Anthony Toth’s home in California holds a hidden treasure unknown to most of the world. From the outside, his garage looks like any garage – but step inside and you are transported back in time to a first class Pan Am Boeing 747 cabin, circa 1979.
Anthony, who works as a global sales director for United Airlines has had a lifetime dream of creating his childhood past traveling around Europe with Pan American airlines. He has spent 20 years and well over $50,000 to recreate his Pan Am cabin in great detail. Everything from the overhead bins, to the seat covers, to the inflight magazines and safety cards are all period. Even the curved staircase leading up to the upper deck of the 747 is there, although in this case it is sadly a dead end… for now.
By Chris
November 9th, 2011
A few weeks ago we took the skies with news about a new ABC series centered around the iconic airline Pan American World Airways during the 1960s. Recently a promo was released, giving us a taste of what we’ll see this fall. At a first glance it looks a bit like Mad Men in the air. It is a treat seeing historic locations such as the Pan Am building, complete with helicopters and the Googie designed jet port at JFK airport in New York being brought to life with computer magic. I am excited about this, what about you guys?
By Chris
June 8th, 2011
Ultra Swank – Your one stop blog for retro living, style and design
Ultra Swank takes you back in time into the kitsch, chic and swank living of the 50s, 60s and the 70s. We mainly focus on the design, architecture and the lifestyle of the happy-go-lucky and space-age-living mentality of that era – but also on the music and movies that takes you back to happier times. Ultra Swank is run by Chris, a Swede born in the wrong decade that currently resides in Barcelona. Read more
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Here are some news that will surely bring a smile to any fan of aviation and travelling in style. The iconic airline Pan American is going to take to the skies again soon in the upcoming ABC tv-series “Pan Am“. A pilot (no pun intended) has been ordered and the plot is said to center around the lives of the pilots and stewardesses of the legendary airline in the 1960s.
Riding on the success of the award winning period drama “Mad Men”, the show will draw on the experiences of executive producer Nancy Hult Ganis, who was herself a stewardess in her youth. The first episode is slated to premiere later this year and we will be seeing Christina Ricci in the lead role who will apparently play a undercover agent. Good or bad decision? Time will tell.
By Chris
May 5th, 2011
Have you always wanted to jet around the world in a Boeing 747 jumbo jet but don’t want to waste hours at check-in, security and to top of it off, lose all your bags? Now you don’t have to! Entrepreneur Oscar Diös solved the problem by taking a old jumbo jet, stripping it out and placing it on a strip of land next to the entrance of Arlanda airport in Stockholm, Sweden. Turning the former airplane into a chic and hip hostel that not only will automatically serve as a landmark but also as a time capsule for anyone who is interested in aviation history. Welcome aboard the Jumbo Stay.
– I was getting ready to expand my hostel business in 2006 when I heard about an old wreck of an aircraft for sale at Arlanda. Since I had for a long time wanted to establish my business at Arlanda I didn’t hesitate for a second when this opportunity struck, Oscar Diös explains.
By Chris
May 20th, 2010
A somewhat kitschy promotion video from Pan American airways, made in the early 1970s that takes us around the world and back again in less than 25 minutes. The video was most likely produced to showcase how easy it was to travel around the world with Pan Am, take in the sights and then be back again in the afternoon to enjoy tea at the Ritz. If you recognize some of the music cues that are played in the background, they are sourced from several KPM records. The same kind of library music that can be found on many of my music compilations here. Footage provided by the lovely people at The Travel Film Archive.
By Chris
April 6th, 2010
Boeing 747, also known as the jumbo jet was first introduced in 1970. With Pan American airlines as one of its major investors they had the possibility to influence the design and development of the aircraft. It was deemed that the world needed a jet plane of massive size that could transport hundreds of passengers fast, efficient and with style. Juan Trippe who was the CEO of Pan Am at the time predicted that the 747 would be “… a great weapon for peace, competing with intercontinental missiles for mankind’s destiny.” (Source).
Here is a taste of various photos found at the great airliners.net website, depicting how it was like to travel with a Pan Am jumbo jet in the early 1970s. For anyone who hasn’t been able to experience it first hand, I recommend getting the Space Age Lounge Volume 3 compilation and then read the article about former Pan Am stewardess Valerie Waterman. What are your memories of jet traveling in the 1970s?
By Chris
February 23rd, 2010
I am the mood to travel to some place warm and exciting so I thought, why not experience some vintage airline commercials from the the past for some inspiration? Here are a bunch of TWA, Pan Am and Braniff commercials produced in the late 1960s and the 1970s — the golden age of air travel — that are sure to bring a smile to your lips. Which is your favorite airline to travel with today? Continue reading to see all the clips.
By Chris
November 9th, 2009
