Airchive was very excited to be in attendance at the launch of the Historical Flight Foundation and the official unveiling of Carlos Gomez's and Marc Wolff's immaculately restored Douglas DC-7, soon to be the only flying passenger example in the world. Special thanks to Carlos Gomez of Florida Air Transport, Mark Wolff of Legenday Airlines, Roger Jarmen of Atlantic Models, and noted aviation attorney Roland Moore.

South Florida has an unmatched place in the annals of commercial aviation with names like National, Pan Am, Eastern, and Curtis among the prominent ones. There is a major movement underway to create an airline museum with memorabilia and actual flying aircraft at historic Opa Locka Airport near Miami. The first showcase aircraft is Eastern Air Lines DC-7B N836D which is very close to its first flight after an impeccable restoration. A little about the DC-7 from their site: "The first aircraft in our collection is a DC-7B (N836D) serial number 45345/928, originally delivered to Eastern Airlines in January 1958. Operated by EAL and several flying clubs for less than 10 years before being parked at the downtown Minneapolis airport. The aircraft was purchased and ferried to Miami in 2004 by Legendary Airliners. The aircraft is in the final stages of overhaul, and is based at Opa-locka Airport in Miami, Florida. The first test flight is scheduled soon with FAA certification very close".

Many of these images were taken during the March, 2008 kick-off. See additional photos atg the Opa Locka page under "Airplanes and Airports"

For more information on the museum, the DC-7, and how you can be involved, visit http://www.historicalflightfoundation.com/