Marie ForceThe Fourth of July is a fun weekend, especially here in Atlanta!
It kicks off with the famous Peachtree Road Race; followed by cookouts, swimming and parades; and ends with lots of fireworks. As we commemorate 232 years of the USA, here’s a look back at a “star-spangled” Delta aircraft paint scheme.
This Boeing 727-100 wore a special stars-and-stripes version of the Delta widget logo in 1976, to celebrate the United States Bicentennial. A Douglas DC-9 also carried the Bicentennial logo that year.
The words “We the People. . .” painted underneath the widget, are the first three words of the Constitution of the United States. You can read the full text at the National Archives website.
Happy Fourth!
Marie Force
Archives Manager
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July 3rd, 2008 at 9:10 pm
Just so we’re clear… July 4th celebrates the signing of the Declaration of Independence on 7/4/1776. The words “We the People” weren’t written until over 11 years later when the United States Constitution was adopted on September 17, 1787. But “In Congress, July 4th, 1776. The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America…” probably wouldn’t fit on the side of a 727. “We the People” is catchier.
July 7th, 2008 at 8:33 am
Hi Marie,
I began working for Delta in June of 1976, and ALL the aircraft had the Bicentennial Widget. The one’s on the TriStars were especially impressive! By the way, the aircraft in the picture is a 727-95 from Northeast, it isn’t a -200. The -200 was larger and had two service doors on the right side of the fuselage. The -95 was shorter and had only one service door on the right side, just in front of the wing. I think DL was the largest operator of the -200 and primarily used the -232, -295 (ex-Northeast), -247 (ex-Western) plus a few ex-Eastern and ex-PanAm examples.
Brian
July 7th, 2008 at 8:27 pm
Just curious, was widget even a word in 1976?
July 15th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
what can i do fun this weekend in washington dc…
Sounds interesting but not for every one….
July 24th, 2008 at 12:05 am
Wow, that picture brings back memories from when I was a teenager.
I remember seeing that bicentennial widget on every Delta jet. I have two diecast DL 727 models, one of the -95, the other of a -200 series, with the bicentennial widget.
July 28th, 2008 at 8:58 am
HWGeek,
Widget was being used in regard to the logos on the aircraft. I don’t think we started calling ourselves “widget heads” until a few years later.
Brian
July 28th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
blusk - thanks for the widget clarification, helpful info!