Mid-Continent Timeline
MID-CONTINENT AIRLINES
TIMELINE
1928 to 1952
IMPORTANT - Braniff will retire its Mid-Continent Airlines logo featuring Chief Wapello, also inappropriately referred to as “Injun Joe", of the Native American Meskawaki Tribe, which still resides in Kansas. Mid-Continent was very kind and welcomed the latest Chief of various tribes in the region to all of its inaugural ceremonies and certainly, at the time, would not have imagined that the company’s logo was in actuality an inappropriate use of Native American imagery. Therefore, this logo will be retired and a new logo is currently in production with our graphic artists in Chicago. Braniff has been in contact with the Meskawaki Tribe and even though they were not offended by the logo, other Native American groups pointed out and quite correctly, that this was an appropriation of Native American imagery for an American company that was not licensed from the affected tribe to use this imagery.
Braniff Airways, Incorporated, February 2023
1928
Arthur Hanford, Jr., and Ryal Miller form a flight school based at Rickenbacker Airport in Sioux City, Iowa, which becomes the predecessor of Hanford’s Tri-State Airlines, which becomes the predecessor of Hanford Airlines, which becomes the predecessor of Mid-Continent Airlines.
Mr. Miller became interested in aviation prior to young Hanford and Miller enrolled in courses at Spott’s Flying Service based at Stevens, South Dakota (later renamed North Sioux City), which was later named Rickenbacker Airfield after Eddie Rickenbacker won a 500-mile auto race at Stevens.
Mr. Miller purchased the flying school before he completed his pilot studies. The school operated a fleet that consisted of two American Eagle and the building that housed the school was a hangar that was sitting on 40 acres of leased land. Miller renamed his school Tri-State Airlines.
Arthur “Art” Hanford, Jr., and his father, Arthur S. Hanford, Sr., were operating a highly successful dairy and produce company in Sioux City, which provided the income for the new flying school business. Hanford, Jr., established Hanford’s, Inc., which owned a chain of grocery stores and automobile service facilities and gas stations, which were highly successful.
Art Hanford, Jr., purchased a Stearman airplane after learning to fly in Chicago, and then studied advanced flying from James Barwick, who was a pilot for Ryal Miller. Ultimately, Mr. Hanford purchased Tri-State Airlines and renamed it Hanford’s Tri-State Airlines, Inc.
Arthur Hanford purchased a twin-engine Sikorsky amphibian aircraft to transport groups of fishermen to various lakes in Minnesota. This new weekend service turned out to be a valuable asset to the new company, which would struggle until it obtained air mail contracts in June 1934
1930 - 1939
January 1932
Arthur Hanford, Jr., sells his gas stations and auto garages to Phillips Petroleum to finance his new airline adventure
April 1, 1932
Hanford’s Tri-State Air Lines, Inc., begins scheduled service between Sioux City, Minneapolis and St. Paul, with single-engine 5-passenger Lockheed Vega airliners.
Photo: The new service was printed in Hanford Tri-State Airlines new system timetable dated April 1, 1932. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
February 1, 1933
Extension service from Sioux City to Omaha begins with a round trip shuttle flight
July 1, 1933
Service from St. Paul, Minneapolis and Sioux City is extended to Omaha to provide through service from St. Paul to Omaha, in addition, to the Sioux City to Omaha shuttle service.
Photo: Hanford Captain Al J. Jaster is standing next to his Lockheed Vega single-engine airliner in 1934 shortly after he was hired. Photo: Braniff Airways, Incorporated, Copyright
September 1, 1933
Hanford’s suspends service between Sioux City and Omaha on a temporary basis
October 15, 1933
Service is resumed between Sioux City and Omaha, while Sioux City is added as an intermediate between Sioux City and Kansas City and extension service is inaugurated between Minneapolis and St. Paul and Chicago
December 1, 1933
Hanford’s Tri-State Air Lines, Inc., merges with Rapid Air Lines, Inc., of Kansas City, Missouri, and forms Hanford-Rapid Air Lines but the two entities continue to operate as separate companies. The merger provided for single-plane service from St. Paul to Minneapolis, Sioux Falls, Sioux City, Omaha, St. Joseph and Kansas City
May 1, 1934
All flight operations are temporarily halted in preparation for the inauguration of service over newly awarded Air Mail routes.
Photo: While taxiing for takeoff Hanford Lockheed Vega 5B registered as NC905Y experienced an engine fire. There were no injuries reported from the 1933 incident at Sioux City, Iowa. Copyright Woodworth Photos Sioux City
June 1, 1934
Now known as Hanford Airlines, Inc., the company begins service over its new Air Mail Route AM-16 from Chicago to Milwaukee, Madison, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Fargo, Grand Rapids, Pembina, and Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, which gave Hanford its first international route.
Photo: Hanford’s first airmail flight was operated with Lockheed Vega registered as NC2875. A group of Hanford and Postal officials have gathered at St. Paul’s Holman Field for the inaugural ceremony. From left to right is William Robertson, postmaster of Minneapolis; Arthur A. Van, postmaster of St. Paul; President Arthur Hanford, Jr.; Walter Bullock, Captain and Erling Peterson who drove the truck that delivered the mail to the St. Paul Post Office.
July 3, 1934
Hanford wins a second route on Air Mail Route 16, which operates from St. Paul, Minneapolis, Sioux Falls and then Bismarck, Aberdeen, Huron, Sioux Falls and Omaha and finally Omaha, St. Joseph and Kansas City, which was operated by Rapid Air Lines because this segment required operation at night with 3-engine equipment and Rapid owned three Ford Trimotor airliners. Service begins on this date
As a result of the new Air Mail contracts, Hanford’s moves its headquarters from Sioux City to Minneapolis
December 1, 1934
Northwest Airlines, Inc., makes an offer to Hanford for its Air Mail Route 16 between Chicago and Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and the route was sold to Northwest Airlines; Rapid Air Lines again begins operating the route from Omaha to St. Joseph to Kansas City from December 1, 1934, until February 1, 1935.
Photo: Northwest Airways Lockheed Orion airliners are parked at the Maintenance Hangar at St. Paul Holman Field on January 8, 1934. Copyright George Johnson and Northwest Airlines History Center
December 31, 1934
Hanford operates its last flight over AM Route 16 between Chicago and Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, which was sold to Northwest Airlines and their service began on January 1, 1935.
Hanford moves its general offices from Minneapolis, back to Sioux City, but the Maintenance Base remains at Minneapolis Wold Chamberlain Airport.
Photo: The Hanford Airlines October 1, 1934 Timetable indicates the schedule across Air Mail Route 18. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
February 1, 1935
Hanford officially takes over the Omaha to St. Joseph to Kansas City segment of AM-26, which had been operated by Rapid Air Lines with its three-engine Ford Trimotor aircraft, which were required for service on this route segment. Also, St. Joseph service was discontinued
February 1, 1935
With the arrival of the Ford Trimotors, Mid-Continent hired hostesses to ensure passenger safety and comfort
June 23, 1935
Arthur S. Hanford, Jr., dies in a private plane crash at Sioux City, leaving his father Arthur S. Hanford, Sr., to run the company
May 6, 1936
Mid-Continent Airlines, Inc., is incorporated in the state of Delaware as a result of the purchase of controlling interest of Hanford by Thomas F. Ryan III, which included the single Air Mail contract. The new company did not purchase all of Hanford’s assets and assumed none of its debt or liabilities except those associated with the Air Mail route.
At this time, Hanford employed 64 people, served nine cities and held route authorization certificates covering 838 route miles, which were operated using three Ford Trimotors tri-engine airliners, and four five-passenger Lockheed Vegas flying to St. Paul, Minneapolis, Bismarck, Aberdeen, Huron, Sioux Falls, Sioux City, Omaha and Kansas City
June 30, 1936
Hanford Airlines, Inc., officially becomes Mid-Continent Airlines, Inc., but continues to operate as Hanford Airlines, Inc., and moves its headquarters offices to Kansas City Fairfax Airport. However, the Maintenance Base remains at Minneapolis Wold Chamberlain Airport
Thomas Fortune Ryan III, is the grandson of industrial pioneer Thomas Fortune Ryan, and the grandson is elected executive vice president of the company and James Wescott “Bill” Miller joins the company as vice president and general manager and finally, Mr. Arthur Hanford, Sr., is elected president of the newly formed corporation
July 1, 1936
General offices are moved from Sioux City to Kansas City Municipal Airport.
Photo: Hanford Airlines Maintenance Hangar at Minneapolis Wold Chamberlain Airport in 1940
July 9, 1936
10-passenger Lockheed L-10 Electra twin-engine airliners joins the fleet and the inauguration of service with the new airliner, dubbed “The Sioux Chief” begins from Kansas City to Minneapolis/St. Paul Wold Chamberlain Airport. Special guest on the flight was Eastern Airlines leader Eddie Rickenbacker
July 31, 1936
The company reports that it has carried 836 passengers, carried 17,195 pounds of mail and 3,542 pounds of express during the month of July 1936
August 30, 1936
Hanford inaugurates new air mail, express and passenger service between Kansas City and Tulsa, Oklahoma. The Airline begins the tradition of inviting a Native American Chief to fly on its inaugural flights. Chief Crazy Bull, a Sioux Native from the Rosebud Reservation in North Dakota, is a VIP on the first flight
September 1, 1936
All St. Paul service is moved to Minneapolis/St. Paul Wold Chamberlain Airport.
Photo: Well-wishers gathered in 1930 at Wold Chamberlain Airport, serving the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, to dedicate the new airport’s terminal building. Copyright, Minneapolis Star Tribune Newspaper
January 20, 1937
Hanford’s unique cantilever hangar is destroyed along with nine aircraft by a major fire at Rickenbacker Field. Two Hanford aircraft are also lost in the fire. Ironically, the cantilever replaced the hangar on the same site that also caught fire in 1928 during Mr. Hanford, Jr.’s, negotiation to buy Tri-State Air Lines.
A new airport was needed but the city, located in South Dakota, could not get the funding it needed. Therefore, the new airport was moved to Iowa, and was dedicated in October 1940.
Photo: The new Sioux City Municipal Airport is dedicated on October 27, 1940. This airport officially replaces Rickenbacker Airport. The tail of a Mid-Continent Airlines Lockheed Lodestar can be seen on the far left of the photo. Copyright, Sioux City Museum and Historical Association
May 15, 1937
New through-plane service is inaugurated between Minneapolis/St. Paul and Tulsa, with only two stops enroute at Kansas City and Omaha
August 1, 1938
Hanford Airlines officially changes its name to Mid-Continent Airlines, Inc., by ending the Hanford Airlines tradename. The change was made because the new name more correctly identified where the airline served its customers
December 11, 1939
Executive Vice President Thomas Fortune Ryan III, is elected president of Mid-Continent Airlines, Inc., while Arthur S. Hanford, Sr., was elected chairman of the board of directors, which he held until his death in the May of 1941.
Photo: The new management of Mid-Continent Airlines: Mr. Thomas Fortune Ryan III, right and Mr. James Wescott “Bill” Miller. Mr. Miller is receiving a new watch for his anniversary with the company in 1950. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
1940 to 1949
1940
Mid-Continent doubles its route mileage and personnel when the CAB authorized the carrier to fly a new route from Minneapolis/St. Paul to St. Louis, with intermediate stops at Rochester, Des Moines and Ottumwa and Des Moines to Kansas City. Extension service was also added from Bismarck to Minot as depicted in the November December 1940 System Timetable route map and schedules
1940
The fastest commercial aircraft flying at the time, the sleek Lockheed Lodestar was added to the MCA fleet with a luxurious cabin accommodation for 14-passengers.
September 23, 1940
With the arrival of the new Lockheed Lodestars, MCA hired stewards to ensure passenger safety and comfort
May 2, 1941
Hanford Airlines Chairman of the Board Mr. Arthur S. Hanford, Sr., dies at Sioux City, Iowa.
In the earliest days of his pioneering career, he was quoted as saying, “Someday this valley will be a great inland empire served by a wonderful air transport system which will shrink Mid-America into a community of backyard neighbors.”
Mr. Hanford’s dream came true and during his lifetime. Even with the tragic death of his only son, he carried on to ensure that Hanford Airlines and later Mid-Continent Airlines were among the greats in the airline industry.
He was born on a farm near Vinton, Iowa. Mr. Hanford wanted to become a cattleman and traveled to Colorado at an early age to fulfill his dream. However, illness struck and he returned to Centerville, South Dakota, where he began a poultry and egg business, which prospered and he moved to Sioux City, Iowa, in 1888.
At Sioux City, he founded a produce business, known as Hanford Produce, Inc., that expanded quickly. He soon added milk and cream to his product line. It was not long before the creamery became his chief source of income. By the early 1920s, his produce company operated more than 100 delivery trucks.
It has been said that “Elsie the Cow” was responsible for the birth of Hanford Tri-State Airlines and its successors Hanford Airlines and Mid-Continent Airlines
March 6, 1942
With United States entrance into World War 2, Mid-Continent’s management changes with the resignation of President Thomas Fortune Ryan. Mr. Ryan enters the armed forces and Vice President and General Manager James Wescott “Bill” Miller was elected president and general manager, a post he held until the company merged with Braniff Airways in 1952.
Photo: James Wescott “Bill” Miller is seated at his desk at the Kansas City Headquarters Building at Kansas City Municipal Airport in 1942. On the left is Vice President of Operations John A. Cunningham and Chief Pilot W. D. Warren. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
May 19, 1942, to September 25, 1944
May 19, 1942 to September 25, 1944 – For its part in the World War 2 effort, Mid-Continent operated a cargo route for the Army Air Transport Command, which carried nearly 17,000 of materials critical to the war effort. This was in addition to operating a highly reduced passenger schedule.
During this time MCA flew 8. 5 billion pound miles for the Army and carried approximately 8,500 military passengers. The company completed 99.6 percent of its flights, which was unheard of at the time.
The company also trained Army pilots and mechanics and performed modifications on military aircraft. This included General Jimmy James Doolittle’s B-25, which was the first aircraft to bomb Tokyo
June 30, 1942
More than 70 percent of the company’s fleet is turned over to the military by this time
October 31, 1943
MCA reports that under a restricted wartime program that the company has flown 5,064 passengers, carried 109,266 pounds of mail and 23,321 pounds or air express during the month of October 1943
December 31, 1943
Thanks to the company’s improved maintenance procedures, aircraft utilization is nearly doubled, which greatly offset the loss of aircraft to World War 2 effort. By this time, the company is efficient enough to operate 85-percent of its pre-war scheduled mileage with only half of its pre-war equipment
May 1944
May 1944 – It is revealed that Mid-Continent Airlines made modifications to the military planes that Major General James “Jimmy” Doolittle and his pilots used on the raid on Tokyo, Japan. The modifications were made under the supervision of Benny Krouse, Mid-Continent’s supervisor of Service and overhaul at the Minneapolis Maintenance Base.
The company installed auxiliary gas tanks in the North American B-25 aircraft was planned by Mr. Krause and Major General Doolittle. A rubber gas tank was installed in the crawlway above the bomb bay and a metal tank in the bomb bay itself.
Photo: A maintenance worker is repairing the nose cone of a Mid-Continent Douglas DC-3 on June 6, 1951. The repair is taking place at the Minneapolis Maintenance Base where the Doolittle modifications were made in secret. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
September 25, 1944
Mid-Continent Airlines service to the World War II effort comes to an end. A special division, dubbed the Military Transport Division, was set up inside the company to manage its Air Transport Command routes from Minneapolis to Dayton, via Chicago; from Dayton to Kansas City, via Indianapolis and from Sioux City to San Antonio via Omaha, Kansas City, Topeka, Salina, Wichita, Oklahoma City and Dallas.
Photo: After wartime service, Mid-Continent received its fleet back that had been impressed for military service. New Douglas DC-3s were added four months later, which upgraded the Airline’s passenger experience. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
December 13, 1944
The first new Douglas DC-3s arrive at the Kansas City Base from the Douglas Plant at Santa Monica, California. The first aircraft to arrive was piloted by company Chief Pilot Captain W. D. Warren. Pilots will be trained and maintenance will ensure the new aircraft meet regulatory requirements before they are placed in scheduled airline service
December 20, 1944
A new City Ticket Office opens in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The office will be managed by Ted Gilmore, the current City Traffic Manager for Mid-Continent at Tulsa. Located in the Stanolind Building at 112 East Fifth Street, the office is conveniently located in the busy business district. During 1944, MCA began a program of installing City Ticket Offices in all of its larger cities
December 31, 1944
By this time, the company is able to surpass its 1941 scheduled mileage flown with a full fleet despite a reduction of 50 percent of its fleet
January 10, 1945
The luxurious 21-passenger Douglas DC-3 twin-engine airliner joins the fleet, which enables the company to increase its Available Passenger Miles by 223-percent and increase its scheduled flights.
An increase in passenger comfort over the Lockheed Lodestar, which the DC-3, will replace, is paramount and passengers notice immediately. The first schedules that the DC-3s fly are three southbound trips daily from Minneapolis to Kansas City, one from Minneapolis to Des Moines, one from Des Moines to St. Louis and one from Kansas City to Tulsa
January 15, 1945
The Civil Aeronautics Board awards Mid-Continent a new route operating from Kansas City to Tulsa to New Orleans. Intermediate stops will be made at Joplin, Missouri (or nonstop to Tulsa, depending on schedule); Muskogee, Oklahoma; Ft. Smith, Arkansas; Texarkana, Texas/Arkansas and Shreveport, Louisiana.
Photo: New Orleans Moisant International Airport was terminal was housed in a very large hangar in this Jun 1951 photo. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
January 31, 1945
A new application from Mid-Continent begins hearing before the Civil Aeronautics Board. The company is hoping that it will be authorized for Route 26 that would operate from Tulsa to Dallas and then terminate at Houston.
Photo: The Houston Municipal Airport Terminal in 1951. Today, the terminal houses the 1940 Houston Air Terminal Museum. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
February 1, 1945
Mid-Continent Airlines opens a new City Ticket Office at Des Moines, Iowa. The new office is located at 416 Sixth Avenue in downtown Des Moines and is managed by City Traffic Manager Jack Barnes and is assisted by Maxine Watson
March 12, 1945
Mid-Continent’s long-sought objective to operate to Chicago begins hearing in the CAB’s North Central States Case, held in Des Moines, Iowa. The company hopes to gain authority to operate trunkline service from Des Moines and Minneapolis/St. Paul to Milwaukee and Chicago, with intermediate stops at Waterloo, Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, Rockford, La Crosse and Madison. In addition, the Mid-Continent would also like to operate feeder service from 43 cities in the Des Moines, Minneapolis and Chicago areas
April 1, 1945
Margaret Moore is appointed the Chief Traffic Manager for Mid-Continent Airlines at St. Louis, Missouri. She is the only Chief Traffic Officer for an airline in the St. Louis areaWhatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
May 2, 1945
Pilot training along the newly awarded route from Tulsa to New Orleans begins at Kansas City. The crew departed aboard a Lockheed Lodestar with Chief Pilot Captain W. D. Warren in command of the aircraft for the three-day round trip training tour.
Photo: The pilots aboard the training flight took a brief moment to capture their trip and stand next to the Lockheed Lodestar that would take them to New Orleans. Mid-Continent’s summer uniforms are worn by the pilots for the first time this year. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
August 1, 1945
The company inaugurates service from Tulsa to New Orleans with local stops at Fort Smith, Texarkana and Shreveport. The celebration continued all along the routes including the arrival of both company DC-3 aircraft, registered as NC34951 and NC34952, are parked on the ramp at New Orleans Municipal Airport after completing the first inaugural service across the route. Photo: Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
August 10, 1945
Mid-Continent further extends its Gulf Coast service with single-plane service between New Orleans and Minneapolis/St. Paul. The first flight departed New Orleans with a Douglas DC-3. After a full day of inaugural ceremonies across the route, the passengers arrived in Minneapolis before the evening. Two daily round trips are offered between the two cities with intermediate stops at Shreveport, Texarkana, Ft. Smith, Tulsa, Joplin, Kansas City, Des Moines and Rochester. The flights depart New Orleans at 830AM and 715PM
October 1, 1945
Mid-Continent Airlines President James Wescott “Bill” Miller makes the surprise announcement that the CAB is considering the possibility of merging Mid-Continent with American Airlines. Ultimately, the merger was not approved
September 18, 1945
Inaugural service begins at Ft. Smith, Arkansas. The is now included on daily flights between Tulsa and New Orleans
October 1, 1945
Mid-Continent’s proposal for new service from St. Louis to Detroit and Cleveland is heard before the CAB during the first two weeks of October 1945. The new route would including intermediate stops at Indianapolis, Ft. Wayne and Toledo, in addition to Decatur, Danville, Terre Haute, Lafayette and Anderson/Muncie/New Castle. In addition, MCA’s application to provide additional service between St. Louis and Chicago was also heard by the CAB during the same hearing
November 5, 1945
Additional service applications are heard by the CAB in New Orleans on November 5, 1945, for proposed service between Kansas City and St. Louis, with intermediate stops Columbia and Jefferson City. In addition, the hearing will include the proposal for new service between Shreveport and Houston with an intermediate stop at Beaumont/Pt. Arthur
November 15, 1945
The company adds extension service to Tulsa, on the Des Moines to Kansas City segment. Flight 51 makes an intermediate stop at Joplin between Kansas City and Tulsa.
Photo: The Mid-Continent Airport Ticket Office counter at Tulsa Municipal Airport is busy with passengers checking in for the flights. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
January 20 to April 16, 1946
Mid-Continent Airlines carries the first and largest shipment of turkey poultry every expressed by air. Boote’s Hatcheries and Packing of Worthington, Minnesota, contracted the company to fly 1000 poults to J. C. Feldman Hatcheries of New Orleans, Louisiana, which shipped the chicks on to destinations in Mexico and South America. This operation continued through mid-April 1946
February 1, 1946
Colonel Thomas Fortune Ryan is relieved of his wartime duty after three years and returned to the company as chairman of the board.
Photo: Mid-Continent Airlines pilots are enjoying the modern cockpit of the Airline’s new Douglas DC-3 airliners. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
February 21, 1946
A hearing is held before an Examiner of the Civil Aeronautics Board concerning the proposed merger of Mid-Continent Airlines and American Airlines. MCA’s Board has approved the merger, which would include exchange of stock between the two carriers with American as the surviving entity. The CAB has not decided the case as of this date but American Airlines has filed a Registration Statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission concerning the Common Stock that American would offer to Mid-Continent. Ultimately, the merger was not approved.
Photo: Passengers are enjoying the luxury of the company’s new Douglas DC-3 interior. Company President James Wescott “Bill” Miller is the first passenger seated on the left. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
March 15, 1946
Mason City was added as an intermediate stop on the Des Moines to Minneapolis/St. Paul route
May 2, 1946
The Annual Meeting of Shareholders is held at 10AM in Kansas City at the company’s headquarters. The Annual Meeting of Shareholders is held at 10AM in Kansas City at the company’s headquarters. The company ends 1945 with its highest Operating Revenues in history of $3,216,289, which was an increase of over 60 percent from 1944. A significant contributing factor was the addition of the new Tulsa to New Orleans route, which yielded more than 20 percent of the company’s Revenue Passenger Miles. In addition, MCA’s Load Factor maintained an average of 76 percent all year long
Photo:Administrative offices were located in the front of the building and the hangar was behind the offices. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
May 15, 1946
MCA opens new City Ticket Offices in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Sioux City, Iowa
July 1, 1946
The Company inaugurates service at Muskogee, Oklahoma, which became a local stop on the route between Tulsa and New Orleans.
Photo: The magnificent MCA City Ticket Office in downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma, is stylish and attractive and welcomes customers hoping to purchase tickets for the new service to Muskogee. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
September 1, 1946
Service resumed at Aberdeen, Bismarck, Minot and St. Joseph, which had been discontinued because of lack of equipment during the World War 2 effort. The resumption of service is depicted in this route map from the Mid-Continent Airlines System Timetable dated September 1, 1946. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
September 16, 1946
Mid-Continent Airlines is recommended by CAB Examiner Curtis Henderson to serve a new route between Kansas City and Memphis with an intermediate stop in Springfield, Missouri. Also pending before the Board and in its final stage is the company’s request to serve a number of new route in the North Central Area Case, along with proposed feeder services along with the Tulsa to Houston service via Dallas, and finally service between Kansas City and St. Louis
January 1, 1947
Air freight service is inaugurated by the company. Superintendent of Airmail and Air Cargo Ted Gilmore states that the freight rates will be based on a figure of 25.5 cents per ton mile for a minimum shipment of 25 pounds. Every Mid-Continent will now fly with air cargo aboard with pickup and delivery services optional. The new service is announced in the January 1, 1947 System Timetable
February 1, 1947
New service begins between Tulsa and Houston, with an intermediate stop at Tyler, Texas
February 1, 1947
The Merritt Owens Advertising Agency of Kansas City, Kansas, is now Mid-Continent’s primary agency. The new agency replaces Goodkind, Joyce and Morgan of Chicago
February 10, 1947
Babies, ages from a few weeks to two years, that travel aboard Mid-Continent Airlines will enjoy the Airline’s new “Infanseats.” The tiny baby is held in his mother’s arms using the new Infanseat, which is made by the Infanseat Company of Des Moines, Iowa.
February 15, 1947
MCA receives a National Safety Council Award for 12 years of scheduled operations of more than 24 million scheduled miles flown without a single crew or passenger fatality.
Photo: MCA also received the National Safety Council Award in 1948. Company President James Wescott “Bill” Miller receives the award in 1948. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
April 1, 1947
A new mascot for Mid-Continent is revealed, which is a businessman. He sports a new Easter hat and briefcase ready to travel the vast route map of The Great Plains Route
April 15, 1947
MCA inaugurates new service between Sioux City and Des Moines.
Photo: The Airport Ticket Office at Sioux City Gateway Airport was always busy assisting passengers in this March 6, 1951, photo. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
May 1, 1947
The Mid-Continent Airlines Annual Meeting of Shareholder’s is held in the General Offices at Kansas City Municipal Airport at 10AM.
May 1, 1947
Roberta Scudder and Betty Lou Jordan become the first Mid-Continent Airlines hostesses to have flown more than a million miles in service. Before coming to MCA four years ago, Ms. Scudder worked as a school teacher and Ms. Jordan a social worker
July 15, 1947
New MCA service is inaugurated at Longview/Kilgore/Gladewater as an intermediate stop on the Tulsa to Houston route.
Photo: A Mid-Continent Airlines Douglas DC-3 registered as NC95463 is parked at Longview Gregg County Airport on inaugural day July 15, 1947. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
August 1, 1947
The Airline inaugurates service at Paris, Texas. The small terminal at Cox Field served as the gathering place for all of the inaugural day well-wishers. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
August 1, 1947
Mid-Continent Vice President of Operations John A. Cunningham thanked all company employees for helping the Airline complete a remarkable 99.9 percent of its scheduled flights in the month of July 1947
September 15, 1947
The company is awarded Air Transport Magazine’s top award for excellence in aircraft maintenance
October 1, 1947
Kansas City-based advertising agency Bruce B. Brewer and Company is now in charge of Mid-Continent’s advertising account. The company replaces Merritt Owens Advertising Agency, also of Kansas City
October 21, 1947
Mid-Continent passengers can now call for a reservation using only one phone number for any city in the system. A new Central Seat Control system has been installed and enables passengers to confirm space between any two points, in either direction, on any flight, then advise a central reservation control office in Kansas City that the space has been sold.
Photo: A big Mid-Continent Convair 240 registered as N90664 is taxiing to the terminal at Kansas City Municipal Airport, on March 1, 1951. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
November 1, 1947
MCA begins offering Air Travel Cards joining other major airlines under the Universal Air Travel Plan. Passengers will no longer need to carry large amounts of cash with them to pay for air travel. Now they can present the Air Travel Card, signs a transportation receipt and their company will receive a bill for the travel at the end of the month,
Photo: Looking back to 1940, a magnificent Mid-Continent counter display. The lighted advertisement touts “Daily Round Trips Be Home Nights”. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
November 1, 1947
Several Mid-Continent route cases will be heard by the Civil Aeronautics Board this month and in the coming months. This month, the CAB will hear MCA’s proposal to operate an alternate route between Kansas City and New Orleans, with new service to Springfield, Missouri, Little Rock and El Dorado, Arkansas and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. This case was not heard until March 8, 1948.
The second case, set for February 1948 offers an MCA alternate route between Minneapolis/St. Paul and St. Louis. New flights would operate from Waterloo, Iowa, to St. Louis, via Cedar Rapids and Iowa City, Iowa, Davenport, Iowa/Moline and Rock Island, Illinois, Peoria and Springfield, Illinois.
In other cases, Mid-Continent was denied a proposed route in the Great Lakes Case between St. Louis and Detroit and Cleveland, via several intermediate stops and for a second proposed route between St. Louis and Chicago. In addition, the company was denied its application for a new Memphis to Kansas City route, although the company had been recommended for the route by the CAB Examiner assigned to the case.
However, final decisions are pending before the CAB on a proposed route between Kansas City and St. Louis and a second route between Kansas City and Chicago, both heard in the Mississippi Valley Route Case. The Board will also hear the company’s proposal to begin serving Lincoln, Nebraska, over Route 26, which operates from MSP to New Orleans. MCA wants to make Dallas and Ft. Worth, co-terminals on the route.
On Mid-Continent’s Northern Route System, the company has proposed extension service from Minot, North Dakota, to Regina, Saskatoon, Canada. However, the CAB has deferred this case temporarily.
Photo: The plaque from the entrance door to Mid-Continents Communications Department at the Kansas City Municipal Airport headquarters building. The plaque is made from thick aluminum. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
December 1, 1947
Ottumwa service had been discontinued during the war effort but service is reinstated as of this date. With the addition of Ottumwa, Mid-Continent adds 869 routes miles to its system during 1947
January 7, 1948
The company opens a new City Ticket Office in downtown St. Paul
January 22, 1948
New service is inaugurated at Quincy, Illinois and Waterloo, Iowa.
Photo: The terminal at Waterloo, Iowa, in 1940, was unique in its small size and spartan design. However, the terminal served MCA and Waterloo well until a new modern facility was dedicated in June 1951. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
January 23, 1948
Nonstop service between Kansas City and St. Louis, begins.
Photo: The Airport Ticket Office counter is always the center of activity at Mid-Continent’s station at St. Louis Lambert Field in February 1952. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
February 19, 1948
An improved version of the original Howard Hughes terrain clearance indicator made its debut on a Mid-Continent Airlines Douglas DC-3. The new radar, a commercial version of the military’s “seeing-eye” of World War II, was demonstrated during flights over Minneapolis/St. Paul, Houston and St. Louis
March 15, 1948
Mid-Continent can now make hotel reservations for passengers at ten cities served by the Midwest carrier with participating hotels. The cities include Des Moines, Kansas City, Mason City, Minneapolis, Omaha, St. Louis, Sioux City, Sioux Falls and Waterloo.
Photo. MCA’s City Ticket Office at St. Louis is located in the Jefferson Hotel. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
June 1, 1948
Mid-Continent Airlines inaugurates new nonstop service between Kansas City and Minneapolis/St. Paul and Houston and Tulsa. In addition, new commuter service is offered to passengers traveling between Omaha and St. Joseph; Kansas City and St. Louis; Shreveport and Tulsa and Des Moines and St. Louis
October 1, 1948
New employee wings are made available to employees including pilots, station managers, radio operators, senior agents, chief agents and agents. The new jewelry is made by Green Jewelry Company of Kansas City. Million Mile Pilots new wings will feature a star and wreath at the top of the decorative badge
December 31, 1948
MCA reports that it has flown 269,189 revenue passengers for a total of 81,983,036 Revenue Passenger Miles during 1947. The company serves 31 cities in 12 states with a routes system covering 3369 route miles
January 1, 1949
The company has filed a new tariff with the Civil Aeronautics Board for a new $19.95 roundtrip excursion fare with a 15 day return requirement. The present roundtrip fare between the two cities is $26.90
May 5, 1949
Board of Directors approves an agreement to purchase St. Louis-based Parks Air Lines, Inc, which would add 4000 route miles to the Mid-Continent system but the company would operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary of MCA subject to CAB approval.
The agreement stated that the purchase of Parks would occur as a result of an exchange of stock traded on the basis of one share of Mid-Continent stock for each 2.4 shares of Parks Air Lines. It is proposed that the subsidiary company would begin operations into Chicago over two separate routes, one from Sioux City and the other from St. Louis, with other Parks certificated local service routes following at the earliest practicable date.
Between Sioux City and Chicago, flights would stop enroute at Fort Dodge, Waterloo, Dubuque, Janesville-Beloit, Freeport, Rockford and Elgin, while enroute stops at Springfield, Decatur, Champaign-Urbana, were made between St. Louis and Chicago. Ultimately, the merger was not approved
November 15, 1949
Mid-Continent Airlines has operated accident free for the past 15 years of service, which is one of the industry’s best safety records. During that time, the company has flown 473,279,830 passenger miles without a single crew or passenger fatality.
Photo: Air Travel News was published by MCA in the company’s November 1, 1949 System Timetable to update passengers about the newest Mid-Continent services. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
1950 to 1952
February 1, 1950
MCA operates a fleet of 20 Douglas DC-3 aircraft and the company’s routes extends from Minneapolis/St. Paul and the Dakotas to Houston and New Orleans. Mid-Continent’s airliners fly 25,000 miles every day over a route system of 3,500 route miles compared to 838 route miles and 7 small aircraft with the company began service in 1936.
The company has been profitable since 1942 and currently serves 31 cities in 11 states, which serve a population of 35 million. This compares to nine cities serving a population of 2 million people in 1936.
Photo: The spacious Airport Ticket Office counter at Minneapolis/St. Paul Municipal Airport provided an efficient and handsome facility to welcome and greet passengers. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
February 16, 1950
Mid-Continent’s Board of Directors approves the purchase of four 40-passenger Convair 240 twin-engine airliners, which were the company’s first pressurized cabin aircraft. The four airplanes plus equipment cost $2 million
June 1, 1950
The 300 mile-an-hour Convair 240 aircraft enter service between Minneapolis/St. Paul and Kansas City with intermediate stops at Sioux Falls, Sioux City and Omaha; between Minneapolis/St. Paul to Kansas City with local stops at Rochester and Des Moines and from Kansas City to St. Louis and continuing south to Tulsa and Houston.
Photo: The Mid-Continent June 1, 1950 System Timetable featured the new Convair 240 on the front cover along with this double page touting the new luxury airliner. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
August 1, 1950
From Washington DC, the Civil Aeronautics Board denies the company’s proposal to purchase Parks Air Lines, Inc. However, the CAB did award MCA all of the routes under investigation in the North Central Service Investigation Case, which included service between Sioux City and Chicago with local stops at Rockford, Dubuque, Waterloo and Fort Dodge and between Milwaukee and Des Moines with intermediate stops at Rockford, Sterling, Clinton, Moline, Muscatine, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo and Marshalltown
September 26, 1950
The new service awarded by the CAB in the North Central Service Investigation Case began between Sioux City and Chicago and between Rockford and Milwaukee, the day the certificate went into effect. Two flights operate each day over the new routes
October 1, 1950
Plans are announced to construct a new Maintenance Base at Minneapolis/St. Paul Wold Chamberlain Airport to accommodate the luxurious new Convair 240 twin-engine airliners
December 1, 1950
MCA adds a third round trip between Waterloo and Chicago, further emphasizing the public’s acceptance of MCA’s newly awarded service and Mason City (already served by MCA) is added as a stop on its Sioux City to Chicago route and single-plane service is inaugurated between Kansas City and Milwaukee
December 5, 1950
Construction begins on the company’s new $375,000 Maintenance Base at Minneapolis/St. Paul with completion expected by July 1951
December 31, 1950
In less than 15 years, Mid-Continent Airlines has grown from a 7 plane airline to a 26 plane company with routes extending from Minneapolis/St. Paul and the Dakotas to the north and Houston and New Orleans to the south and Chicago and Milwaukee to the east.
The company carried 359,079 revenue passengers a total of 106,445,570 passenger miles
January 1951
Approval for a $250,000 modernization and upgrade program for the Douglas DC-3 fleet was approved, which included increasing capacity from 21-passengers to 24-passengers and adding integral boarding stairs to the main cabin door.
Photo: Even though the company added three additional seats, the new interior grew extremely elegant and plush giving passengers a new sense of luxury flight. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
February 1, 1951
Mid-Continent begins construction on a new hangar, service shop and office building at Minneapolis/St. Paul Wold Chamberlain Airport. Completion is expected by July 1952
March 5, 1951
Mid-Continent is flying 26,000 scheduled Revenue Passenger Miles over 3,992 and during 1950 the fleet flew 106,445,570 Revenue Passenger Miles compared to 1,110, 636 during 1936 and flew 359,079 passengers in 1950 compared to 5214 in 1936. The company’s total Revenue Passenger Miles flown since its formation exceeds 600 million and today employs 1,150, a substantial increase from 64 in 1936
March 26, 1951
Legal actions were filed by Ozark Airlines, Mid-West Airlines and Wisconsin Central Airlines to prevent Mid-Continent from continuing service over the routes awarded in the CAB’s North Central Case and a hearing was conducted on this day in Washington DC.
The airlines had brought up the point that MCA is considered a trunk airline, albeit a small one, and that the routes it was awarded were local service routes and not trunk routes, which should have been awarded to local service carriers such as Ozark Airlines.
MCA was authorized to continue serving the new routes while the hearing was underway. The company received full support of the cities along both routes of flight
June 11, 1951
Six 44-passenger Convair 340 Cosmopolitan twin-engine airliners were ordered from Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation of San Diego, California, which were scheduled for delivery in 1953.
Photo: A 1950 Mid-Continent Airlines Hostess Graduating Class models for the group photo on the boarding ramp with the luxurious Convair 240 serving as the backdrop at the Kansas City Headquarters at Municipal Airport. MCA calls their Convair 240 a Convair 300. The new Convair 340s were never delivered to Mid-Continent but were taken up by Braniff Airways, the airline MCA merges with in August 1952. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
July 31, 1951
Mid-Continent Airlines observes 15 years of service under its current ownership and management. The company has grown from a 7 aircraft airline to a current fleet of 23 Douglas DC-3s and four 40-passenger Convair 240 twin-engine airliners
September 26, 1951
The company celebrates one year of service over its route from Sioux City, Iowa, to Chicago and Milwaukee.
Photo: Mid-Continent shared this terminal with Braniff at Chicago’s Midways Airport. Copyright, Braniff Airway, Incorporated
January 10, 1952
Mid-Continent enters into a "through plane" Interchange Service agreement with Eastern Air Lines, which enabled single-plane service between Kansas City and Miami, Florida, via intermediate stops at St. Louis, Atlanta, Georgia and Jacksonville, Florida, using Eastern’s Douglas DC-4 aircraft
January 16, 1952
Mid-Continent begins negotiating with Braniff Airways about a proposed merger of the two carriers even though Braniff had been studying a merger with MCA since 1940
January 24, 1952
An application for merger between Braniff and Mid-Continent is submitted to the CAB
February 22, 1952
Mid-Continent Chief Hostess Ms. Patricia Partin speaks before a group of students about becoming an airline hostess. The speech was presented at The University of Missouri Career Conference, in Columbia, Missouri
February 26, 27 28, 1952
Mid-Continent and Braniff leadership begin a three day tour of Mid-Continent’s Northern Division aboard a company Douglas DC-3. From left to right, MCA Chairman Thomas Fortune Ryan III; Braniff President Thomas Elmer Braniff; MCA President James Wescott “Bill” Miller and Braniff General Manager Charles Edmund Beard are discussing the upcoming merger during the inspection tour. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
May 26, 1952
The CAB approves the merger with Braniff Airways, Incorporated
August 16, 1952
Mid-Continent Airlines merges with Dallas-based Braniff Airways, Incorporated, at 1201AM with Braniff as the surviving carrier. Mid-Continent’s fleet at the time of the merger consisted of 23 Douglas DC-3s and four Convair 240s and six larger Convair 340s were also on order and the orders were taken up by Braniff Airways. At the time of the merger, MCA flew over 6200 route miles to 35 cities in the Midwest United States.
Chairman Thomas Fortune Ryan III and President and General Manager J. W. “Bill” Miller became officers of Braniff Airways, Incorporated, at the time of the merger
September 1, 1952
Braniff’s September 1, 1952 Domestic and International Timetable is the first schedule to announce the merger with Mid-Continent. The combined schedule of both carriers are listed in this handsome timetable.