Bluegrass Airlines, March 2010
Japan Air
Lines Domestic Routes– ‘53
by Allan
Lowson
(image copyright Japan
Airlines)
Japan
Air Lines
Japanese Air Lines (JAL) was founded in August 1951, at
first using a single leased DC-3 for a few days for flights round Tokyo, but
then using leased DC-4 aircraft and personnel from Northwest for domestic
routes. In 1953 it was re-organised as Japan Air Lines, or Nihon Koku Kabashi
Kaisha (N.K.K.K.). It then extended routes to the USA using DC-6s acquired from
Flying Tiger and Slick. JAL’s fleet of eleven DC-4s continued to provide the
backbone of domestic services throughout the 1950s.
JAL
Domestic Routes
These domestic routes
were taken from the July 1953 timetable of Bjorn Larsson on www.timetableimages.com.
Tokyo – Nagoya – Osaka Route
(101/104)
|
Heading |
Distance |
Down |
City Name |
ICAO |
Up |
Heading |
Distance |
|
208 |
0 |
1110 |
Tokyo
|
RJTT |
0950 |
- |
55.0 |
|
278 |
55.0 |
|
XA |
214.0 |
|
027 |
121.9 |
|
006 |
121.9 |
|
XM |
325.0 |
|
097 |
30.2 |
|
255 |
30.2 |
1230/1245 |
Nagoya |
RJNN |
0815/0830 |
186 |
77.9 |
|
- |
77.9 |
1330 |
Osaka |
RJOO |
0730 |
074 |
0 |
Tokyo – Osaka – Iwakuni
– Fukuoka Route (301/304)
|
Heading |
Distance |
Down |
City Name |
ICAO |
Up |
Heading |
Distance |
|
208 |
0 |
0800 |
Tokyo
|
RJTT |
1255 |
- |
55.0 |
|
279 |
55.0 |
|
XA |
214.0 |
|
027 |
195.2 |
|
233 |
195.2 |
0950/1020 |
Osaka |
RJOO |
1040/1105 |
097 |
57.0 |
|
277 |
57.0 |
|
TS |
332.5 |
|
052 |
117.7 |
|
256 |
117.7 |
1135/1155 |
Iwakuni |
RJOI |
0910/0925 |
096 |
94.9 |
|
- |
94.9 |
1250 |
Fukuoka
|
RJFF |
0815 |
074 |
0 |
Tokyo – Misawa -
Sapporo Route (503/502)
|
Heading |
Distance |
Down |
City Name |
ICAO |
Up |
Heading |
Distance |
|
026 |
0 |
1400 |
Tokyo
|
RJTT |
1450 |
- |
78.1 |
|
028 |
78.1 |
|
GO |
221.0 |
|
207 |
199.9 |
|
340 |
199.9 |
|
MQ |
209.0 |
|
210 |
57.3 |
|
008 |
57.3 |
1615/1635 |
Misawa |
RJSM |
1215/1235 |
160 |
144.5 |
|
- |
144.5 |
1730 |
Sapporo
|
RJCO |
1120 |
189 |
0 |
Flight Simulator Files
The
DC-4 package from Jens Kristensen does not include a Japan Air Lines scheme. So
pick your favourite for these flights from those included in the latest version
for both FS2004 and FSX, DC4_V21.zip at www.flightsim.com.
You can find a Northwest Airlines livery at flightsim. It states that it is for
an earlier version of Jens’ aircraft but fits the latest version as well.
Japan Airlines Historic
Photographs
The following photographs are all from Japan Airlines archives of
their historic fleet.
In service for only three days, starting
on August 27, 1951, this DC-3 was used for invitation flights ahead of the
beginning of scheduled flight services in October. The aircraft was leased from
Philippine Airlines and operated under the name, "Kinsei." The photo
was taken prior to departing Haneda Airport for the first invitation flight
around Tokyo on August 27.
Approximately one year before beginning
independent flight operations, JAL operated this aircraft leased from Northwest
Airlines under the name, "Tenousei."
JAL purchased the same aircraft after
the company began independent flight operations, naming it "Tokachi."
The last picture shows a DC-4 in full JAL livery.
