The Convair 880 was that company’s entry in the race to build a successful jet airliner in the second half of the 1950s. It decided to offer lower capacity and higher speed than its competitors but airlines preferred other options.

Convair began design of the 880 in 1956 in competition with the Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8.

The company decided on a lower passenger capacity with five abreast seating in comparison to Boeing and Douglas’s six seats but offered instead a faster speed.

The first Convair 880 made its maiden flight on 27 January 1959 and they began entering service in May 1960.

The Convair 880 was not successful because airlines preferred the competing 707s and DC-8s which were cheaper to buy and operate, despite their slower speeds.

Only 65 Convair 880s were manufactured and Convair lost at least $185 million on the project.

This model represents N815TW of Trans World Airlines in October 1971.

Eastern Express 1/144 kit completed by Leigh Edmonds in August 2021.