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Delta Air Lines is one of the world’s largest and most successful carriers.
It began life as Huff Dalaand Dusters in 1925, operating aircraft to help reduce the effect of the Boll Weevil on the cotton industries of the southern United States, and later in South America.
Then, when pioneering founder C E Woolman saw the opportunity to begin airmail and later passenger services, the airline began its relentless growth into the operation it is today.
Along the way Delta has acquired or merged with various other carriers, including Chicago & Southern, Northeast Airlines, Western Airlines and Northwest Airlines. Today, its fleet numbers almost 1,000 aircraft across its mainline and Delta Connection feeder carrier, and its main hub in Atlanta has become the busiest airport in the world.
Down the years Delta has flown a variety of classic and important aircraft types that have helped it in its success; some have even come to define the carrier, often thanks to Delta being the launch customer for the type.
Here were present the classic airliners that shaped Delta Air Lines.
Huff Dalaand Duster
Not technically an airliner, the Duster is included here simply because it was the catalyst which led to Delta’s foundation and early success.
These crop dusting aircraft were developed to allow the airline (then known as Huff Dalaand Dusters) to provide a service in removing the annual threat of the Boll Weevil which could obliterate crops.
Douglas DC-8
The first jet airliner flown by Delta was the Douglas DC-8. This four-engine airliner was designed in part to bid for the contract for a jet transport and tanker aircraft for the US Air Force. The contract eventually went to Boeing with the 707 (KC-135), but Douglas decided to continue development of their DC-8.
The relationship between Delta and Douglas was so strong that, when it came time to look at adding jet aircraft only one type was likely to be chosen. An order was placed, and Delta’s first DC-8-11, N801E ‘Ship 801’ was delivered on 22 July 1959.
Many of Delta’s main rivals, including Eastern, Pan Am and United Airlines had also ordered the DC-8. But it was Delta which managed to become the first to fly the type commercially when flight 823 departed New York’s Idlewild (later JFK) airport for Atlanta at 9.23am on 18 September. On board were 119 passengers, including celebrities and C E Woolman himself.
Delta flew many variants of DC-8 over the years, and retired the last ones in 1989.
Douglas DC-9
A Delta DC-9. Photo (c) Dave MacKenzie
Like the DC-8 (and earlier types such as the DC-3, DC-6 and DC-7), when Douglas developed the DC-9 Delta was quick to get on board and order the type.
Delta’s fleet of DC-8s and Convair 880s had given the airline a taste of what jet aircraft could offer in terms of speed, comfort and reliability, not to mention the perception and expectations of the travelling public. However, these large airliners were more suited to longer routes and were felt to be overqualified on shorter domestic runs.
Following discussions between CE Woolman and Donald Douglas, an order for 15 of the new jets was placed in April 1963, and the first delivery took place in late 1965. Delta, yet again, was the first airline in the world to put this new airliner into commercial service, on 8 December 1965.
Delta flew the DC-9-14/15, and later the -32 series aircraft, eventually retiring them in 1993.
Then, however, came a twist. With the merger between Delta and Northwest Airlines in 2010, Delta once again became a DC-9 operator thanks to the latter’s fleet of -30, -40 and -50 variants being painted into Delta’s colours.
The airline continued to operate these aircraft until 2014 when they were once again retired.
Lockheed L-1011 TriStar
In 1968 Delta had committed to a widebody airliner that was still on the drawing board at the time. The Lockheed L-1011 TriStar was promised to be a revolutionary new type which would offer unmatched levels of comfort and technological advances over the earlier stable of jet airliners.
Like its 747s, Delta planned to fly its TriStars on domestic services that suited the aircraft’s 250-passenger capacity.
After a delay with Rolls-Royce engines, the first L-1011 TriStar 1 variant was delivered to Delta in October 1973 to much fanfare.
For the next 28 years, the TriStar would become synonymous with Delta and an enduring symbol of the airline’s growth through this successful period. Over 70 individual TriStars passed through Delta’s fleet until the final example was retired in 2001. At the peak, 56 aircraft were active at once. They proved popular with passengers and crews alike and offered some of the airline’s first in-flight entertainment options, plus novel features like a downstairs galley with elevators to deliver food carts up to the passenger floor.
Boeing 727
An early 727-100 inherited from Delta’s merger with Northeast Airlines. Photo (c) Aero Icarus
Delta looked to Boeing for a new jet airliner in the 1970s and chose the 727 to bolster its widespread domestic network.
Thanks to the integration of Northeast Airlines in 1972, Delta retained the carrier’s Boeing 727-200s to supplement its own order for the type. This would quickly become the world’s largest fleet of 727s, amounting to almost 130 examples by the end of the 1970s.
The type was eventually retired in 2003 after many years successful service.
Boeing 757
Finally, the Boeing 757 is arguably one of the most successful and iconic types in Delta’s fleet.
Delta saw the 757 as a good future option to replace its older jets – particularly the Douglas DC-9 and Boeing 727 – and placed a large order for 60 aircraft in November 1980. Delta was the launch customer for the Pratt & Whitney PW2037 powerplant version, and the first aircraft was delivered in November 1984.
Ordered alongside its large 767 fleet, the aircraft have enjoyed decades of service and are still flying today.
Which is your favourite Delta aircraft? Leave a comment below.
Delta Air Lines Book
A new book by Matt Falcus looks at the history of Delta Air Lines from its early days crop dusting up to the present-day giant carrier that it has become. Along the way it covers the airlines that have merged with Delta, like Chicago & Southern, Western, Northeast Airlines and Northwest Airlines. Packed full of photographs of Delta aircraft over the years, it makes a great read for fans of airline history.
