Four-hour daily non-stop flights by National Airlines from Miami to New York began in July 1947. Two minutes under scheduled time, the first northbound flight received a splashing christening in champagne from June Knight, starring in "Sweetheart" on Broadway. Capt. Ed Taaffe was given a surprise kiss by Miss Knight a moment later when he stepped out of the "Buccaneer 400", the airline's first DC-6.