four 40-passenger twin-engine turbo-prop Convair 240 airliners and related equipment at a cost of over $2 million. The aircraft, previously owned by Pan American World Airways Systems, featured a comfortable pressurized cabin and cruise at a speed of 300 miles per hour. Less than for months later on June 1, 1950, the new luxury airliners went into service between Minneapolis/St. Paul and Kansas City with intermediate stops at Sioux Falls, Sioux City and Omaha. In addition, the new Convair began service between the Twin Cities and Rochester and Des Moines and Kansas City and finally, and from Kansas City south to Houston via Tulsa. New Minneapolis/St. Paul Maintenance Center New maintenance facilities were announced on October 1, 1950. A spacious new hangar would be built at Minneapolis/St. Paul's Wold-Chamberlin Airport. The new facility would double the space it currently occupied at MSP and could accommodate the carrier's new Convairliners. The cost of the new facility was US$375,000, with construction beginning in December 1950 and only seven months later, the company took possession of the new hangar in July 1951. Kansas City Airport After the Great Flood of 1951, Kansas City, Missouri moved to build a new airport away from the river for Mid-Continent and TWA, whose main overhaul base was located in a former B-25 bomber factory at Fairfax Airport. The new airport was to be called Mid-Continent Airport to honor the roots of Mid-Continent Airlines. This airport would eventually become Kansas City International Airport. New Fleet Additions and Improvements On June 11, 1951, Mid-Continent ordered six new Convair 340 twin-engine 46-passenger luxury aircraft from Consolidated-Vultee Aircraft Company of San Diego, California. The aircraft were scheduled for delivery beginning in 1953 and the order was taken up by Braniff Airways, which was the first airline to put the model in service on November 1, 1952. Also during 1953, the DC-3 fleet was increased by four and a fleet modernization program was commenced. The upgrade program included the installation new integral steps to the entry doors and increased passenger capacity from 21 to 24 passengers. Merger with Braniff Airways Before the airport opened, Mid-Continent Airlines was acquired by Braniff International Airways on August 16, 1952. According to Braniff Airways corporate files housed at Braniff Airways Foundation in Dallas, Texas, the merger between Mid-Continent and Braniff was first reviewed in 1940. At the time of the merger, Mid-Continent featured a strong route