Mid-Continent Airlines Pilot Hat Badge 2nd 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 a 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.