Zantop Air Transport

  1946 to May 1972

  United States of America

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TYPE: Cargo airline

IATA/ICAO CODES: Nil

HEADQUARTERS: Jackson, MI (1946-1952), Detroit Wayne County, MI (1952-1966), Ypsilanti, MI (1966-1972)

OTHER NAMES: Zantop Flying Service (1946-1962), Zantop Air Transport (1962-1966), Universal Airlines (1966-1972)

FATE: bankrupt, assets taken over by Saturn Airways

Zantop Flying Service was formed as an all-cargo airline in 1946 by the Zantop family. It was a partnership held by brothers Duane, Lloyd, Howard and Elroy Zantop. The base of operations for the new company was Jackson, MI. At first, the fledgling operation used light aircraft, and performed cargo duties for General Motors. In 1952 the company obtained a commercial operators permit and began to service Chrysler and Ford. A year later in 1953 they moved the operations to Detroit Wayne County, MI.

In 1962, after taking over the Coastal Cargo Company, Zantop incorporated and became a supplemental air carrier under the name Zantop Air Transport. Coastal had been a hauler for the Big Three automakers. With the new arrangement Zantop could provide individually waybilled services. The original founders of Zantop Flying Services, the Zantop brothers, all sold their stock and resigned from the company in 1966, at which time it became Universal Airlines.

Universal Airlines grew out of Zantop Air Transport's fleet of Commandos, DC-6s, DC-7s and Argosys. Over time, Lockheed Electras were added to the fleet. In 1969, Universal took delivery of DC-8s, both in standard and stretched versions, and leased three additional DC-8s over the next three years. It operated a number of military contract flights. During its heyday in 1969, Universal Airlines even looked into the plausibility of obtaining a civilian version of the Lockheed Galaxy to carry passengers and their vehicles from coast to coast. An actual display model of that concept was displayed in the hangar lobby. The airline went bankrupt in May 1972 and its assets were received by Saturn Airways.

February 1953* to 1968*

Zantop was one of the largest Commando operators in the world, with as many as 51 of them in its fleet in 1966.

Several Zantop Commandos originated from Airlift International, originally leased from circa 1966 and later purchased.

• Curtiss C-46A-20-CU Commando: N69095 / N609Z
• Curtiss C-46A-35-CU Commando: N2714A (probably leased)
• Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando: N9906F, N9891F, N9905F, N9902F, N2028A
• Curtiss C-46A-60-CK Commando: N5134B, N10415 (leased), N2024A, N1382N / N611Z
• Curtiss C-46D-5-CU Commando: N5131B, N75296 (leased), N5132B (leased)
• Curtiss C-46D-10-CU Commando: N4658V / N612Z
• Curtiss R5C-1 Commando: N10426, N608Z, N7768B, N7769B