus A300 by rstretton, on Flickr
Air India Lockheed L-1049 Constellation & Airbus A300 by rstretton, on Flickr
Air India Lockheed L-1049 Constellation & Airbus A300 by rstretton, on Flickr
10 L-1049s joined the fleet from 1954 with the L-749s being sold in 1958. VT-DHN ‘Rani of Chittor’ was one of a trio of L-1049Es later upgraded to G status. The Super Connies inaugurated services to Bangkok, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Singapore. They served until the early 1960s as Air India began jet operations with 707-420s in May 1960. Almost all of the Super Connies joined the Indian Air Force where this frame became BG-577. She operated in the maritime recon role and wasn’t finally withdrawn from use until January 1976.
Air India was in fact the first jet operator in Asia and 11 707s were delivered enabling the retirement of the L-1049s by 1962. In 1971, the airline took delivery of its first Boeing 747-200B named Emperor Ashoka. This coincided with the introduction of the 'Palace in the Sky' livery famous for the temples arches around each window.
VT-EHQ, ‘Cauvery’, was the last of three A300s, originally to have been Laker Airways aircraft, delivered in 1982 for regional services. These aircraft paved the way for, and served alongside, a fleet of 30 A310s delivered from 1985 onwards. All three aircraft were sold to the Indian Government in mid 2002 and subsequently gifted to Afghanistan to help rebuild Ariana Afghan’s fleet. EHQ became YA-BAC at the end of 2002.
For a more detailed fleet history of Air India see here: http://www.airwhiners.net/whine_cheez/20040726.htm
Air India Lockheed L-1049 Constellation & Airbus A300 by rstretton, on FlickrAir India Lockheed L-1049 Constellation & Airbus A300 by rstretton, on FlickrAir India Lockheed L-1049 Constellation & Airbus A300 by rstretton, on FlickrAir India Lockheed L-1049 Constellation & Airbus A300 by rstretton, on FlickrAir India Lockheed L-1049 Constellation & Airbus A300 by rstretton, on Flickr
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