Friday, October 17, 2008

Once there was an airline...

SABENA timetable, winter 1938-1939
The airplane is Italian Savoia-Marchetti Model 83.
Four 10-passenger SM.83s were purchased by Belgian airline SABENA, found in 1923, for its African route Bruxelles-Leopoldville.
SABENA went bankrupt in 2001.

Leica & Chrysler

New Leica is here - with interchangeable lenses and classic M39 screwmount.
Basic model is shown. It's the cheapest, of course, but in a year or two more complicated model with built-in rangefinder and expanded exposure range will prove to be much more popular among wealthy and demanding customers.
Chrysler building is only two years old.
It's 1932. Election year, btw

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Pusher

Miles M.35 Libellula made its maiden flight in 1942
This unusual experimental fighter, designed with carrier service in mind, wasn't a perfect match for more conventional warplanes of the day.
Production never started.
See more pictures here

Mussolini Airlines

Created in 1934, state-owned Ala Littoria was the most important Italian air carrier.
See its planes and routes here

Sea Eagle

Dornier Do.26
Designed as a high-speed Trans-Atlantic mailplane, served as a military transport during the WWII.
See more here

Friday, October 10, 2008