Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-200
MODEL BY:
Southwest Airlines
Model Scale:
1/120
MODEL ADDED:
N/A
historical significance
First Albuquerque Visit: 1980
Additional Information:
The Boeing 737 is a narrow-body airliner produced by Boeing at its Renton factory in Washington. Developed to supplement the Boeing 727 on short and thin routes, the twinjet retained the 707 fuselage width and six abreast seating but with two underwing Pratt & Whitney JT8D low-bypass turbofan engines. Envisioned in 1964, the initial 737-100 made its first flight in April 1967 and entered service in February 1968 with Lufthansa. The lengthened 737-200 entered service in April 1968, and evolved through four generations, offering several variants for 85 to 215 passengers.
Southwest Airlines, based in Dallas, Texas, began operations in 1971 as an intra-state air carrier flying solely within the state of Texas using 122-seat Boeing 737-200 jets. After the airline deregulation act was passed in 1978, Southwest was allowed to venture beyond the borders of Texas and began service to Albuquerque on April 3, 1980 with four daily flights to the Love Field Airport in Dallas. Southwest quickly expanded adding new flights to El Paso, Phoenix, Las Vegas and Denver and within three years had become the largest carrier at the Albuquerque Sunport.
The Boeing 737-200 N24SW (serial number 20925) shown below taking off from Seattle’s Boeing Field was the first aircraft built by Boeing specifically for Southwest and the company took delivery of it on September 18, 1974.
The same 737-200 N24SW was used to begin Southwest’s “bargain basement” direct service from Albuquerque to Dallas Love Field on April 3, 1980. The no frills service for people wanting to go to Dallas was an instant success.
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