Pan Am Planes

Many individual Pan American planes became famous.

The China Clipper was perhaps the most famous, and its name is often
used to refer to all Pan American’s Martin M-130 clippers, and
sometimes to all Pan Am flying boats in general.  The China Clipper
made the first mail flight across the Pacific, in November, 1935,

Pan American’s two other M-130 aircraft were in the news as well.  The
Hawaii Clipper made the first passenger flight across the Pacfic,
but was even more famous for its mysterious disappearance in July, 1938.
The Phillipine Clipper also made tragic headlines, when it crashed into a mountain north of San Francisco on Januaru 21, 1943, killing all passengers and crew.  Among the victims were a group of American Naval officers including Read Admiral R. R. English, commander of the Pacific submarine force.