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DESIGN ORIGINS:
Back in 1955, Convair Division of General Dynamics was working on its proposal for a low, swept-wing, quad-engine jetliner which was aimed at the market for the domestic and intercontinental air travel. Although Boeing’s 707 and Douglas’s DC-8 were already in the spotlight, Convair’s 880 was expected to make a mark. At that time, Convair’s smaller plane was lagging behind and it became clear that the market could not support 3 new first-generation jet airliners. TWA, the only carrier that showed interest, was strictly the airline with which Convair could compete with, recognising the success of significant product differentiation.

SUCCESS:
To achieve this differentiation, Convair introduced a new Model 22. It was created for the intermediate range, with the capacity of approximately 80 passengers, which was far superior to that of 707 and DC-8. It became clear, however, that this plane wasn’t suitable for local service carriers as they were unable to invest in and operate such an advanced jetliner. Thus, it lost its potential customer base, leaving TWA as the only option.

AVIATION ENGINEERING:
Convair’s biggest challenge was to design an aircraft that didn’t directly compete with Boeing and Douglas planes. The result was the first intermediate-range and capacity jetliner. However, it was also true that the engines required for such a jet were limited and unable to achieve pure-jet technology. The catastrophic introduction of Comet 1 to jet-age further shook the passenger’s confidence.

THE LAUNCH:
While Hughes had already ordered 707-120s for TWA, they did not have the required range and their non-fanned versions had limited passenger capacity. Moreover, Hughes didn’t approach Douglas with his exact requirements due to his poor business relationship with them and Lockheed had already designed its own short- to medium-range alternative, the L-188 Electra. As a result, Convair, under the influence of Hughes, kept making changes and iterations based on his fluctuating requirements. Finally, after much debate, it was officially announced in April 1956 with the name Convair Model 22.

THE DESIGN:
With a circular-section aluminum fuselage, Trans World Airlines controlled its performance and specifications. The fuselage consisted of metals as thick as one-eighth of an inch that both reduced the number of required stringers and minimized internal noise. The plane, at 129.4-foot overall length, featured a circular section fuselage comprised of aluminum skins as thick as one-eighth of an inch that both reduced the number of required stringers and minimized internal noise.

CONCLUSION:
In retrospect, the project’s direction was heavily influenced by Hughes. But, perhaps unknowingly, Convair had placed its program on a course of failure. Unable to determine its designation and market, Convair 880 became an in-between hybrid expression. As a result, Barry J. Schiff wrote in his book, “As for the Convair 880, it was simply too small and too late.”
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Ihab Salloum