Page 183 - Demo

A DC-2 of Eastern Air Lines%u2019 Great Silver Fleet, as shown on a Player%u2019s Cigarette card.In 1930, Pitcairn Aviation was renamed Eastern Air Transport, which became Eastern Air Lines, Inc. in 1938%u2014with WW-I flying ace and Medal of Honor recipient, Captain Eddie Rickenbacker, at the helm. While Eastern Air Transport flew Ford TriMotor planes, Eastern Air Lines preferred Douglas aircraft, such as DC-2s and DC-3s, which bore the legend %u201cThe Great Silver Fleet.%u201d Eastern was awarded the AM-47 contract and flew its first airmail flight on October 15, 1940. Evansville was the intermediate stop on the first run, which connected St. Louis, MO and Nashville, TN. New York and Washington DC were added later, as were cities in Kentucky.