Ozark DC-9 Livery History (1966-2001)

[JJ Skippy]

I flew on N987Z in its last years…MCI-STL...still had wood panel bulkheads! Was quite the retro site circa 2001!

The phrase “Wood panel bulkheads” screams retro to me for sure! Imagine that but the exterior with AA colors if they didn’t have the gargantuan MD-80 fleet… maybe in a parallel universe they did operate those.

 

[pnagrows]

At the time, TWA was being extorted by cheap tickets.com. I basically commuted IND-STL-MCI for $99 roundtrip. Lots of great retros and also at merger time, tons of hybrids. On one trip, you could have a twin-stripe D93, an AA livery M80, a Hybrid 757 and a Gold globe M80. Fun! Never did get Wings of Pride- managed standby once but didn’t make it.

 

[JJ Skippy]

Found this whilst browsing the Google machine: N974Z, a DC-9-15, is seen wearing an Air West hybrid in 1968. She was delivered to ozark the year prior, and leased to Air West in April 1968. She returned to Ozark in October but unfortunately crashed in Sioux City, Iowa in December, ending a short life for this airframe.

 

[IndyJets]

I’ll have to look into this. It is very likely given the similar characteristics, like the United Saul Bass scheme next to the Continental Meatball/Contrails scheme and later Frontier Saul Bass livery, all designed by Saul Bass.

Did TWA have any financial interest in Ozark before the merger? I always thought Ozark was a subsidiary of TWA when this scheme came out.

At any rate perhaps it's a sign they were just meant to merge.