TWA Trans World Airlines MD-83 "Wings of Pride" Pin / Tie Tack

Description

Trans World Airlines - TWA
MD-83 Wings of Pride Pin / Tie Tack
History:
The MD-83 (SN 49575/LN 1414), which would become TWA’s Wings of Pride, got its start in 1987 flying for several airlines where it operated until 1994.
The plane would find its way into the TWA fleet as a gift from the employees to the airline, employer, and family they so loved.
But the Wings of Pride’s story doesn’t end in 1994…
The Wings of Pride briefly wore the airline’s final formal livery (oddly enough, often referred to as “the final livery”) before being flown to TWA’s overhaul base at Kansas City International to receive a special inverted retro-livery.
The retro livery was based off of what was sometimes referred to as the "red and white" or "double stripe
.”
It was a mostly white fuselage with twin red cheat lines
and large block lettering, but this plane was different.
What was traditionally white was to be red, and vice-versa.  This simple color swap took a rather tame livery to the extreme.  Simply stated, the livery was as bold as the act of kindness which led to its dedication.  The employees who raised the 3,000/month for the lease determined the inverted livery would send a message to employees and customers alike:  TWA had taken a beating but they weren’t giving up and this symbolized they were reinventing the airline from the inside out.
This nice pin / tie tack is ~1 1/2" long. It has a post and clutch backing and is in very good condition. Please view all pictures carefully as they are part of the description.
The MD-83 Wings of Pride pin / tie tack will be wrapped in bubble-wrap and shipped in a bubble envelope. Shipping will be via USPS First Class Mail and cost .75