This Day in Aviation History

October 5th, 1951
First flight of the Convair CV-340.

Built for United Airlines and other operators including KLM, was basically a CV-240 lengthened to hold an additional four seats. The wingspan was also extended for better performance at higher altitudes. The CV-340 replaced the DC-3 in United service. The airline flew 52 340s for 16 years without a fatality. KLM operated the type from spring 1953 until mid-1963. Many CV-340 aircraft were converted to CV-440 standard.

Source:
Wikipedia, Convair CV-240 family: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convair_CV-240_family

YouTube, Convair Liner Promo Film – 1955:
Convair Liner Promo Film – 1955

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