Aircraft – McDonnell Douglas DC-10

While Northwest’s 747 fleet in the early 1970s was busy plying the Pacific, its 707-320 passenger fleet was relegated to domestic duties where its range capability was wasted – and its capacity was too close to new 727-200s. Yet NWA had many domestic sectors that needed something with more capacity than Boeing’s narrowbodies, but not as much as a new 747.

Douglas’ DC-10 offered the step in capacity (40 First Class + 196 Economy Class seats, plus containerized cargo) between the 727 and 747 that Northwest wanted for routes such as Seattle-Spokane-Minneapolis-Chicago-Atlanta-Miami but also the legs to run Seattle-Tokyo if needed. In fact the DC-10 was scheduled on runs to Asia early in its career but its galley configuration and passenger amenities were insufficient to the task. However, it made an excellent domestic trunkliner and its 1970’s-era 2-2|2-2 seat layout was well received – leading to the long-running “Wide Cabin Airline” advertising campaign.

Donald Nyrop specified the Pratt & Whitney JT-9D engine instead of the General Electric CF6 so as to be cross-compatible with Northwest’s 747 fleet. While this increased the cost of each aircraft by $500,000, it saved the company tens of millions over the life of each airframe through reduced spare-parts inventory and faster engine swap outs. Douglas was going to call the NWA version the Series 20 (the Series 10 was a domestic-only configuration), but Nyrop insisted on calling it the Series 40 instead, as it was going to have superior performance to the Series 30 version about to be launched.

As only Northwest and Japan Air Lines ultimately took the Series 40, however, NWA would have to tap the used-aircraft market for Series 30s in the late 1980s and early 1990s to handle increased overseas traffic. By then the seating configuration was a tighter 2-5-2 (adding an additional 58 seats to every Series 40!) and the Series 30s had better equipment to serve long-haul passengers. 21 of the Series 40 and 22 of the Series 30 would eventually wear the Red Tail before finally being replaced by A330 and 757-300 equipment.

Northwest flew the DC-10 longer than United or American, and in fact was the world’s last major passenger airline to operate the type, retiring it on January 8, 2007.

If you use these photos, please credit the Northwest Airlines History Center – please also contact us to let us know how you’re using them and if we can be of further help!

N142US under assembly at Long Beach, around December 1971. Out of the paint shop but engines have not yet been hung. McDonnell-Douglas photo, NWAHC collection.
N142US being moved across the Long Beach ramp, around December 1971. McDonnell-Douglas photo, NWAHC collection.
N142US vertical tail being added, around December 1971. McDonnell-Douglas photo, NWAHC collection.
N142US vertical tail being added, around December 1971. McDonnell-Douglas photo, NWAHC collection.
Blue “thermometer” stripe being applied on the Douglas line. NWAHC collection.
Douglas photo of N143NW pre-delivery on the line at Long Beach, June 1972. Note the “Series 20” marking – this would quickly be erased for the Series 40 wording that Donald Nyrop insisted on. From the James Borden Photography Collection.
N143US getting ready to head out on a pre-delivery photo shoot, July 1972. Douglas publicity photo, via the James Borden Photography Collection.
N143US takes off for its pre-delivery photo shoot, July 1972. Douglas publicity photo, via the James Borden Photography Collection.
N143US soars over California, July 1972. Douglas publicity photo, via the James Borden Photography Collection.
NWA staged publicity shots for DC-10 cabin service, circa 1973. NWAHC collection.
NWA staged publicity shots for DC-10 cabin service, circa 1973. NWAHC collection.
NWA staged publicity shots for DC-10 cabin service, circa 1973. NWAHC collection.
NWA staged publicity shots for DC-10 cabin service, circa 1973. NWAHC collection.
NWA staged publicity shots for DC-10 cabin service, circa 1973. Grandma and Grandpa from central casting… NWAHC collection.
The NWAHC’s Bill Douglas in January 1973 posing with N144US as he takes it through flight tests at Moses Lake, Washington. Photo from Cap’t. Douglas and used with permission.
The NWAHC’s Bill Douglas in January 1973 demonstrating the size of N144US’ nacelles at Moses Lake, Washington. Photo from Cap’t. Douglas and used with permission.
NWA publicity photo of N156US, March 1974. Via the James Borden Photography Collection.
NWA publicity photo of N156US from March 1974, over the lakes of Minnesota. Via the James Borden Photography Collection.
N143US on a company promotional card, 1973. NWAHC collection.
N161US striking a dramatic pose on a company promotional card, 1975.
Dec. 12, 1977 photo series from McDonnell Douglas with N142US departing a snow-dusted MSP. NWAHC collection.
Dec. 12, 1977 photo series from McDonnell Douglas with N142US departing a snow-dusted MSP. NWAHC collection.
Dec. 12, 1977 photo series from McDonnell Douglas with N142US departing a snow-dusted MSP. NWAHC collection.
Dec. 12, 1977 photo series from McDonnell Douglas with N142US departing a snow-dusted MSP. NWAHC collection.
Promotional postcard from the early 1980s.
1984 shot of N141US by Capt. Bill Atkins.
-40 series N160US pulls in at Frankfurt, October 1989. Image by Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/
Repainting into the “Bowling Shoe” livery is underway in this 1989 shot – the middle grey block has been applied, and here the crown is being buffed in preparation to take its brilliant red coat. NWAHC collection.
N149US showing off its new Bowling Shoe livery in 1989. Grey nacelles would be replaced with white to match aircraft bellies. Northwest publicity photo.
Northwest promotional photo with N149US. From the NWAHC collection.
Northwest promotional photo with N149US. From the NWAHC collection.
-40 series N155US in April 1990. Slide scan from Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/
Undated publicity slide. NWAHC collection.
N220NW in undated Northwest publicity slide. NWAHC collection.
-40 series N145US at Frankfurt, April 1990. Image by Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/
George Hamlin photo at Minneapolis/St. Paul, May 28, 1992, featuring DC-10 N150US and 727-200 N281US. Used with permission.
Amazing George Hamlin photo of DC-10 N150US coming in with Mesaba Metroliner N26906 waiting to take the runway, June 2, 1992. Used with permission.
-40 series N150US taxiing at Frankfurt, Oct. 19, 1994. Image by Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/
Northwest promotional photo with N225NW. From the NWAHC collection.
-30 series N227NW rolls along in Amsterdam, July 22, 1997, in this slide from the Chris Nash collection.
Amsterdam taxi for -30 series N234NW, September 1998. Image by Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/
Northwest promotional photo. From the NWAHC collection.
May 1998 photo by the NWAHC’s Bill Douglas of a Ten arriving at Minneapolis-St. Paul. Used with permission.
N141US taxis out for departure from Phoenix in this shot by Douglas Slowiak from November 1998.
Northwest promotional photo. From the NWAHC collection.
Northwest promotional photo showing N133JC commencing takeoff at snowy MSP. From the NWAHC collection.

The Northwest / KLM Alliance joint-colors aircraft from November 1998:

Northwest promotional photo. From the NWAHC collection.
Northwest promotional photo. From the NWAHC collection.
Northwest promotional photo. From the NWAHC collection.
Northwest promotional photo. From the NWAHC collection.
-40 series N154US captured at Phoenix, Jan. 2, 1999. Photographer unattributed; slide from Scott Norris’ collection.
Northwest promotional photo at MSP. From the NWAHC collection.
Northwest promotional photo with N152US. From the NWAHC collection.
Northwest promotional photo with N161US in the foreground. From the NWAHC collection.
-40 series N159US at Paris-CDG, July 1999. Image by Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/
March 2000 shot of N141US among interesting company – probably at Miami – in this slide from the AeroIcarus collection (photographer unattributed.) CC2.0 license, original file at https://www.flickr.com/photos/aero_icarus/52963016238/
Northwest promotional photo. From the NWAHC collection.
Northwest promotional photo with N220NW. From the NWAHC collection.
-40 series N133JC at Los Angeles, Dec. 28, 2000. Jon Proctor photo used with permission – available through Wikimedia Commons.
Northwest promotional photo featuring N158US. From the NWAHC collection.
January 2002 shot by Douglas Slowiak of -40 series N153US resting at Phoenix.
Foggy AMS ramp, with another view of -30 N224NW, Nov. 30, 2002. Image by Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/
Foggy morning at Amsterdam’s E-pier shows -30 series N224NW, Nov. 30, 2002. Image by Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/
Foggy morning at Amsterdam’s E-pier shows -30 series N224NW, Nov. 30, 2002. Image by Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/
-30 series N236NW, August 2004. Image by Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/
N223NW pulling out at MSP on August 15, 2004. From the D. Scott Norris collection.
-30 series N234NW at AMS, May 29, 2005. Image by Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/
-30 series N226NW at the gate in AMS, May 29, 2005. Image by Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/
Shot by AeroIcarus at Amsterdam on May 29, 2005 of N226NW in the final scheme, with N224NW behind in the Bowling Shoe colors. CC2.0 license, original file at https://www.flickr.com/photos/aero_icarus/52928072039/
Northwest promotional photo. From the NWAHC collection.
Northwest promotional photo. From the NWAHC collection.
-30 series N226NW under tow at AMS, May 29, 2005. Image by Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/
-30 series N242NW at Amsterdam, May 29, 2005. Image by Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/
-30 series N237NW at Amsterdam, May 29, 2005. Image by Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/
-30 N226NW at Amsterdam, May 29, 2005. Image by Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/
-30 series N230NW at AMS, May 30, 2005. Image by Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/
Honolulu pushback for -30 series N223NW, Aug. 30, 2005. Image by Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/
N223NW is a study in circles on this March 2006 morning at MSP. From the D. Scott Norris collection.
N225NW at the gate on Oct. 4, 2006. From the D. Scott Norris collection.
N237NW taxis out from MSP on a cold January 2007 afternoon. From the D. Scott Norris collection.
N239NW lifts off runway 12R at Minneapolis-St. Paul on Sept. 14, 2009. From the D. Scott Norris collection.

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