Resort Airlines Lockheed L-1049H Super Constellation
N102R (c/n 4824)
Like California
Eastern Aviation, Resort Airlines acquired two Lockheed L-1049H
aircraft in 1957
and then, almost
immediately, leased them out, to TWA. In the event, both
N101R and N102R
were eventually sold
to Cal Eastern, who continued the leases to TWA. Were
there some tax
advantages to Hughes
Tool Co (owner of TWA) to lease these Connies? Was it one of
Howard's
financial shenanigans?
Whatever, both Resort's L-1049Hs were painted up in their
livery, so it
is possible they used them
on contracts from their delivery date in May 1957 until heir
lease to
TWA in August of that year. Both these
shots taken at Oakland in 1957. . N101R incidentally
crashed near Chicago
Midway Airport on 24 November 1959 while on a freighter flight.
Approx-
imately one minute after
takeoff from Midway a fire warning forced the crew to shut down the
number 2 engine. The flight was cleared to return to land.
However, during the VFR approach
below low overcast, the aircraft struck a house then
struck four other buildings and crashed in flames,
killing the crew of
three. N101R was broken up in Miami in 1973.
Lockheed L-1049H
Super Constellation N101R (c/n 4818)