Pan American Clipper Planes 1935 to 1945


Stan Cohen

Wings to the Orient is the definitive pictorial history of the three flying boats—Clippers—that were used by Pan American Airways to open the Pacific and the Orient to air travel in the 1930's. The Sikorsky S-42, Martin M-130, and Boeing B-314 flew a route from San Francisco to Honolulu, Midway, Wake, Guam, Manila and then on to Hong Kong. From 1935 to 1941 these planes hauled mail, passengers, and supplies throughout the Pacific and in 1939, opened a route to New Zealand and Australia. During the war they played a vital part in the defense effort. The author has searched archives throughout the United States and Pacific areas to present the best possible photos, many never before published. This book belongs in every aviation enthusiast's library. TABLE OF CONTENTS Forward by R.E.G. Davies Introduction Acknowledgements Photo Sources 1. The World's Airline—Pan American Airways History 2. Trans-Pacific Concept 3. Sikorsky S-42 4. Martin M-130 5. Boeing B-314 6. The California Base 7. The Hawaii Base 8. The Pacific Island Bases—Midway, Wake, Guam 9. The Philippines Base 10. The Hong Kong/Macao Base 11. First Flights 12. End of an Era—The Legacy of the Clippers 13. Postal History Appendix Bibliography