Pacific Aerial Surveys- Pan Am Clipper Gallery

Pan American Airlines located their Pacific Operations in Alameda, CA in 1935, and later moved them to the new San Francisco Airport at Treasure Island. The Clippers were amphibious Sikorsky, Boeing, and Martin aircraft that would leave Alameda for a six day, 60 hour trip to Manila via Hawaii, Midway Island, Wake Island, and Guam.

Pan Am Gallery <1 2 3 4 5>

Martin M-130 Hawaii Clipper NC14714 over Treasure Island
view detail	Date:	May 17, 1938
	Photographer:	Clyde Sunderland
	Description:	The Hawaii Clipper peruses Treasure Island in the making. With two hangars and the crescent-shaped administration building/airport terminal completed, Pan American would move its Pacific Division headquarters from Alameda to these new facilities on February 5, 1939, coinciding with the opening of the San Francisco World’s Fair.
	Number:	AP-203

Martin M-130 China Clipper NC14716 above San Francisco Bay
view detail	Date:	May 10, 1938
	Photographer:	Clyde Sunderland
	Description:	With the famous sunshine of the Golden West illuminating the leading edge of its wing, the China Clipper rides high in the variety transportation options available to the people of the Bay area and the citizens of the world. Pan American’s round trip clipper service to the Far East now offered regularly scheduled flights on a weekly basis.
	Number:	AP-197

Martin M-130 China Clipper NC 14716 at Lands End
view detail	Date:	May 10, 1938
	Photographer:	Clyde Sunderland
	Description:	Outbound on another Pacific crossing, the China Clipper leaves San Francisco’s coastline and the sprawling Sutro Baths below. By 1938, flags were added to the fuselage, wings, and underside of Pan American’s flying boats to clearly indicate their nationality in the face of increasing hostilities prior to the outbreak of World War II in the Pacific.
	Number:	AP-194

Boeing 314 No. 18 NC 18602 at the California coastline
view detail	Date:	January 28, 1939
	Photographer:	Clyde Sunderland
	Description:	Ferried under the command of Captain Harold Gray with Captain Charles “Chilie” Vaughn as co-pilot, the un-named Boeing 314 cruises off the Marin Headlands as it nears San Francisco on the day of its first arrival. Twelve of the massive 314 models were built for Pan American setting new standards in Pacific and Atlantic passenger service.
	Number:	AP-218

Boeing 314 No. 18 NC 18602 above Treasure Island
view detail	Date:	January 28, 1939
	Photographer:	Clyde Sunderland
	Description:	The first Boeing 314 performs a flyover at its new Treasure Island home base. The harbor formed between the fairgrounds of Treasure Island and Yerba Buena Island was officially named Port of the Tradewinds. Informally, it is called “Clipper Cove.” NC 18602 was ceremoniously christened California Clipper on April 25, 1939.
	Number:	AP-217