Capitol Air

  June 1946 to November 1984

  United States of America

TYPE: Non-scheduled airline

IATA/ICAO CODES: Nil

HEADQUARTERS: Nashville, TN (1946-late 1950's), New Castle, DE (late 1950's-1971), Sewart AFB, TN (1971-1984)

OTHER NAMES: Capitol Air (1946-1967), Capitol International Airways (1967-1980), Capitol Air (1980-1984)

Capitol Airways was founded on 11 June 1946 by Jesse F. Stallings, an airline captain, and Richmond Mclnnis, his associate. During the first few years, Capitol Airways operated a flight school and aircraft sales agency at Cumberland Field in Nashville, TN. By the early 1950's, Capitol operated a fleet of piston engine transport planes including DC3s & Lockheed Lodestars. It began to transport priority freight for the USAF in 1954. By 1956, it had become a primary civilian carrier for the military's Logistic Air Support (LOGAIR) program. Capitol then entered the international charter flight market, operating a fleet of Lockheed Constellations. In 1963 Capitol Airways was one of the first charter airlines to operate jet aircraft in the form of a new Douglas DC8. During the 1960s, the airline's civilian and military air cargo operations increased. In 1967 Capitol added "International" to its name and was operating six "straight" DC-8 jets and three "stretched" Super DC-8 versions along with their fleet of piston engine propeller aircraft. Capitol remained strong as a military contract air carrier.

Capitol Air declared bankruptcy on 23 November 1984 after George Batchelor, now Capitol's owner, had largely dismantled the airline in favor of his newly acquired venture, Arrow Air, another formerly all-charter air carrier that eventually initiated scheduled passenger airline operations.

1950* to 1973*

By 1956, Capitol was operating a fleet of more than twenty Commandos. Several of them were leased from Riddle Airlines and others.

Between 1965 and 1969, Capital had a contract to operate three Commando freighters in Europe for Lufthansa Cargo Services.

• Curtiss C-46A-35-CU Commando: N9513C
• Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando: N9891F (leased, TBC), N9905F (leased), N51424
• Curtiss C-46A-55-CK Commando: N66321 / N79239
• Curtiss C-46A-60-CK Commando: N10415 (leased)
• Curtiss C-46D-10-CU Commando: N4880V (leased), N9890Z, N9893Z
• Curtiss R5C-1 Commando: N7768B (leased), N7769B (leased)