The Convair 990 was one of the most dynamic jet airliners ever designed. It was an update to its slightly older brother, the 880. The design screams speed, and many pilots felt they were in a very special class to command one. Echoing these accolades, it was best showcased in the classic American Airlines scheme above, a carryover from the prop days. It exudes style and excitement. From the fighter-bomber's nose cone to the stovepipe jets to the four anti-shock Whitcomb body pods on the wing's trailing edge, it was truly a unique beauty. The 990 was the fastest subsonic airliner until being surpassed by the Mach 2 Concorde.
The narrow-body 990 arrived too late to compete with the Boeing 707 or Douglas DC8. It was a failure in America, with fewer than forty being manufactured during its short, ten-year career. With its thirsty J-79 turbojets, the same engines used by the world's first supersonic bomber, Convair's B-58 Hustler, it could not carry enough passengers to justify longer flights. It was more efficient on short hops in many foreign countries, Swissair being the biggest overseas purchaser of the airliner. Though Convair initially called the aircraft the Coronado, only Swissair officially named its planes with that specific name.
The 990 was a classic example of how outward appearance overshadows many inner flaws. By the same token, one cannot necessarily judge the contents of a book by a beautiful cover.
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