Regina Cargo Airlines / Imperial Airlines

  1948 to late 1961

  United States of America

TYPE: Non-scheduled airline

IATA/ICAO CODES: Nil

HEADQUARTERS: New York, NY

OTHER NAMES: Regina Cargo Airlines (1948-1960), Imperial Airlines (from 1960)

SUBSEQUENT NAME: Nil

Regina Cargo Airlines was founded in 1948 in New York, NY, with its operating base in Miami, FL. It initially held an operator certificate for the carriage of goods, which was later extended to carry persons. On 27 June 1960, the company changed its name to Imperial Airlines. It operated a fleet of DC3s, Constellations and Commandos. The airline's AOC was suspended in the wake of the 8 November 1961 crash of one of its Constellations with heavy loss of life.

1954* to October 1961*

Regina leased its first Commando from the USAF in June 1949, but it crashed in Teterboro, NJ a year later after attempting to return on one engine while being 5,000 lbs overweight. Another Commando was acquired in February 1955, and yet another one in April 1956, both freighters. The former was sold in February 1960, but two leased one replaced it from June 1960. All Commandos had been retired by the time the airline stopped operations in late 1961.

• Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando: N10428
• Curtiss C-46A-55-CK Commando: N10421 (leased from American Airmotive)
• Curtiss C-46D-10-CU Commando: N1628M
• Riddle C-46R Commando: N10435 (leased from American Airmotive)