Fly Clipper Class at BWI
High above the check-in area of Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI) is this finely detailed replica of a Pan American Airways Clipper flying boat. The aircraft depicted is NC14716, a Martin M-130, named ‘China Clipper’. It first flew in 1934 and as one of three built for Pan American Airways, it inaugurated the first US-Transpacific air mail service.
Pan American’s flying boats gained a reputation for providing a luxurious flying experience, and this reputation was burnished still further after 1945. The company embraces the jet age as the launch customer for the Boeing 707 and later the Boeing 747. Unfortunately, it faced financial difficulties as competition intensified from the late 1970s, The company was in a financial death spiral by the time I had to use it between 1988-91. Each flight seemed worse than the previous one, with tatty planes, surly and demotivated staff and nasty, lousy food. I raised a cheer when Pan Am finally went out of business in December 1991.
Fly Clipper Class at BWI
High above the check-in area of Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI) is this finely detailed replica of a Pan American Airways Clipper flying boat. The aircraft depicted is NC14716, a Martin M-130, named ‘China Clipper’. It first flew in 1934 and as one of three built for Pan American Airways, it inaugurated the first US-Transpacific air mail service.
Pan American’s flying boats gained a reputation for providing a luxurious flying experience, and this reputation was burnished still further after 1945. The company embraces the jet age as the launch customer for the Boeing 707 and later the Boeing 747. Unfortunately, it faced financial difficulties as competition intensified from the late 1970s, The company was in a financial death spiral by the time I had to use it between 1988-91. Each flight seemed worse than the previous one, with tatty planes, surly and demotivated staff and nasty, lousy food. I raised a cheer when Pan Am finally went out of business in December 1991.