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I liked AWA and as I've said before it was the only really successful deregulation startup of the 1980s. I've written about the airline before here:
and here:
Recently I've been able to expand my fleet a little bit so here's an update starting with Aeroclassics wonderful release of last month - the classic livery on the 737-300.
America West expanded rapidly in the mid 1980s and by February 1985 was in a position to begin to take on new equipment in the form of 737-300s. The expansion led to major losses but in late 1987 Ansett of Australia took a 21.6% share in the carrier. By the end of 1988 there were 29 737-300s in the fleet with over 20 more to come in the years prior to the 1991 bankruptcy filing despite the addition of 16 ex-Braniff A320s. The 737s continued to be the backbone of the fleet until the early 2000s when new A319 and 20s gradually began to supplant them. This frame, N302AW delivered in July 1988, was still in service when AWA merged with US Airways and continued in service until being stored in November 2011 and subsequently scrapped.
America West Airlines Boeing 737-300 by rstretton, on Flickr
America West Airlines Boeing 737-300 by rstretton, on Flickr
America West Airlines Boeing 737-300 by rstretton, on Flickr
America West Airlines Boeing 737-300 by rstretton, on Flickr
America West Airlines Boeing 737-300 by rstretton, on Flickr
I've also acquired a couple of 757s which will probably be joined by a few others in the future. I'm also planning a 757 thread in the near term so watch out for that. My two 757s are the Arizona and Nevada state colours.
The mid 1980s was a time of significant growth for America West and only three years after starting operations they took on 6 nearly new 757s which had been delivered to Republic Airlines just prior to its takeover by Northwest. N601RC was delivered new to Republic on 19th December 1985 and merged into Northwest’s fleet in October 1986. She became N901AW in November 1987 five months after delivery to AWA. During the late 1990s AWA repainted several of its 757s in special liveries and N901AW took up the colours of Arizona. It continued to wear this scheme until November 2007 by which time AWA had been merged into US Airways. The frame is now part of the American Airlines fleet following the US/AA merger.
America West Airlines Boeing 757-200 Arizona by rstretton, on Flickr
America West Airlines Boeing 757-200 Nevada by rstretton, on Flickr
America West added further to its initial six ex-Republic 757s in the late 1980s and early 1990s until its fleet numbered fifteen of the type. Four of these aircraft were early build frames taken over following the failure of Eastern Airlines. N915AW started life as N519EA on 21st November 1984. Before service with AWA she went to Birgenair in March 1992 as TC-GUL but was returned in December 1993 to Boeing as N747BJ before delivery to AWA. She was delivered in Nevada State special colours and served her entire Cactus career wearing this scheme. Transferred to the combined US / AWA fleet in 2007 she was repainted in the US Airways post-merger scheme. As one of the older 757s in the fleet she was retired in February 2009, returned to her lessor GECAS and sent for scrapping.
America West Airlines Boeing 757-200 by rstretton, on Flickr
America West Airlines Boeing 757-200 by rstretton, on Flickr
America West Airlines Boeing 757-200 by rstretton, on Flickr
America West Airlines Boeing 757-200 by rstretton, on Flickr
Finally here's my AWA fleet as it stands at the moment (note its on the same shelf as the rest of my USAir heritage fleet):
America West Airliner Fleet 1:400 Scale Sept2014 by rstretton, on Flickr
and here:
Recently I've been able to expand my fleet a little bit so here's an update starting with Aeroclassics wonderful release of last month - the classic livery on the 737-300.
America West expanded rapidly in the mid 1980s and by February 1985 was in a position to begin to take on new equipment in the form of 737-300s. The expansion led to major losses but in late 1987 Ansett of Australia took a 21.6% share in the carrier. By the end of 1988 there were 29 737-300s in the fleet with over 20 more to come in the years prior to the 1991 bankruptcy filing despite the addition of 16 ex-Braniff A320s. The 737s continued to be the backbone of the fleet until the early 2000s when new A319 and 20s gradually began to supplant them. This frame, N302AW delivered in July 1988, was still in service when AWA merged with US Airways and continued in service until being stored in November 2011 and subsequently scrapped.
America West Airlines Boeing 737-300 by rstretton, on FlickrAmerica West Airlines Boeing 737-300 by rstretton, on FlickrAmerica West Airlines Boeing 737-300 by rstretton, on FlickrAmerica West Airlines Boeing 737-300 by rstretton, on FlickrAmerica West Airlines Boeing 737-300 by rstretton, on FlickrI've also acquired a couple of 757s which will probably be joined by a few others in the future. I'm also planning a 757 thread in the near term so watch out for that. My two 757s are the Arizona and Nevada state colours.
The mid 1980s was a time of significant growth for America West and only three years after starting operations they took on 6 nearly new 757s which had been delivered to Republic Airlines just prior to its takeover by Northwest. N601RC was delivered new to Republic on 19th December 1985 and merged into Northwest’s fleet in October 1986. She became N901AW in November 1987 five months after delivery to AWA. During the late 1990s AWA repainted several of its 757s in special liveries and N901AW took up the colours of Arizona. It continued to wear this scheme until November 2007 by which time AWA had been merged into US Airways. The frame is now part of the American Airlines fleet following the US/AA merger.
America West Airlines Boeing 757-200 Arizona by rstretton, on FlickrAmerica West Airlines Boeing 757-200 Nevada by rstretton, on FlickrAmerica West added further to its initial six ex-Republic 757s in the late 1980s and early 1990s until its fleet numbered fifteen of the type. Four of these aircraft were early build frames taken over following the failure of Eastern Airlines. N915AW started life as N519EA on 21st November 1984. Before service with AWA she went to Birgenair in March 1992 as TC-GUL but was returned in December 1993 to Boeing as N747BJ before delivery to AWA. She was delivered in Nevada State special colours and served her entire Cactus career wearing this scheme. Transferred to the combined US / AWA fleet in 2007 she was repainted in the US Airways post-merger scheme. As one of the older 757s in the fleet she was retired in February 2009, returned to her lessor GECAS and sent for scrapping.
America West Airlines Boeing 757-200 by rstretton, on FlickrAmerica West Airlines Boeing 757-200 by rstretton, on FlickrAmerica West Airlines Boeing 757-200 by rstretton, on FlickrAmerica West Airlines Boeing 757-200 by rstretton, on FlickrFinally here's my AWA fleet as it stands at the moment (note its on the same shelf as the rest of my USAir heritage fleet):
America West Airliner Fleet 1:400 Scale Sept2014 by rstretton, on Flickr
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