tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4534354996846146951.post1231415600548593765..comments2024-03-28T20:16:48.497-04:00Comments on PIECES OF OUR PAST: CAPTAIN HUGH BARRONScott B. Thompson, Sr.http://www.blogger.com/profile/05269488889632912020noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4534354996846146951.post-68594627082304523212023-06-01T12:27:08.384-04:002023-06-01T12:27:08.384-04:00This is a very sad story of very skilled pilot who...This is a very sad story of very skilled pilot who was an uncle of a family friend of ours. But the person who posted this needs to edit it. Capt. Barron was not a jet airliner pilot. He went to work for American in 1942 flying DC-3s and then moved up to the Convair 240, most likely in 1948 or 1949. The Convair was a twin engine radial piston engine powered airplane with Pratt Whitney R2800 engines. This engine was also used to power the DC-6, DC-6B, Convair 240, Convair 340, Convair 440, Martin 202, and Martin 404 airliners. It was considered the most reliable radial aircraft engine ever built. It was developed during WWII and powered the P-47 Thunderbolt along with many other aircraft. When Capt. Barron died in the crash at Ft. Leonard Wood in 1955 in another Convair 240, no jet airliner had even been built or carried passengers in the United States. Boeing had built one prototype, the 367-80 which was the precursor to the Boeing 707. The first 707, America's first jetliner, did not enter service until October of 1958 and American Airlines did not begin service with the 707 until January 25, 1959.QC Native now in GAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05435195243146164850noreply@blogger.com