Heartland Express

The aviation art print ‘Heartland Express’ by artist John Young depicts the venerable Douglas DC-3 lifting off a runway in America’s heartland, heading toward another destination minutes or perhaps hours away. By the beginning of WWII the U.S. was well covered by a web of airline routes that linked all major cities. Although still not commonplace for the average citizen, air travel was becoming an essential part of American life and DC-3s could be seen arriving and taking off from almost every city airport across the country. Already proven a commercial success on its introduction in the late 1930s, the Douglas transport was the backbone of the post-war airline industry. The value and necessity of air transportation was proven during the war and people demanded effective air service. Over ten thousand DC-3s, and their military equivalents, were manufactured. After the war many went straight back to their original jobs, moving passengers and cargo.

United Airlines inaugurated DC-3 service in 1937 to meet increasing competition from rival American Airlines. Mainliner service carried passengers across the country for decades, building a reputation for the highest standard of airline performance, standards the DC-3 helped to build.

Published 1991