Historical Eastern Air Lines (later Airlines) Photo Gallery - click on image to enter Photo Gallery by Don Boyd at pbase.com

Historical Eastern Air Lines (later Airlines) Photo Gallery - click on image to enter

Eastern was the big airline in Miami, employing thousands of residents who lived all over the county and up into Broward. When I was a kid it seemed like every block had an Eastern family on it and often two or three Eastern families.

In addition to these photos, I have more Eastern photos located at: < http://www.pbase.com/airlinerphotos/35mm_eastern

There is an excellent 1951 amateur video of Eastern at Miami International Airport viewable at: < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6LnCJmIPDQ&feature=related

Michael Manning's blog about his interview with Martin Shugrue, trustee for the Eastern estate, can be read at: < http://michaelmanningtv.blogspot.com/2010/12/eastern-airlines-remembering-pioneer_19.html

To be continued....

1933 - Captain Dick Merrill in the cockpit of an Eastern Air Transport Curtiss T-32 Condor II	1933 - Eastern Air Transport's Captain Bob Chew, co-pilot John Armstrong in a Curtiss T-32 Condor II bi-plane	1933 - Eastern Air Transport Curtiss T-32 Condor II airliner	1947 - Eastern Air Lines DC-4 at the 36th Street Terminal, Miami	Late 1940's/early 1950's - Eastern Air Lines mechanics and a DC-3 at Miami International Airport
Late 1940's/early 1950's - closeup of Eastern Air Lines mechanics and a DC-3 at Miami International Airport	1950's - Eastern's chairman Eddie Rickenbacker being interviewed	1950's - Santa arriving on EAL DC-3 N15567 to greet children of Eastern's employees	1950's - Santa arriving on EAL DC-3 N15567 to greet children of Eastern employees	1951 - Eastern Air Lines mechanics with a DC-3 at Miami
1953 - Captain Eddie Rickenbacker, Honorary Captain Arthur Godfrey, Captain Dick Merrill and unknown	1953 - #1 and #2 engines starting up on Eastern Air Lines Super Constellation ship #202 for flight 601 from Idlewild to Miami	1953 - Air Traffic Controller Don Innes and another gent at MIA's Tower with Eastern Constellation flying past in the background	1953 - Eastern Air Lines Super Constellation taxiing out to runway 9R at MIA with MIAD building in the background	1953 - Eastern Air Lines stewardess providing inflight service on flight 601 Super Constellation service from Idlewild to Miami
1953 - Eastern Air Lines Super Constellation final approach to runway 17 at MIA over the golf course in Miami Springs	1953 - Eastern Air Lines Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation landing on MIA's runway 17 after flight from Idlewild	1950's - Eastern Air Lines timetable	1950's - Eastern Air Lines Lockheed Constellation off Miami Beach	1950's - Eastern Air Lines DC-7B over Miami Beach
1950's - Eastern Air Lines Lockheed Constellation over downtown Miami	Early 1950's - Eastern Air Lines aircraft at Eastern's large maintenance base at Miami International Airport	1950's - Eastern Air Lines Lockheed L-1049 Constellation	1955 - Eastern Air Lines Lockheed Constellation at Miami International Airport	1950's - Eastern Air Lines hangars at Miami International Airport
1950's - Eastern Air Lines hangars at Miami International Airport	1950's - new stewardesses after a training flight on Eastern's Lockheed Electra N5502	1959 - Eastern Air Lines Lockheed L-1049G Constellation N6240G crash landing at Miami International Airport after airborne fire	1962 - Eastern Air Lines B-720A (non-fan) at Miami International Airport	Early 1960's - Eastern Air Lines DC8-21
1964 - Eastern Air Lines ad promoting their new B727-25 in the Home News	1964 - Eastern Air Lines ad congratulating the Home News on their 20th Anniversary of serving Hialeah and Miami Springs	1964 - Eastern Air Lines DC-7B N823D at Miami International Airport	1964 - Eastern Air Lines DC8-21 N8606 at Miami International Airport	1964 - Eastern Air Lines DC8-21 N8606 at Miami International Airport
1965 - Eastern Lockheed Constellation in the hockey puck scheme	1965 - Eastern DC-8 on the south side of Concourse 6 (later C which is now gone)	1960's - Eastern Air Lines Lockheed Electras on Concourse 5 at Miami International Airport	1960's (?) - Eastern's Santa was Charlie Graflin	1971 - Eastern Airlines Aero Commander 500B N6291X and Lockheed JetStar 6 N12241 "WhisperStar" at Miami
1971 - Eastern Airlines aircraft on concourses 5 and 6 at Miami International Airport	1972 - Eastern Airlines Lockheed L1011-385 N310EA that crashed as Flight 401 in the Everglades	1984 - Eastern Airlines Lockheed L1011-385 N318EA taxiing out for takeoff as another Eastern L1011 takes off from runway 9-left	2008 - the Historical Flight Foundation's restored Eastern Air Lines DC-7B N836D Open House stock photo #1446	2008 - the Historical Flight Foundation's restored Eastern Air Lines DC-7B N836D Open House stock photo #SDC10049
2008 - former flight attendants on the Historical Flight Foundation's restored Eastern Air Lines DC-7B N836D stock photo #1433	2008 - former EAL employees on the Historical Flight Foundation's restored Eastern Air Lines DC-7B N836D stock photo #1434	2008 - former EAL employees on the Historical Flight Foundation's restored Eastern Air Lines DC-7B N836D stock photo #1435	2008 - EAL route map on bulkhead of the Historical Flight Foundation's restored Eastern Air Lines DC-7B N836D stock photo #1438	2008 - the Historical Flight Foundation's restored Eastern Air Lines DC-7B N836D Open House stock photo #10020
2008 - EAL route map on bulkhead of the Historical Flight Foundation's restored Eastern Air Lines DC-7B N836D stock photo #10021	2008 - the Historical Flight Foundation's restored Eastern Air Lines DC-7B N836D Open House stock photo #10024	2008 - the Historical Flight Foundation's restored Eastern Air Lines DC-7B N836D Open House stock photo #10025	2008 - the Historical Flight Foundation's restored Eastern Air Lines DC-7B N836D Open House stock photo #10026	2008 - the Historical Flight Foundation's restored Eastern Air Lines DC-7B N836D Open House stock photo #10030
2008 - Carlos Gomez, co-owner of the restored Eastern Air Lines DC-7B N836D at the Open House stock photo #10039	2008 - aerial view of the Historical Flight Foundation's Open House at Opa-locka Executive Airport	2008 - a scene at the Historical Flight Foundation's Open House at Opa-locka Executive Airport	2008 - the Historical Flight Foundation's restored Eastern Air Lines DC-7B N836D Open House stock photo #10049	2008 - the Historical Flight Foundation's restored Eastern Air Lines DC-7B N836D Open House stock photo #10053
2008 - the Historical Flight Foundation's restored Eastern Air Lines DC-7B N836D Open House stock photo #10058	2008 - the Historical Flight Foundation's restored Eastern Air Lines DC-7B N836D Open House stock photo #10060	2008 - the Historical Flight Foundation's restored Eastern Air Lines DC-7B N836D aviation stock photo #1467	2008 - the Historical Flight Foundation's restored Eastern Air Lines DC-7B N836D aviation stock photo #10061	2008 - the Historical Flight Foundation's restored Eastern Air Lines DC-7B N836D aviation stock photo #10062
2011 - the Historical Flight Foundation's restored Eastern Air Lines DC-7B N836D	2011 - the Historical Flight Foundation's restored Eastern Air Lines DC-7B N836D	2011 - the Historical Flight Foundation's restored Eastern Air Lines DC-7B N836D

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Ray Carstens		25-Nov-2011 01:07
my Dad was a mechanic at Eastern while going to school for flight engineer - became engineer til the ALPA strike...later flew for overseas companies..

Susan Moore		23-Nov-2011 12:22
I was a stewardess for EAL 1966-69.I will always treasure the memories,and wish Eastern was still flying.It truly was the best airline in America-Susan Moore

Gerald McQueen		02-Jun-2011 02:57
I started my Computer Sciences career in 1971 at EASTERN AIRLINES SYSTEM ONE - DORAL COMPUTER CENTER. Eastern will ALWAYS be a part of me. I remember taking part in making a commercial and photo of the oval Eastern Airlines logo... made up of about 1,200 employees. Does anyone have a copy of that poster/photo to share? Jerald McQueen - jmcqueen@phoenix-energysystems.com

PAUL STEELE		12-Apr-2011 18:25
My father Edwin Steele worked at Eastern for 28 years retiring in 1988. He worked as a aircraft mechanic, later in base maintanence and finished his career in the engine shop working on the CSD's at MIA. Growing up in Miami Springs, Fl was a airplane lovers treat. There were Eastern, National and Pan American employees on every block. My friends and I would ride our bikes in the summer to MIA and watch the planes along 36th street. I was neat as a kid to dress up in a suit with my Mom and Dad to fly on passes to other destinations on Eastern's routes. The Airline industry will never, ever be the same.

Bob Kimber		26-Aug-2010 20:06
What a step back into the good old days, thanks. I was a ramp serviceman in SYR and then ORD, then a Apprentice Mechanic, Heavy Maintenance Mechanic in Miami during the begining on the jet age. The first Boeing 727-100 rolled in from Renton Wash, wow, what a beauty, ship 101.

Tom Kerwin		24-Jul-2009 01:09
Until the demise of of this great airline I flew on almost every model flown from 1955 to 1987 (as a passenger) Eastern was always my first choice to fly. This site is a great tribute to all the wonderful people of this once proud airline which should have never "gone down" the way it did.

John R, Agnew		13-May-2009 19:12
In the 1950s I used to retread tires for EAL. (My father ran General Tire of Miami.) This business put me through college and medical school. So long ago, yet not so long.

Thomas L Massung Jr		08-Mar-2009 18:43
Guest was me. Before I forget. Pan Am called itself the worlds largest airline. The truth is Eastern had the biggest fleet of aircraft. Pan Am could make that statement because they covered the most air miles. Us old folks remember that Eastern was successfully kept from obtaining the overseas routes. My Mom's brother was employed by National Airlines as a mechanic.

Guest		08-Mar-2009 18:38
Don...can't wait to see those new photos. I wish I would have saved some of the old Eastern silverware my folks had form the good old days before the invent of plastic that ends up in landfills forever and ever.

Don Boyd		08-Mar-2009 17:57
Thomas, and everyone else who has written in: thank you for your comments and description of your family's involvement with Eastern. There are a lot more photos coming later this year including old historical shots never seen anywhere before, so check back from time to time. Don

Thomas L Massung Jr		07-Mar-2009 17:51
Thanks so much for doing this. My father Thomas L Massung Sr (mechanic), his brother Gene Massung (Captian) both retired from the Great Eastern Air Lines I have flown in every aircraft type Eastern ever opearted as an passenger airlines. Eastern clothed me, fed me, and made sure I could see a doctor anytime I needed to my entire childhood. I will forever be greatful to the great Eddie Rickenbacher and Arthur Godfrey (my Dad personally knew both men) for the wonderful childhood they provided me by employing my father. In the old days my Dad would take to me to work with him in the summer while he was a leadman mechanic on 2nd shift. Those memories are some of the fondest of my life. I was born Dec'51 and have spent my entire life in Aviation and still do to this day. Thanks again for the memories!

Steve		02-Feb-2009 22:58
Yes, your comments and these pics do bring back memories. We were an Eastern family too. My aunt and multiple uncles, besides my father all worked there over a 30 year period. Me and my brothers and sisters used to get hauled around to all of the EAL company picnics and BBQ and new plane inaugurations... my father even won a contest to name he B727, WhisperJet. So everything in our house related to Eastern. Hell, my father spent so much time traveling, his Eastern co-workers ended up constantly coming by the house and checking on our family. One of his work buddies whom I will never forget, and was always the "father" I called when dad was out-of-town, was Jim Balabous, a greater and nicer person I have never met. But among my most cherished memories is my years spent serving as a member of the Eastern Air Lines Air Explorers. We camped, hiked, swam, canoed and otherwise, trained, spending lots of time on the road in our custom overhauled Greyhound bus painted in our sponsor's aircraft 2-tone blue stripes. Marshall Buele (not sure on spelling), Howard Kelly, and Jim Hall, were all great advisors to me and the rest of our group for many years of their dedicated service. I truly wish I could have a conversation with them about our good-ole-days... Steve Nuin

Manocarz		17-Sep-2008 16:14
Even though I could not pick my father and my maternal grandmother, both of whom were employees of EAL at that time, I feel sure they were probably in the group photo at that time. I especially hoped to pick my father out of the group of mechanic's photo, but my eyes are not clear enough to do so. He worked at EAL from the late 30's or around 1940 until he retired in 1970. He was a machinist, sheet metal mechanic and was a lead man. I'm not sure what role my grandmother played while she was employed there. She died in 1957 while on sick leave. I also have a now deceased step-aunt that work there in some role until the late 1960's.

Vernon Smith, Jr.		28-Jul-2008 17:03
I was one of those Eastern Kids growing up in Hialeah. My dad worked for eastern a total of 25 years. He was a welder, painter, rench turner, and just about every other job concerning aircraft. You were correct about the airline industry in Miami in the fifties and sixties. On our street we had Pan Am, Eastern, and National employees. One of our family outings was to pick up a sandwitch in Miami Springs and go to the airport and watch the aircraft takeoff and land next to 36 st. To this day I still get a kick out of watching aircraft. I even bacame a pilot for the Army as a result of my growing up in Miami. Thanks for the excellent photos.

June Steding		28-Apr-2008 13:37
Great photos.. My Dad worked for Eastern from 1945-1987 and I worked there from 1968-1983. I enjoy seeing the old photos - even the ones from before my time. Hard to see what's happening to the airline industry these days.

Georgia		11-Mar-2008 22:11
Doesn't anyone remember Jimmy Hartley. A true hero. When there was no food service at the Terminal (early 50's) at night time---I worked the night shift at the Post Inn, It was owned by a Dr Frank. Later I worked at the Eastern Cafeteria. Enjoying the pictures and remembering the OLD times.

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