1956 - 1968

Convair, which is a contraction of Consoldated-Vultee Aircraft, was located in San Diego, and produced sam famous planes for the military. The civilian Convair-Liner project started with the CV-110 prototype, but American Airlines convinced Convair to alter it into the CV-240. After aborted negotiations with TWA and Eastern for a "Super 240", Convair realized that airlines were not going to accept their current offering, and developed a plane very similar to the cancelled Super 240, and called it the CV-340. The CV-340 earned an enviable reputation for reliability and profitability, and was also popular in South America. The final piston-powered development of the Convair-Liner was the CV-440 Metropolitan, which was 5 mph faster and quieter than the CV-340. The original piston Convairs have been the subject of a number of turboprop modification programs, the line's inherent strength and reliability making it a popular choice for conversions. Convair's own conversion program involved Rolls Royce Darts, and the first of these flew on May 2 1965. Thus converted CV-240s became CV-600s, while CV-340s and CV-440s became CV-640s. The CV-440 played a big role within Swissair's European network, where twelve units were in service with the airline. Swissair also had a converted CV-640. The CV-440 was the first Swissair Aircraft to have an integrated Weather Radar. Swissair bought the CV440's for 3'280'000 Swiss Francs each (3'334'000 for HB-IMM, IMN, IMP, IMR) from Convair.

HB-IMB	Convair CV-440-11 # 327	07.06.1956 31.08.1967	Fribourg Delivered new to Swissair as HB-IMB in 1956. Sold to german Air Force in 1967 with military Registration CA+034 , then 12+02. Later sold to Pan Adria (Transadria, Croatia Airlines) as YU-ADU. Was sold to the US as N47098 and later to Aero Leon, Mexico as XA-HEK. It crashed into a mountain 40 miles south of Oaxaca, Mexico in the 80's.
HB-IMC	Convair CV-440-11 # 332	27.06.1956 01.11.1966	Appenzell AR / Luzern Delivered new to Swissair as HB-IMB in 1956. Sold ten years later to Martinair Holland as PH-MAL. It was then converted to a CV-640. LAter sold to the US, where it flew as N640R for Redwing Airways (Century Airlines). It is still flying today, as the picture taken 2004 shows.
HB-IMD	Convair CV-440-11 # 335	13.07.1956 15.07.1956	Unlucky plane!! The Convair was on delivery from San Diego to Zürich via New York, Gander and Shannon. On July 15th, 1956, the crew broke off their GCA runway 23 approach in Shannon after establishing visual reference, and turned for a runway 05 approach. The Convair banked sharply, dropped and crashed, due to the error of judgement by the pilot & an abnormally steep turn onto final approach. All four on board died.
HB-IMF	Convair CV-440-11 # 355	02.08.1956 10.02.1967	Ticino Delivered new to Swissair as HB-IMF in 1956. It Collided with a cloud-covered hill. during trainings on February 10th, 1967.
HB-IMG	Convair CV-440-11 Convair CV-640 # 360	29.08.1956 22.12.1968	Appenzell IR Delivered new to Swissair as HB-IMG. According to some sources it was later converted to CV-640. It was sold to Great Lakes Airlines in 1968 where it was registered CF-GLC and later C-FGLC. It was eventually broken up.
HB-IMH	Convair CV-440-11 # 363	19.09.1956 22.09.1966	Graubünden Delivered new to Swissair as HB-IMH. It was sold in 1966 and flew as HR-SAP, later CP-1314
HB-IMK	Convair CV-440-11 # 364	26.09.1956 01.11.1968	Neuchâtel Delivered new to Swissair as HB-IMK in 1956. It was sold to Great Lakes Airlines as CF-GLD (later C-FGLD). Afterwards it flew with Key Airlines amongst others, registered N30KA, N234AL and N30KE.
HB-IML	Convair CV-440-11 # 365	28.09.1956 19.10.1968	Glarus Delivered new to Swissair as HB-IML in 1956. Sold in 1958 as HR-SAU, then CP-1332.
HB-IMM	Convair CV-440-11 Convair CV-640 # 412	28.03.1957 05.04.1968	Valais Delivered new to Swissair as HB-IMM in 1957. Was later converted to CV-640. It was sold in 1968 to swiss airline SATA. On July 17th, 1973 it landed heavily, bounced, and landed back nose-down. The gear collapsed partly. The aircraft came to rest 15m short of the runway end. It was written off thereafter
HB-IMN	Convair CV-440-11 # 413	04.04.1957 01.11.1968	Zug Delivered new to Swissair as HB-IMN in 1957. Withdrawn from use 1968. Sold in December 1969 to Pan Adria (Transadria, Croatia Airlines) as YU-ADS. Afterwards it flew as N47099 and with Cargo Three Airlines of Paname as HP-1200CTH . It Crashed into a field while returning to the airfield due to an engine fire on February 20th, 1993.
HB-IMP	Convair CV-440-11 # 414	10.04.1957 01.11.1968	Thurgau Delivered new to Swissair as HB-IMP in 1957. Withdrawn from use 1968. Sold in December 1969 to Pan Adria (Transadria, Croatia Airlines) as YU-ADT. Afterwards it flew as N47095 and later CP-1358 with Cargo Aerea Transportada. It crashed 400m beyond the runway on January 11th, 1980.
HB-IMR	Convair CV-440 # 429	28.05.1957 27.10.1966	Obwalden Delivered new to Swissair as HB-IMR in 1956. Sold to german Air Force in 1966 with military Registration CA+035 , then 12+03. Later sold to Pan Adria (Transadria, Croatia Airlines) as YU-ADV. It collided with a field during a landing attempt in IMC conditions on december 16th, 1971.

			HB-IMU (non-SR)	HB-IMQ (non-SR)

• Production List CV-440
• History of the Convair 640
• List of still flying Convairs
• Infos on the Convair-Liners
• Tellair and the CV-440 HB-IMQ

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last updated January 2009