Mid-Continent Airlines Pilot Hat Badge 1st Issue

Kansas City, MO 1936-1952

The company was founded in 1928 in Sioux City, Iowa as Hanford's Tri-State Airlines. In 1934 it was awarded mail contract from the U.S. Government. The airline was acquired in 1936 by Thomas Fortune Ryan III. Ryan moved the headquarters to Kansas City and renamed the airline Mid-Continent in 1938. Mid-Continent Airlines was taken over by Braniff in 1952. By the time they merged in 1953, Mid-Continent operated a fleet of DC-3s and five Convair-liners. The DC-3s continued flying for only a few more years, while the Convairs continued flying for Braniff Airways until the mid to late 1960s, eventually being phased out.