Tonight's The Night! NWA History Centre on Public Television

Norm Midthun and Red Sutter being filmed for "Lost Twin Cities 4"

A reminder....

Lost Twin Cities 4 will premiere tonight, Wednesday, August 13th at 8:00 pm on tpt Channel 2. It will feature a segment about NWA in the 1950’s – the “luxurious” days of flying, 

and how it transitioned into the jet-age of the l960’s and early 1970’s.  It will be a pledge show—which means it is scheduled in a 2 hour block to accommodate pledges.

Telling the history of NWA and sharing their memories:

Jack El-Hai, Author:  “Non – Stop”  a Turbulent History of Northwest Airlines

Retired stewardesses:  Anne B. Kerr and Fay Kulenkamp 

Retired pilots:  Homer “Red” Sutter and Norm Midthun

The Northwest Airlines segment of Lost Twin Cities 4 was filmed, by Twin Cities Public Television, at the NWA History Centre.

Currently scheduled airdates:

tpt Channel 2:

   Wednesday, August 13th at 8:00 pm

   Saturday, August 16th at 7:00 pm

   Sunday, August 17th at 2:00 pm

tpt LIFE:

    Sunday, August 17th at 8:00 pm

For any additional airdates and times, please check your local listings.

As promised, here is video of Boeing 377 Stratocruiser Giant RC Model in Flight

You can still find a Northwest Airlines B-377 Stratocruiser in the most surprising places . . .

Lady Skywriter with NWA B-377 Stratocruiser   photo by John Billingsley

. . . I found this one yesterday on a farm near Owatonna, Minnesota!  Not only is it beautiful to the eye (that Northwest livery was the best!) but it also flew beautifully at the behest of its new owner, Jeff Quesenberry of Apple Valley, MN, who greased its landing to a huge round of applause.

All this took place yesterday at the 10th Anniversary gathering of SMMAC, Southern Minnesota Model Aircraft Club. There was every type and size of radio control aircraft on display and flying in demonstration flights. WW I and WW II dogfights, commercial airliners, military jets and the biggest R.C. model J-3 Cub I've ever seen.

There will be another huge regional show of Warbirds and Classics at Fond du Lac Wisconsin next weekend, August 15, 16 and 17.

This gorgeous giant scale NWA Boeing Stratocruiser with a wingspan of 15 ft. will be there, as will Carl Bachhuber, the talented man who designed and built her and dozens of his other "favorite airplanes." 

If you can't make it to Fond du Lac, see my next post to enjoy video of NWA Ship 704 in flight.

The History of Northwest Airlines

If you've got 15 minutes, take a gander at this 1980s promotional film produced by Northwest Airlines.

Cockpit Chronicles: Behind the scenes with a flight attendant — Crew Meals

Well, this woke me up this morning!  Can anybody tell me what aircraft this is?

My first impressions are of the flight attendant.  Can't help noticing the very long straight hair, hanging freely to the middle of her back, wisps hanging nearly into the food!  The sunglasses perched on the top of her head.  The earrings.

All grounds for dismissal back in the 1950s.  We must have been very boring back then.

It was also amazing to me that both the captain and first officer had their laps full of food trays at the same time.

The size of the galley is a wonder.  And we thought the Boeing Stratocruiser had a large galley!  They do have lots more to do than we did, and I'm sure in half the time!

It's a real education to see what goes on behind the scenes on today's flights.

Lost Twin Cities 4 Preview

TPT-2 Lost Twin Cities IV, featuring Northwest Airlines, will premier Wednesday, August 13 at 8 p.m.

Fay Kulenkamp and Anne (Lady Skywriter) Kerr being interviewed.

Way back in April, as we filmed this segment about Northwest Airlines at the NWA History Centre, we were told it would probably air in August.  That seemed such a long wait.
And in the flash of an eye, here it is upon us.
Those of us who were interviewed have no idea if we will be included in the production or wind up on the cutting room floor.  We will discover the content right along with the rest of you.
For more information, check out my post of April 21, 2014