MIAMI – Today in Aviation, the first example of the Model 22 initial production version of the Convair 880 made its maiden flight in 1959. The Convair 880 was an American narrow-body jet airliner manufactured by General Dynamics’ Convair division. By being smaller but quicker, a niche that failed to generate demand, it was intended to compete with the Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8. When it was first launched, some aviation circles reported that it was the world’s fastest jet transport at 615 mph (990 km/h). Only 65 Convair 880s were produced over the lifetime of the production run from 1959 to 1962, and after finding the Convair 880 project a disappointment, General Dynamics gradually withdrew from the airliner market.