1/27/1959: First Flight of the Convair 880

DALLAS — Today, in 1959, the first example of Model 22, the initial production version of the Convair 880, completed its maiden flight, marking a notable moment in aviation history.

The Convair 880, manufactured by General Dynamics' Convair division, was a narrow-body jet airliner of American origin. It was designed to compete with the Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8 by offering a smaller but faster alternative. However, this particular niche failed to generate the expected demand.

Upon its initial launch, the Convair 880 garnered attention in aviation circles, with reports suggesting that it held the title of the world's fastest jet transport, capable of reaching speeds of 615 mph (990 km/h).

Despite its promising speed capabilities, only 65 Convair 880s were produced during the production run, which spanned from 1959 to 1962. Unfortunately, the Convair 880 project did not meet expectations, leading General Dynamics to gradually withdraw from the airliner market.

Convair 880 Development

In April 1956, Convair initiated the development of a medium-range commercial aircraft in response to the upcoming offerings from Boeing and Douglas. Initially known as the 'Skylark', the concept underwent several name changes, including 'Golden Arrow', 'Convair 600', and finally settling on 'Convair 880'. These name changes were reflective of its intended maximum speed, which was either 600 mph (970 km/h) or 880 ft/s (268 m/s).

The Convair 880 was equipped with CJ-805-3 turbojets manufactured by General Electric. These turbojets were a civilian variant of the J79 engine, which was also utilized in notable military aircraft such as the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter, McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom, and Convair B-58 Hustler.

Maiden Flight

On January 27, 1959, the initial production version of Model 22 took its maiden flight, despite the absence of a prototype. This marked a significant milestone for the Convair 880.

During the development phase, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requested Convair incorporate additional instrumentation. Instead of modifying the interiors over the wing section, Convair opted to add a distinctive "raceway" hump on the top of the fuselage to accommodate the requested instrumentation.

The final assembly of both the Convair 880 and 990 took place at Convair's facilities in San Diego, California. However, despite these efforts, the Convair airliners failed to gain widespread popularity within just three years of production, leading to the eventual shutdown of the production line.

Design Modifications

During its launch, the Convair 880 faced several challenges that made it unappealing to airlines. Its five-abreast seating configuration was not as attractive as that of competing aircraft. Boeing's Boeing 720, which had minimal changes from the successful 707, was able to outcompete the Convair 880 by offering a slightly lower cost. Additionally, the General Electric engines used in the Convair 880 had higher fuel consumption compared to the Boeing Pratt & Whitney JT3Cs.

Unfortunately, the Convair 880 project resulted in substantial financial losses for General Dynamics, amounting to approximately US$185 million. The aircraft itself was involved in 17 accidents and five hijackings, further adding to its challenges and reputation.

To address some of the issues faced by the Convair 880, a modified version known as the '-M' was introduced. This variant incorporated various enhancements such as four leading-edge slats per wing, Krueger leading-edge flaps, a power-boosted rudder, increased engine thrust, higher fuel capacity, stronger landing gear, improved seating pitch adjustment, and a simplified overhead compartment arrangement.

Another significant modification to the Convair 880 came in the form of the Convair 990. Produced concurrently with the 880-M between 1961 and 1963, the Convair 990 was given the name "Coronado" by Swissair, named after an island located off the coast of San Diego where the first 990 landed.

Convair 880 Operations

In May 1960, the Convair 880 entered into service with Delta Air Lines (DL) under the slightly updated designation of 880-22m. This version featured newer 805-3B engines. Other airlines that operated the Convair 880 included Cathay Pacific (CX), Japan Airlines (JL), Northeast (NE), Swissair (SR), TWA (TW), and Venezuela's now-defunct VIASA.

After their commercial service, many Convair 880s were purchased by American Jet Industries for various purposes. One notable example was converted into a freighter aircraft in 1974 and flew with different companies until 1982. Another Convair 880 was utilized for training FAA flight examiners until it was unfortunately destroyed in 1995 due to a small explosion in the cargo hold. By the year 2000, most of the remaining Convair 880s had been scrapped.

Naval Testing Aircraft

In 1980, the United States Navy procured one Convair 880-M and repurposed it as an in-flight tanker. This particular aircraft was purchased directly from Convair by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and served the FAA for 18 years.

The acquired Convair 880-M was assigned to the Naval Air Test Center located at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland. Primarily, this aircraft was involved in Tomahawk Cruise Missile testing and participated in aircraft refueling procedures.

Tragically, in 1995, the sole UC-880 (the designation given to the modified Convair 880-M) was destroyed during a cargo hold explosive decompression drill at NAS Patuxent River. Despite the damage suffered, the aircraft remained technically controllable through unique backup systems specific to the Convair 880 and 990 models.

Be sure to check out our May and June 2017 issues, where Charles Kennedy traces the development, growth and fate of the Convair 880 and 990s.

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