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WEDNESDAY. JULY 24, 1SB3
MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE. MEDFORD. OREGON
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Ply
Tige
Line
Observes
Anniversary
ing
After Battling Overwhelming dds
By ROBERT J. SERLING
UPI Aviation Editor
Washington - (UPii - Just 18
years ago, a group of fighter
pilots started an airline.
Their chances of succeeding
were roughly akin to Slip
pery Rock beating the Green
Bay Packers. But this was
no ordinary group of pilots
and they started no ordinary
airline.
Today, it carries the name
"The Flying Tiger Line." The
11 men who founded it in
June, 1945, were members of
the original Flying Tigers
who chewed up the Japanese
Air Force before and during
World War II. Eight still are
with the company-five ' a s
senior captains, two in top
management and the eight,
Robert W. Prescott, as presi'
dent.
Prescott and his 10 buddies
raised $90,000 to start the
airline. Three Los : Angeles
businessmen chipped in an
other $90,000. With $180,000
in the till, the Tigers put a
down payment on 14 Budd
'Conestoga" Airfreighters and
began operations out of Long
Beach, Calif.'
Original Company
Originally, the company
was known as National Sky
way Freight Corp., but two
years later Prescott changed
this to the Flying Tigers Line-
a smart as well as sentimental
move because the name car
ried connotations of the old
Tigers' reputation for "can
do" in face of any odds.
And the odds against com
mercial success were just
about as heavy as those the
the Tigers' ancient P40's
faced when they tackled
Zeroes. There were more than
300 airfreight operators in the
cargo business after the war,
trying to survive in a jungle
of competition with womout
surplus aircraft and shoe
string resources.
Prescott thought he had a
head start with his clumsy but
huge Budds, a twin engine
plane specifically designed for
hauling cargo. But the ' Con
estogas" were incredibly ex
pensive to fly and Prescott,
after only one year, aban
doned them in favor of DC3's
and later C46's.
The Tigers just managed to
keep airborne in the early
stages but got a break in 1946
that kept the infant firm in
business for keeps. It was
awarded a contract to supply
Gen. Douglas MacArthur's oc
cupation forces in Japan.
Prescott- didn t have the
planes to do the job, but he
managed to lease 42 DC4's
and for the next year the
Tigers operated fights daily
between the United States
and Tokyo with a perfect per
formance and safety record.
Today, the "Tiger" is the
world's largest all-cargo air
line. It flies eight Lockheed
Super-G Constellations and 10
new CL44's- a cargo version
of the prop-jet, British - built
Britannia. The 44 boasts an
unusual "swingtail"-a hinge
in the rear fuselage that per
mits fast and efficient loading.
It also carries up to 65,000
pounds of freight at speeds
of more than 400 miles an
hour - at an operational cost
roughy 40 per cent less than
older equipment.
Hop for Future
The loudly-painted CL44
(its color scheme makes a
circus wagon seem conser-
ative) is the Tigers' hope for
a bright future. Thanks to the
new plane, the Tiger line
netted a modest profit last
year ($313,809). Prescott him
self says the CL44 in its first
year doubled the ' company's
volume and claims it. may be
another 15 to 20 years before
more efficient and econom
ical airfreighter will be de
veloped. - -
Prescott is the first to admit
that all -cargo lines like his
own plus Slick, Kiddle and
FREIGHT CARRIERS-Members of the Fly- one of the airline's swing-tail cargo planes, a
ing Tiger Line air freighters are shown at Canadair CL44, is shown on a runway ramp,
top in a 1945 picture. In the bottom picture, . l . ; (UPI)
Seaboard World face tough
competive going.
The major airlines have
finally recognized that the
air cargo business is in for a
period of expansion that may
dwarf the growth of passenger
operations. American Trans
World, United and Pan Am
all have ordered or already
placed in service new pure
jets-707 s and DC8 s designed
to carry freight.
But Prescott believes the
potential traffic is big enough
for an all-cargo carrier to sur
vive. The Tiger line now runs
eight transcontinental . flights
daily plus scores of other
schedules, and also has inte
grated its own operations with
those of trucking firms to
provide fast air-truck service
to nearly 1,500 cities in the
U. S. alone. p e
Relies on Charters . ' 1 .
The company still relies
heavily on passenger charter
operations, including military
charters, for much of its bus
iness. It was the Flying Tiger
line that introduced special
low-cost tourist rates for
Europeans wanting to visit
the U. S. last year-a highly
successful program that won
official government praise.
In August, 1962, there was
an apparent sabotage of a
Tiger Constellation over the
Pacific while carrying key
military personnel to Viet
Nam.
Today, Tiger officials have
been taking a frank look at
their crew training program
to make sure all procedures
have been modernized. A
ditching in the Atlantic last
year, which resulted in some
fatalities, bought criticism of
both flight deck and cabin at
tendant emergency training.
But the Tigers have come
through adversity before. It
is an airline with proud roots
in the past and to the senti
mental world of aviation,
pride is a practical weapon. ..
Syncom II Launch Delayed
Cape Canaveral (Wll- The
scheduled launching today of
the . Syncom II communica
tions satellite was postponed
because of technical difficul
ties in the spacecraft's anten
na, the National Aeronautics
and Space Administration an
nounced. A NASA spokesman did not
elaborate on the nature of the
antenna difficulties which de
layed the launching. The shot
will be postponed for at least
24 hours.
The first Syncom satellite
was launched Feb. 14 and
achieved a successful orbit,
but radio contact was later
lost. The trouble was believed
to have stemmed from either
an electrical or nitrogen tank
failure. .
As a result, the Syncom II
has been extensively modi
fied. If successful, it will be
capable of two-way telephone,
teletype and facsimile tarns-
missions. --
The Syncom shot had been
set for mid-morning. .
Scientists plan to place
Syncom II into a so-called
synchronous orbit- 22,300
miles above the earth. ,;
In synchronous orbit a sat
ellite would appear to hang
stationary over one spot on
earth because it revolves at
the same speed the earth ro
tates on its axis. ...
Spencer Tracy
Steadily Improves '
Los Angeles - (UTO - Actor
Spencer Tracy was reported
in steadily improving health
tqday at St. Vincent's hospi
tal where he is recuperating!
from pulmonary edema -fluid
on the lungs.
- The 63-year-old actor was
taken to the hospital after
he collapsed Sunday at actress
Katherine Hepburn's Malibu
Beach home where they were
preparing to go on a picnic.
Attendants at the hospital
said he spent a comfortable
night and was eating well. ;
: ; :v
Mobile, Ala. - IUP1I -- Mary
Reinsch said she considered
her 100th birthday Tuesday a
mile-stone because "after 99,
I thing a woman can relax."
FREE Parking
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211 W. Main
eilf"a . J$r ...,tAi. . -
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Clewing & Re-Styling J&j
Make clothes Ilka new agalnl
Renews original fit and feel.
Modern Cleaners
772-4590
SPECIAL!
40" CORDUROY
$?.I9
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Colon
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Morse Sewing Center
While
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219 So. Central
Phone 772-2739
ANTENNA INSTALLATION SPECIAL
New Antenna Installation. .$15.95
Antenna Replacement ........ 10.95
. Those print Include newest All-Channel '"
Antenna, plus labor and all other equipment.
RECORDING TAPE SPECIAL
Mylar 1800', Reg. 4.25 $2.30
Mylar 2400', Reg. 7.95 $4.60
PURUCKER'S
111 North C.ntr.l
Phone 773-7338
SAVE WAMPUM ON
NEVAMAR
High-Pressure Plastic Laminate
Use for counter tops,
furniture tops, bands,
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REG. 65c SQ. FT.
. Wide Selection of Patterns and Colon
BIG PINES LUMBER
6th t Fir
773-5333
PIGARD
JEWELERS
108
E. Main-
"Next to
773-4922
Picki"
AN DEED'S
PHOTO SHOP
232 E. Main -Phone 772-5646
QUALITY FILM FINISHING!
More Film 620, 127, 120
Thru Rolb
99c
Flash Bulbs 10M2'$89c
llTAMPU
MODE O'DAY
Seamless Nylons L PR,
1.99 Sleeveless Blouses
1.99 Striped Capri Pants
11 SOUTH
CENTRAL
2 400
PR. I
J 39
1 50
r i i i. in 1 1 m ). ,fi i ifjBM ij f mm
Hfc x-a-v v.i
Super Size
Carving Board
Reg. $12 95
Provincial shape and
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217 E. Main Street
Medford
The Fashionette
"Quality Is Not Expensive" ,
Last Chance To Buy High Grade
SUMMER MERCHANDISE
at Drastic Reductions !
Now's the Time To Lay-a-Way Your
COATS SUITS KNIT SUITS
KNIT DRESSES
A Small Deposit Will Hold Any Fall Merchandise
Last 3 Days!
NORFIELD'S
SHOE SALE!
WOMEN'S ONLY!
SAVE MUCH WAMPUM!
HEAP BIG VALUES!
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For
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For
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COOLER CHESTS
POW wow
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117 No. Central , Phone 773-1739
(MM
DOWNTOWN
WOMEN'S SLEEVELESS
BLOUSES
DIFFERENT STYLES AND
COLORS-ALL SIZES
57
i
Each
ATS
Regular $49.98
POW WOW
SPECIAL
$1700
1 1
Main and
Bartlett Streets
Ph. 772-6428
Medford
FINAL CLEAN-UP
Flats and Casuals
Reg. S lo 11.95
3 2piirifor$7
Burelson's Shoe Salon
Main and Rartlett Streets
Summer Jewelry
Vi Price
LAWRENCE'S
21 North Central
Downtown
Filler Paper
Only 9C
BARGAIN! S00-het
filler-rood quality rulrd
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punch.
300-SHEET FILLER
300 wide-rulfd filler
ahteU. 8xl0" gjt
CHILDREN'S SHOES
Dressy Pumps And Oxfords ; V
POW WOW lQQ
SPECIAL "4
Reg. $7.95 to $9.95 Shoei
Johnston and Stewart
JUNIOR BOOT SHOP
211 E. Main
"SHORTS and TOPS"
One table loaded with smart summer shorts '. . .
blouses and tops . . . knits and cottoni . . . first coma
first served.
199 Values to
8.98
Parker WOODS Leon's
220 East Main
SWEEPSTAKES
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772-5238
The Prixe:
AN AGFA OPTIMA
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, $68.95 Value
CAMERAS
PHOTOGRAPHS
Summer FLATS
White and Bone
M C88
and . fj .
Cobbler-Mr. Guss-Smartaire
Vc&tdfyK and Stewart
THE CORNER SHOE STORE
Central at Main Downtown Medford
PENNEY'S 2-Gal. ROOM COOLERS
Penney't Street Floor
now 1 9
ALWAYS FIRBT QUALITY
Open Monday And
Friday Until 9 p.m.
Panney's quality constructed evaporative coolers do the
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PENNEY'S Solid Colors CORDUROY
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Open Monday And
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It's the moit for school wear! famous-maker pinwale cordu
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