TWA Flight Center at Idlewild Airport in New York (now JFK).
Text by Patrick Bell
Let’s go check out some airport facilities today. They are a great place for car (and plane) spotting. We have them in a variety of sizes and ages. There are many in New York and California with a few other locations as well and some locations are not identified.
Our first one is in New York. I would say this is a summer of ’63 photo as I see a license plate from that year. On the left edge, there is a ’55 Chevrolet, ’58 Plymouth, and a ’62 Cadillac convertible. In the center row is a blue ’60 Dodge, white over dark blue ’56 Plymouth 4 door sedan, green ’52 Buick, red over white ’61 Rambler Classic, white ’63 or ’64 Chevrolet Chevy II 100 2 door sedan, and a beige ’63 Ford Falcon Futura 4 door sedan.
We’re still at Idlewild airport, with the terminal building in the previous photo now in the background. In the lower right corner is a ’57 Ford Fairlane Fordor. In the first row on the left is a ’58 Cadillac Sixty-Two Coupe or Coupe de Ville, followed by a ’57 Pontiac 4 door sedan, a sharp looking ’61 Chevrolet Impala convertible, and a white ’63 Ford Falcon Futura Hardtop. In the second row from the left a ’62 Oldsmobile F-85 or F-85 Deluxe 4 door sedan and a ’58 Ford Fairlane 500 Sunliner with the back window unzipped or missing.
TWA Constellation, Phoenix Airport.
I remember seeing those Constellations at my local airport before the jet age took off. I may have flown in one, but I was too young to recall anything about it. I also remember boarding and deboarding on the ground and experiencing the sights, sounds and smells of everything. The yellow truck is a White 3000 Tanker, and to the right of it is an orange ’48-’52 Ford F-series.
Helms Air Services, Columbus, GA.
This likely is a ’59 photo as that is the newest cars and Georgia had black license plates that year as well. From the left a black and white ’57 Ford Country Sedan. There are three on the other side of it, the first one I can’t ID, second a white over black ’59 Ford, and third a ’57 Ford. The white cab looks like a ’56 Chevrolet wagon. Then is the VW Cabriolet, black ’53 or ’54 Pontiac, and a white ’59 Chevrolet. In the center background facing this way is a ’59 Plymouth, and on the right edge is a red and white ’56 Ford Fairlane Town Sedan.
Control Tower, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
In the foreground a ’58 Plymouth Plaza 4 door sedan cab and a white over charcoal ’54 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight. Across the street first one on the left row is a white ’61 Cadillac Four Window Sedan. Beyond it is too blurry. The first one on the right row is a white ’62-’64 Chevrolet Chevy II, unsure of next one, black and off white ’59 Dodge 2 door Lancer Hardtop, and the dark red one looks like a ’63 Chevrolet Impala Sport Coupe.
A small airport perhaps in California with an array of aircraft. I see two biplanes and one Beechcraft Bonanza. I will leave the others to the airplane experts. The car is a ’53 Willys Aero Ace 2 door sedan.
This one looks like a biplane show or fly in taking place in a field. On the left a ’56 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight Starfire convertible and in the right background a ’55 Nash 4 door sedan.
JFK Airport in New York.
Front and center is a GM shuttle bus to the World’s Fair. In the background a black ’64 Cadillac Fleetwood 75 limo with what may be a New Jersey license plate, a blue ’61 Chevrolet wagon, light blue ’61 or ’62 Ford Econoline van, and a white ’63 Chevrolet Impala perhaps a Sport Sedan.
A lady waiting for someone or something with a drink in her hand and a book under her arm. Starting in the center a green ’58-’62 VW Type 1, white over red ’61 Rambler Classic Super, white ’67 Plymouth Fury III 2 door hardtop, and a ’66 Plymouth Fury III wagon.
American Airlines Terminal at JFK Airport.
On the upper level the first two are a black ’63 Ford Galaxie 500 4 door hardtop and a ’61 Ford Falcon 4 door sedan. Lower level left side a black ’63 or ’64 Pontiac Catalina Safari, further down a white ’63 Plymouth Fury, blue ’56 Ford Fairlane, and a white ’60 Plymouth. On the right side a black ’63 Chevrolet, charcoal ’58 or ’59 Rambler, skip one, black ’63 Ford full size, skip one, and a blue ’63 Ford full size.
LAX.
Back to California on a busy day. In the right foreground a sweet looking dark red ’54-’59 Mercedes-Benz 220S Coupe, followed by a white ’62 Chevrolet Biscayne 4 door sedan with a six cylinder, white ’62 VW Type 2, yellow ’66 Ford Mustang hardtop with a V8, and a ’60 Cadillac. In the closest driving lane a white ’66 Ford Falcon 4 door sedan with a six cylinder. In the outer driving lanes a tan ’55 or ’56 Cadillac Coupe with factory air, on the other side of it a white ’64-’66 Chevrolet C series Fleetside long bed, further back a black ’65 Buick Riviera, maroon ’63 or ’64 Pontiac Grand Prix, and a beige ’60-’63 Mercury Comet.
LAX, 1968.
Watching a plane on it’s final approach in a turquoise ’67 Plymouth Fury III 4 door sedan and a white ’65 Chevrolet Impala.
Lake Central Airlines was a midwestern and eastern carrier that operated out of Indianapolis International Airport until 7-1-68 when it was acquired by Allegheny Airlines. I see several ’68 models so I presume this photo was taken before the acquisition in Indianapolis. Parked in the lower right corner is a ’65 or ’66 Plymouth Fury wagon, ’64-’66 Imperial Crown convertible, ’63 Ford Galaxie 4 door sedan, and a ’60 Oldsmobile 4 door Holiday SportSedan. In the nearest driving lane from the left a ’62 Ford Galaxie 500 Town Sedan, ’65 Cadillac Sedan de Ville, and a ’65 Dodge Coronet 440 2 door hardtop. The next lane with parking on both sides looks like rent car row, and the rest is general parking. I am going to bow out at this point and let you readers do some of the work.
Thanks for touring with us today and to all good day!
A favorite ad of mine was the one with the 1st officer and stewardess standing next to a new 63 Vette, LAX in the background.
When I was a little kid Dad would take us to the airport to watch planes. How different were things at Lambert Airport in the stone age! The observation deck was above a concourse so we were able to stand behind a plane when it cranked up and taxied away. The noise, av-gas aroma, and general bedlam of standing behind a Connie with all four turning was the best! Get ready for take off!
The coming of the jet age closed the up close and personal observation deck. Oh how I grew to love those Connies!
Great pictures Rich. The photo of the lady with a drink in her hand reminds me of the scene towards the end of “American Graffiti” where the main characters were boarding the plane (Magic Carpet Airlines) on their future journeys after a final night of celebration.
Being from Indianapolis I remember Lake Central Airlines and when it was acquired by Allegheny. Later, Allegheny became USAir. The popular feeling at the time was that USAir stood for “Unfortunately, Still Allegheny In Reality”.
My dad was a traveled a lot for business back in the ‘60s and ‘70s and always referred to Allegheny as ‘Agony Airlines’.
Outstanding collaboration again from Rich and Patrick. You are both doing valuable work, documenting these images for future generations to appreciate, at this single source.
Always appreciate elements in vintage pics, that have aged remarkably well. Or were ahead of their time. Control Tower at LAX, and its neutral grey mosaic-like structure, appearing similar to repurposed cargo ship containers. Has a very modern feel. Abstract art facade at JFK, has a timelessness to its appeal.
Like the autos: airplane, road, and architecture surfaces, all appear to show their age very rapidly. Compared to today. People as well.
Thank you for the kind words, Daniel. Your words express what are my highest hopes for the results of my efforts.
Hi Patrick. You are very knowledgeable and talented. Many of us readers are very impressed by your multi-skills. Love how you can so confidently add further background information to each photo. Thoroughly enriching each time capsule image. Thank you!
I like the shot of JFK during the Worlds Fair in ’64. My hometown of Bellingham ran that model of GM bus (when I was first riding them as a kid in the ’70s). Design-wise they still look pretty good.
Once, in a miracle of good luck, I lost my new glasses on the city bus, only to find them there next day. Phew.
Very cool to see the Trans International Airlines DC-8 pic.
I agree – and my favorite Trans International photo is this one:
Great pic of the livestock Airlines, pretty amazing…!!!
Thank you Eric for posting this rare photograph of SouthWest Airlines prototype “Cattle Car” flying bus .
For those who never fly, SouthWest still flies “cattle cars” but painted yellow and full of unhappy Humans these days .
-Nate
Significant beauty on display here in Saarinen’s incredible TWA Terminal at Idlewild, maybe one of the most dynamic and iconic structures of the mid-20th Century, and the TWA Constellation in pic 3, perhaps the most beautiful and graceful airliner ever.
Interesting that both of these icons are associated with the once-great Trans World Airlines (RIP). Luckily the terminal building has been saved and repurposed. These 2 images grab my attention much more than any of the cars shown here! Still like seeing them however.
Much significant local architecture has not been so appreciated, like the former gorgeous Ken Wilson Chevrolet building here in Binghamton, torn down for a boring chain burger restaurant sadly.
I joined TWA long after their “golden years,” when they purchased Ozark Air Lines (at one time a regional carrier based in St. Louis but by the mid 1980s flying coast to coast and border to border). The iconic JFK terminal was still in use, but very run down. I worked about once a month at the LAX hangar, which was really kind of a time capsule of its architectural era (the late 1950s) complete with brown linoleum tile and the ceiling tiles with randomly spaced tiny circle cutouts as you can often see in vintage photos of the walls of radio and recording studios. It was kind of sad to see what it once had been. I was at a gathering this weekend with some friends from high school (from 50 years ago) and the conversation steered to the topic of what their employers had done for their retirement. Mine was pretty simple. After we were purchased by American Airlines I was brought to our VP’s office and told I had 30 minutes to vacate the property.
Thanks, to the power of the Internet. Didn’t learn until 1996, that Trans-Canada Airlines flew the Super Constellation. As Randerson stated, one of the best looking planes to come out of the 1940s/1950s.
Seattle’s excellent Musuem of Flight has (or had, its been a few years) a Super Constellation in TCA livery. They were all gone by the time I was old enough to notice such things, but I enjoyed seeing it. I do recall the Canadian Pacific DC-6Bs used for inter city service in Western Canada up until at least the late ’60s. Then for a decade or so everyone used 737s even into small town airports, and now we are back to props again with Dash-8s and Q-400s. Much better suited to the job requirements, but I miss the “sound of round” from the 6bs and the push you back in your seat acceleration from the early 737s!
During my very young childhood, my parents were stationed at CFB Rockcliffe (now defunct) in Ottawa. We lived less than 1.5 kms away from the National Aviation Museum. Of course, I was there all the time. They have had a turboprop TCA Vickers Viscount in their static display, for many decades. The Viscount was a significant part of the TCA and early Air Canada fleet, in Eastern Canada. It was always strange to see Viscounts, in the more modern Air Canada livery.
https://ingeniumcanada.org/aviation/artifact/vickers-757-viscount
Yes saw one brand new in 1966 we went to Mangere opening I was 8, jet engines running loud it was cool, prior to that international flights landed at an airforce base at Whenuapai, before that it was at Mechanics bay, my mother and parents watched the first international flight land from her uncles launch the aircraft was a Sunderland flying boat,
I left NZ in 84 the passenger terminal still wasnt finished they still used the freight terminal conversion and the bridge on the western motorway to get there easily still wasnt done.
These photos bring back a lot of memories. Our house when I was growing up was located beneath a primary landing path most days for Greater Pittsburgh Airport. The airport was located just west of us, and the prevailing winds came from that direction, so I had a front-row seat.
The major carriers at the airport at the time were United, Eastern, TWA, Northwest Orient, and Allegheny. If I remember correctly, TWA announced it was phasing out all propeller-driven aircraft as of April 7, 1966. I can recall looking out the window of our house watching a TWA Constellation passing by in the late afternoon or early evening of the day before. I agree that they were beautiful airplanes.
“Ole Pgh, airport” was about an hour away. Lived north of “Pgh”. Loved to go there and see the take off’s/landings.
As for “flying”, we didn’t do any of that.. lol
I love pictures of cars. I love pictures of airplanes. So naturally, cars, airplanes, and airports is pretty much the trifecta of enjoyable photos for me. Thanks Rich!
The airport in Columbus, GA stands out to me. I’ve flown to/from so many small regional airports throughout the US, and this photo looks like they nearly all did up until relatively (for me) recently. For some reason – it probably has something to do with availability of federal funds – most of these regional airports have modernized and expanded such that they all pretty much look the same. They’re all scaled down versions of the same commercial modern style as international airports/hubs…even if they only have 4 flights a day. (I’m looking at you, Grand Island, Nebraska) To me, this is kind of sad.
But speaking of international airports, the photo of the AA terminal at JFK is outstanding. I love everything about that.
Finally, the lady with the drink in her hand waiting for someone? That takes me back. When I was in elementary school (which really wasn’t THAT long ago), this could have been the scene at DC’s National Airport (now known as Ronald Reagan National Airport…but I’ll always simply call it “National”). We used to be able to go out on the tarmac to greet, say goodbye, to passengers (my dad, specifically) as they came and went. That was only 1970, folks. Not really that long ago at all.
I’m not going to pull a Patrick and identify all of the planes here, but I’ll have a crack at a few….
In the picture with the Beechcraft Bonanza and the Wiley’s Aerocar? Ok, didn’t know that one, but on the far left edge of the photo, one of the biplanes (and really, the only one I see in that pic) is a Stearman.
You’ve already identified the Connie… I agree with Randerson and Daniel about it being one of the most beautiful planes ever…
Eric already ID’d the DC-8… good job…
And in the next to the last picture, inbound on short final to LAX… Yeah, that plane is a Boeing 707…. Always a classic…. although one could argue it may be the 707’s smaller cousin, the Boeing 720. It’s a tad too grainy to tell when zoomed in.
I think I can add another from the Willy’s Aero shot. At first glance I thought the big cream colored plane was a TBM Avenger, but I think its actually a Vultee Vengeance. Not used much by US forces, but it was used by Commonwealth nations. This one was maybe used as a crop duster?
I would think this would be a very rare bird even then.
My first thought on the cream colored plane of which you speak was that it was an AT-6, but upon zooming in, I can’t see it in anything other than its canopy. That canopy in and of itself could be confused with the TBM at that distance.
Rick, the second biplane is on the right side by the hangar. You can see the upper wing above the engine cowling on the plane in the foreground.
Thanks, Patrick.
I thought that was what I spotted, but wasn’t sure. Definitely not enough detail to make out what it is though.
Went to the 64 worlds fair, I was. 13. Flashes me right back… Pic I took of my 99 528 at our local Dutchess county airport a few years ago…
Minneapolis-St. Paul International (Wold-Chamberlain Field) shortly after construction (1962) of the new terminal.
Here’s some more airplane IDs:
Photo 3, behind the Connie, shows an American DC-6. It is probably a -6 and not the longer -6B because of the year but I can’t tell from the photo.
Photo 6 does have a Vultee but I say it is a BT-13. The vertical stab is distinctive. BT-13 was the common basic trainer from WW II. The next step up would have been an AT-6. BT-13 was probably available surplus very cheaply back then.
Same photo behind the Bonanza is a Piper Commanche.
Same photo, the airplane whose nose is closest to the camera: Cessna 140. Cowling and latches identify it for me.
Thanx ! .
It’s hard to believe LAX and Los Angeles in general was so wide open well into the 1970’s .
-Nate
El Paso Airport 1964.