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November 11th, 2005, 07:47
| #1 |
| Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Indiana
Posts: 80
 |  Northwest Red Tail--why always red? Why have the tails on Northwest Airlines' planes always been red? I have heard it is because they used to crash a lot while flying over the poles (looong time ago), and so they painted a red tail to make it easier to find the wreckage. I thought I also might have read that the owner/CEO way back in the day wanted to make it easier to spot his planes in a terminal environment, hence the red tail. Any thoughts?? P.S. I know one of you is just waiting to crack a joke about the tails being red because they're "in the red," so I'll spare you. |
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November 11th, 2005, 08:55
| #2 |
| Old Skool  Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: OH or is it MX??
Posts: 4,582
| I was told it was in the event of a crash it could be found easier in the harse environments they flew over. That was also when it was Northwest Orient. |
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November 11th, 2005, 11:00
| #3 |
| Agent Smith  | Marketing. Besides, when a plane crashes, there's not a whole lot of anything left!
__________________ Doug Taylor http://76school.flyblog.com (old!) http://30west.flyblog.com (updated 11/28) |
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November 11th, 2005, 11:10
| #4 | |
| Old Skool  Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul
Posts: 1,896
| Quote:
__________________ I'm free of all prejudices. I hate everyone equally. Commercial Pilot - ASEL, Instrument 290 TT | |
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November 11th, 2005, 11:35
| #5 | |
| Old Skool Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: OH or is it MX??
Posts: 4,582
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November 11th, 2005, 12:57
| #6 |
| Old Skool  Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Santa Clarita, CA
Posts: 6,001
 | Northwest was founded by the Tuskegee Airmen. Nahhhhh, just kidding, they wanted to be like them!!!!!!
__________________ "I have learned over the years that when one's mind is made up, that diminshes fear" - Rosa Parks |
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November 11th, 2005, 13:36
| #7 |
| Moderator  Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: The Looney Bin
Posts: 9,168
 | It's cause red is just such a pretty color  |
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November 11th, 2005, 14:05
| #8 | |
| Old Skool  Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: KPHX, KFFZ, KIWA
Posts: 18,879
 | Quote:
With todays sophisticated technology like ELT's and flight data recorders. Thats just my guess...other then nostalga. I would suspect thats why NWA planes have Redtail's and like Doug said marketing. -Matthew | |
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November 12th, 2005, 16:06
| #9 | |
| Moderator  | Quote:
" 1948 - The "Red Tail" is painted on all Northwest aircraft for the first time, creating a trademark that becomes known world-wide and that continues in use almost 50 years later. "
__________________ NJC or Bust.....CountDown Timer | |
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November 12th, 2005, 16:21
| #10 |
| Old Skool Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: KPHX, KFFZ, KIWA
Posts: 18,879
| Man JEP...sometimes you act like you live in a NWA hub city! -Matthew |
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November 12th, 2005, 22:03
| #11 | |
| Moderator | Quote:
Keeping it real in Minneapolis! 
__________________ NJC or Bust.....CountDown Timer | |
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November 13th, 2005, 04:38
| #12 | |
| Old Skool Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: KPHX, KFFZ, KIWA
Posts: 18,879
| Quote:
 !-Matthew | |
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November 13th, 2005, 13:07
| #13 |
| Old Skool  Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,273
| JEP, What did you do at NWA? I interned at NATCO this spring. Lived in Eagan. |
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