[I've been meaning to explore this (interesting) topic for a while, further triggered by a recent post, here, about Domestic Japanese (ANA) flights. So here is my attempt. As always, if curious, please share bits of my learning or/and enjoy the set of pictures below...]

First of all, from the aviation history perspective, for any country, two of the most significant events are (i) When was the first flight? (ii) When was the first airline formed? Many years ago, for several consecutive years, when I often used to travel (by car) from Chicago to Columbus (OH), while passing by Dayton (OH) suburbs, I would see (and occasionally follow through) a highway sign for an exit to the Wright Brother's Cycle Company Museum, in Dayton, near where the two brothers had set up their original bicycle business and shop, and, while they were building, repairing, renting, and selling bikes, also, on the side, conducted their most serious aviation experiments leading to the creation of 1903 Wright Flyer. The first flight in U.S. did not take place in Dayton though...We all know about that well-photographed and well-chronicled (most nostalgic) black & white picture of the Wright (Brothers) Flyer in flight, that occurred on December 17, 1903, near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina...the first "controlled" and "sustained" flight of a "self-powered" and "heavier-than-air" aircraft...(the quoted epithets being significant to define a proper flight...)...with Wilbur watching from the ground in an excited gait, and Orville, the Pilot, at the controls, lying down flat on the wing, bringing the engine to life, launching into space (although merely 20 feet above ground...) and into the history books...

So, for fun, I typed today on-line, "When was the first (recorded) flight in country XYZ?", and got a few (internet) answers as follows for (date and a/c - all biplanes, below, except the Blériot, which was a monoplane):

Japan -> December 1910 (Henri Farman)
England -> October 1908 (Army Aeroplane No. 1 aka Cody 1; I liked the designation "1")
Australia -> March 1910 (Voisin) [Special Note: Flown by escapologist Harry "Houdini"]
South Africa -> June 1911 (Weston-Farman)
China -> February 1911 (Sommer)
France -> July 1909 (Blériot XI) etc.

So, Japan's first flight took place in 1910, and the first commercial aviation began in Japan in 1928 with Japan Air Transport (JAT). The (current) flag carrier, Japan Airlines (JAL), was founded in 1951. Today's ANA (All Nippon Airways), and the subject of this post, was established a year later in 1952. ANA is one of my favorite airlines significantly because I gave myself the username...🙂...for this Forum based on the ANA 787-8, ANA been the well-known launch customer for the B787 (Boeing delivered the very first 787, a 787-8, to ANA in 2011). I had also the (chance) pleasure of witnessing my namesake, an ANA 787-8, rolling out of the Boeing factory, once while visiting Everett. ANA is also the largest operator of B787, with 74 in service, in their fleet, and nearly a 100 total ordered (I hope to show a set of ANA 787 pictures, later).

ANA's historic a/c included Douglas DC-3 (see shot #2, below), Convair 440, NAMC YS-11 etc. (for YS-11, see shot #3, below), then later ANA deployed with their strong Boeing ties, the B727, B737, B747, B767, B777, B787 etc....and the Lockheed L-1011 Tristar...(this last a/c I've featured, below, in my pictures, an a/c known for the most comfortable style and ergonomics for its passengers...with recessed ceilings, extra-wide aisles, large overhead bins that were all remarkable touches towards spacious and comfortable setting and long-haul travelling.... The plane was technologically advanced too...for its time...a plane truly ahead of its time...but wasn't however successful in marketplace due to multiple factors..)...

The aviation industry of Japan currently consists of two primary airlines that dominate the commercial sector: JAL and ANA. And for Japan's aviation heritage, there are two planes that immediately come to the forefront (i) Pre-War (Military) Mitsubishi A6M (also called Zero) - one picture, below, shot #1 (ii) Post-War (Civilian) NAMC YS-11 - one picture, below, shot #3. The fearsome Zero, designed by Horikoshi Jiro, ~11,000 units built, while a small and fragile plane, and the iconic participant of the Pacific exploits, was extremely nimble and agile, the first carrier-based fighter capable of besting its land-based opponents. A tremendous range of over 1,600 miles for its time, allowed it to reach incredibly farther distances from its carrier than expected. And the (other) NAMC YS-11 twin-turboprop was the only airliner to be wholly designed and manufactured in Japan during the tumultuous post-war (aviation) years. Of course, in the modern age, Japan aerospace industry has also played a significant role in contributing parts, components and a/c systems etc. to the modern (commercial) airliner types from both A- and B-. BTW, the Honda Jet, ever popular among the flyers here...🙂.. was the first aircraft developed by Honda Aircraft Company of Japan. This light business jet was designed in Japan but then developed and manufactured in Greensboro, North Carolina in U.S.

So, here, I fly the Lockheed L-1011 Tristar, in the classic (and elegant blue/white) color of ANA, an L-1011 livery you may not have seen (I'd not seen it before, myself...), but this is not a Fictional livery. ANA, indeed, operated 4 Lockheed Tristars for about 10 years in the 70s and 80s. These pictures, below, are from a very short flight I did with it today, though that airplane was meant to cross the oceans. I've used its dual INS systems (please see pedestal shots), manually inputting 6-7 LATLONG WPTs into its CDU, for my navigational guidance, for a very short route (only ~70 nms roundtrip) from takeoff and climb to 4,000 ft, then a (sharp) clockwise turn and back to the same Rwy (in the opposite direction) for capturing the ILS signals.

Hope you enjoy this collection pictures of these classic aircraft in the Japanese colors...especially that of the ANA (airline) that's dear to me for a special reason...🙂...! Please also look for my ANA L-1011 (Part 2) pictures for the touchdown and landing...with this Tristar...!

Thanks for your interest...! Good flying...!

Edited October 29, 20223 yr by P_7878

Well done! Great set and history 🙂.

Very nice set of shots! 😉 

Nice shots P!  I miss flying on and working these L-1011's.

Paul, Will, Jack, and John: Thank you all...Cheers...!!

Great shots - well done !

cheers 😉

Excellent history lesson followed up by some nostalgic views of the 1011.