OMG,does that sound bring back the memories:)! These lovely birds called @ my hometown of Huntsville,AL with the Southern Airways.My neighborhood was just SE of the old Hsv airport,and the position of the main runway[N-S] allowed them to fly right over my house as they made their descending and ascending turns.My late father boarded these many times when he went on TDY in the Army.Though I didn't get to fly on one myself,they remain my favorite commercial prop airplane for all time:)!
the 404 was well suited for the route system of southern airways. a lot of airports with 5000 to 5400 foot runwaysand short trips. shelbyville tn, the old huntsville municipal airport, crossville/rockwood tn, decatur alabama and so on. it could hold it's on.
I am too young to have had the chance to fly on a piston powered airliner. I am a King Air 350 driver and love having props out there. I can do things a jet could never imagine. Although the my turbines are very powerful and reliable, they aren't as sexy as radials. I think I was born too late sometimes.
I remember in the early 1970's Southern Airways had a route from Memphis to New Orleans, stopped in Oxford, Greenwood, Jackson, Natchez, Laura, Hattisburg,Gulfport, then finally New Orleans. The Martin 404 had comfortable seats, I remember that, and was pressurized. The route was also reversed.I will never forget those days.
First airplane ride was in a Southern Airways 404 from Columbus, MS to Memphis. I was 12 on a business trip with my dad to LA. The Southern Airways stewardess served Cokes in those small glass bottles. Flew in a 727 from Memphis to LA. Must have been around 1968 or so. We went out to recover one of his 18 wheelers a driver had abandoned in LA, rode in that for the trip back home. Big adventure for a 12 year old.
nice aircraft, similar to convairs. i would think the convairs were better as how many of them wre built compared to these and how many do you still see flying compared with convair 340/440/580. tho you cant compare it to a 580.
I flew a lot of hours in the M-404. Quite a aircraft in its day. Video portrays the classic nose down final approach for the Martin. Remember ....."Max Power Wet".
I remember flying in a Southern Airways Martin 404 in the late 70's from Memphis to Tuscaloosa, Alabama with a stop at Golden Triangle Airport, Mississippi.
It was the last airline ride I truly enjoyed. There's something about the
I had family working at Woodrum Field in Roanoke through the '60s. I spent some time in the "big hanger" where Piedmont 404s were serviced. First long air trip I ever took was on a 404, "The Bluegrass Pacemaker". Piedmont put nose art on their planes... gave them individuality. My desktop image on my PC at work is a pic of "The Bluegrass Pacemaker", N40407. Last time I saw a 404 was after takeoff 10 years ago, over my house which is 1 mile from runway 24 in Roanoke. Wonderful...
@palevictory I also lived near Woodrum Field in Roanoke and well remember that about 5 404's would end their days work in Roanoke and the mechanics would fire them up about midnight to 2 in the morning and take them to the hanger. Sometimes they would sit still and just run up the engines for tests (was my guess). Also I remember when Eastern flew 404's into Roanoke, American Convair 240's and Piedmont used DC-3s. About the time Eastern retired their 404's, Piedmont began using them.
i used to live close to the roanoke va airport, piedmont maint. facility for their 404s was there, i can remember lying in bed listening to those mechanics test run up those 2800 s in the middle of the night it would rattle the windows in our house ! i used to hang our at the hanger somtimes, those guys was so good to me and would let me sit in the pilots seat of those great aircrafts, glad to see some video of this great airplane thank you !!
i think this is the one I wass on a gillespie air show about 6 yrs ago,
we loaded up and he started then engines and we taxiied out and then the pilot gave it takoff poer and the whole thing was soo loud inside you couldnt hear yourself think,
I was next to the starboard engine so it was more so there,
but what a noise and wehat a ride, wooow really cool,
My first flight was on an Eastern Air Lines "Silver Falcon" Martin 4-0-4, from Lexington KY to Louisville KY; this video brings back fond memories of a beautiful airplane.
@spenckey: Similar in appearance to the Convairs, but that's about it. The 404 was lighter, and had sparkling take-off performance, strong acceleration, and good climb. Unlike the Convair, it flew well on 1 engine. They were an aero buff's plane, had short stacks on the engines that made a very satisfying roar at full throttle, and with all that flap the landing approach was very distinctively nose-down, typical of the 404. I'd sit there at the airport, watching, all day... miss it.
I remember these great planes flying for southern airways from chattanooga when i was a kid. my dad would take me tho the airport on sunday and the 404 would take off and fly west past lookout mtn on the way to Huntsville, Muscle Shoals and then on to Memphis. will never forget it, those were the days of great aviation
You hit a nerve with that comment. In the summer of 1971, I was 11 and remember flying from Memphis to Knoxville on a 404 to a 3 week football camp at UTK. Returned to MEM through CHA( grandparents lived there). I'll never forget the cherry red exhaust pipes of those R-2800's at night! Thanks for remembering a great plane!
Use to ride on 404s often back in the 1960's. I lived in Roanoke, Va then and Piedmont Airlines had about a dozen 404 flights a day in and out of Roanoke. I think Piedmond had 36 404's starting in 1961. They began phasing them out in 1968 for prop-jets and by 1971 all were gone. Remember riding on one next to the port engine at night coming from Atlanta to Roanoke. Long trail of FIRE coming out of exhaust all the way back. And you could hear the moan of the R2800. Man those were the days.
that martin 4-0-4 is the LOUDEST PLANE IVE EVER BEEN IN.
i was at gillespie field airshow a few yrs ago whenit was there from LA, I took a ride in it and it was soo noisy inside i couldnt think.
But,,,, what a noise from those two big R-2800's at takeoff power.
nothing like it anywhere.
kirkconway 3 months ago
OMG,does that sound bring back the memories:)! These lovely birds called @ my hometown of Huntsville,AL with the Southern Airways.My neighborhood was just SE of the old Hsv airport,and the position of the main runway[N-S] allowed them to fly right over my house as they made their descending and ascending turns.My late father boarded these many times when he went on TDY in the Army.Though I didn't get to fly on one myself,they remain my favorite commercial prop airplane for all time:)!
Forrest31962 3 months ago
the 404 was well suited for the route system of southern airways. a lot of airports with 5000 to 5400 foot runwaysand short trips. shelbyville tn, the old huntsville municipal airport, crossville/rockwood tn, decatur alabama and so on. it could hold it's on.
borderking59 4 months ago in playlist borderking59's favorites
I am too young to have had the chance to fly on a piston powered airliner. I am a King Air 350 driver and love having props out there. I can do things a jet could never imagine. Although the my turbines are very powerful and reliable, they aren't as sexy as radials. I think I was born too late sometimes.
V10Pilot 5 months ago
I remember in the early 1970's Southern Airways had a route from Memphis to New Orleans, stopped in Oxford, Greenwood, Jackson, Natchez, Laura, Hattisburg,Gulfport, then finally New Orleans. The Martin 404 had comfortable seats, I remember that, and was pressurized. The route was also reversed.I will never forget those days.
Kindle1234 5 months ago
First airplane ride was in a Southern Airways 404 from Columbus, MS to Memphis. I was 12 on a business trip with my dad to LA. The Southern Airways stewardess served Cokes in those small glass bottles. Flew in a 727 from Memphis to LA. Must have been around 1968 or so. We went out to recover one of his 18 wheelers a driver had abandoned in LA, rode in that for the trip back home. Big adventure for a 12 year old.
Scharfuhrer 6 months ago
God bless the classic propliners!!!
Martins, Convairs, Constelations, Douglases, Lisunovs, Iljušins, Vickerses, Junkerses, etc, etc, etc... !
Nowadays, the modern jets are nothing to compare!
Foxtrot Juliet, Czech republic
kloakovalimonada 1 year ago 2
nice aircraft, similar to convairs. i would think the convairs were better as how many of them wre built compared to these and how many do you still see flying compared with convair 340/440/580. tho you cant compare it to a 580.
wrxguynz 1 year ago
I flew a lot of hours in the M-404. Quite a aircraft in its day. Video portrays the classic nose down final approach for the Martin. Remember ....."Max Power Wet".
cmhorst 1 year ago
I remember flying in a Southern Airways Martin 404 in the late 70's from Memphis to Tuscaloosa, Alabama with a stop at Golden Triangle Airport, Mississippi.
It was the last airline ride I truly enjoyed. There's something about the
rumble of propellers at a small town airport.
albietide 1 year ago 2
I had family working at Woodrum Field in Roanoke through the '60s. I spent some time in the "big hanger" where Piedmont 404s were serviced. First long air trip I ever took was on a 404, "The Bluegrass Pacemaker". Piedmont put nose art on their planes... gave them individuality. My desktop image on my PC at work is a pic of "The Bluegrass Pacemaker", N40407. Last time I saw a 404 was after takeoff 10 years ago, over my house which is 1 mile from runway 24 in Roanoke. Wonderful...
palevictory 1 year ago
@palevictory I also lived near Woodrum Field in Roanoke and well remember that about 5 404's would end their days work in Roanoke and the mechanics would fire them up about midnight to 2 in the morning and take them to the hanger. Sometimes they would sit still and just run up the engines for tests (was my guess). Also I remember when Eastern flew 404's into Roanoke, American Convair 240's and Piedmont used DC-3s. About the time Eastern retired their 404's, Piedmont began using them.
boblackey1 9 months ago
i used to live close to the roanoke va airport, piedmont maint. facility for their 404s was there, i can remember lying in bed listening to those mechanics test run up those 2800 s in the middle of the night it would rattle the windows in our house ! i used to hang our at the hanger somtimes, those guys was so good to me and would let me sit in the pilots seat of those great aircrafts, glad to see some video of this great airplane thank you !!
aerocommanderbuff62 1 year ago
i think this is the one I wass on a gillespie air show about 6 yrs ago,
we loaded up and he started then engines and we taxiied out and then the pilot gave it takoff poer and the whole thing was soo loud inside you couldnt hear yourself think,
I was next to the starboard engine so it was more so there,
but what a noise and wehat a ride, wooow really cool,
kirkconway 2 years ago
My first flight was on an Eastern Air Lines "Silver Falcon" Martin 4-0-4, from Lexington KY to Louisville KY; this video brings back fond memories of a beautiful airplane.
billyguns2 2 years ago
Never flew on one, but a smart looking plane, indeed. Quite similar in appearance to the the old Convair twins. Nice find!
spenckey 2 years ago
@spenckey: Similar in appearance to the Convairs, but that's about it. The 404 was lighter, and had sparkling take-off performance, strong acceleration, and good climb. Unlike the Convair, it flew well on 1 engine. They were an aero buff's plane, had short stacks on the engines that made a very satisfying roar at full throttle, and with all that flap the landing approach was very distinctively nose-down, typical of the 404. I'd sit there at the airport, watching, all day... miss it.
palevictory 1 year ago
Such a nice aeroplane the 404. great video. thanks for posting.
pontiacgpuk 2 years ago 2
I remember these great planes flying for southern airways from chattanooga when i was a kid. my dad would take me tho the airport on sunday and the 404 would take off and fly west past lookout mtn on the way to Huntsville, Muscle Shoals and then on to Memphis. will never forget it, those were the days of great aviation
borderking59 2 years ago
You hit a nerve with that comment. In the summer of 1971, I was 11 and remember flying from Memphis to Knoxville on a 404 to a 3 week football camp at UTK. Returned to MEM through CHA( grandparents lived there). I'll never forget the cherry red exhaust pipes of those R-2800's at night! Thanks for remembering a great plane!
KKolchak 2 years ago
Use to ride on 404s often back in the 1960's. I lived in Roanoke, Va then and Piedmont Airlines had about a dozen 404 flights a day in and out of Roanoke. I think Piedmond had 36 404's starting in 1961. They began phasing them out in 1968 for prop-jets and by 1971 all were gone. Remember riding on one next to the port engine at night coming from Atlanta to Roanoke. Long trail of FIRE coming out of exhaust all the way back. And you could hear the moan of the R2800. Man those were the days.
boblackey1 2 years ago
that aircraft has one big fat arse on her the tail is huge. Nice vid of a nice aircraft.
kymsheba 3 years ago 2
i too read that article! A very rare vid of a very rare bird indeed. Thanks for posting.
juzzi07 3 years ago