Flying Into The Future: Pan American

Yes, I'm going to borrow an article for this one. They tell it better than I ever could. It was borrowed from Hawaii Aviation. It's Chapter 10: Trans-Pacific. I know it's long as hell, but it's worth the read. SO DON'T TL;DR IT!

COMMERCIAL SERVICE

The first scheduled airline in America was inaugurated in January, 1914, with Tony Jannus hauling one passenger 22 miles from Tampa to St. Petersburg, Florida, in a Benoist flying boat. Losing money, the venture was discontinued after three months. In a few years, however, commercial airlines operated in many areas of the continent. As for flying to other lands, it took a foreign firm’s activities to accelerate such efforts. In 1925, Scadtka Air Lines was set up in Colombia by a World War I German military aviator. SAL planned to fly to Panama, Central America, Cuba and the United States transporting passengers and mail. According to Postmaster General New, an airmail contract with the foreign company would be granted unless an American firm came forward. Acting fast, the Army Air Service’s Major Henry H. Arnold and several other officers drew up a proposed airline operation, Pan American, Incorporated, and considered resigning to comprise its leadership. Civilian manned in the final analysis, Pan American was awarded an airmail contract with the Cuban government. Competitive firms were urged by the leader of one, Juan T. Trippe, to join forces. They formed Pan American Airways, Inc., in 1927, and the Key West to Havana airmail route became theirs. Under the inspired leadership of Trippe, PAA surveyed foreign routes, secured franchises from the governments, and so were able to win contracts at the maximum rate fixed by law. In 1929, the company had four contracts, 44 multi-engine planes, many employees and an optimistic future.

Juan Trippe was interested in trans-oceanic passenger and mail service to the Orient and, with the help of Charles A. Lindbergh, PAA technical advisor, and the company’s chief engineer, Andre Preister, plans were laid out which would take several years to reach flight proportions.

Choosing a flying boat configuration for maximum safety, PAA finalized designs and sent out invitations for bid. Manufacture was to be no easy task. The plane was to safely and comfortably carry crew, passengers, mail and cargo, from California to the Orient and back again, over water on a regularly scheduled basis. In addition, this had to be done profitably. Companies from other countries were interested in the same Oriental route. Being highly subsidized gave them a decided advantage. Dutch, British, Soviet and German airlines surveyed their own routes and prepared airplane specifications. Therefore competition and time entered into the picture, bringing in also United States interest. The stringent requirements narrowed the list of interested contractors to two, veterans Martin and Sikorsky. Contracts were let to the two manufacturers. Then began the enormous task of putting into material and techniques what was drawn on paper—airplanes to function dependably over an 8,000-mile watery route.

There were many technical and manufacturing problems, but a small army of highly skilled people worked them out. In October, 1931, PAA introduced the Sikorsky S-40, the first American Clipper. When it began to fly, record after record was broken for performance in the air. Engineering efforts proved out, on the whole (some had to be redone) but PAA responded by placing more such planes on requisition. As soon as they were ready, Sikorskys were put on the South American route, already filled with foreign planes on busy runs. This was to be a proving ground for the grandest test of aircraft and flying man for the ultimate mission—crossing the Pacific. There they would train, test, and improve, until such flights could be done better than by anyone else.

Securing control of China National Aviation Company, Pan American sought to avoid for political reasons the arctic great circle route surveyed for the company in 1932 by Lindbergh and his wife. Trippe elected to reach the Orient by use of the springboard, Hawaii, and stepping stone islands along the route upon which to light for servicing, passengers and rest. The route was fixed as San Francisco to Honolulu, Midway Island, Wake Island, Guam, the Philippines, and then to China.

Shortly after Sikorsky’s plane was unveiled, the Martin craft followed. Sixteen impressive records were mercilessly broken when put to flight. Immensely pleased, Trippe and his directors knew this was the product of their efforts. A requisition was placed for expedited construction of two more such planes. Selected crews were placed on rigid training over PAA’s operating over water routes in South America and the Caribbean, covering navigation, ground school, blind flying, and every technique thought essential to the Pacific venture.

On January 1, 1935, circumstances were favorable so Trippe sent his technical staff from the east coast to San Francisco to set up a Pacific base of operations. Two months later, an expedition sailed with enough plans and equipment to construct the island facilities. Then on April 17, 1935, the S-42 PIONEER CLIPPER skimmed to her first landing in Hawaiian waters, just 17 hours and 44 minutes from its Alameda, California, starting point. Piloted by Captain Edwin C. Musick, aboard the aircraft with him were Captain R. O. D. Sullivan, Frederick Noonan, William Jarboe and Victor Wright. The flight was a smashing success. From there the survey flight crew continued to Midway, Wake and Guam. A second visit to Honolulu was made on June 13, the Clipper remaining two days before its 9 hour flight to Midway. August saw PAA’s third flight to Pearl Harbor by the hard working crew. No longer was it a stupendous spectacle.

Properly primed, the CHINA CLIPPER went on a 2,400 mile practice flight on November 2. Flying from Miami to San Juan, Puerto Rico in 8 hours and 15 minutes, the large craft turned around and flew back. One of its four engines malfunctioned slightly.

Hawaii waited anxiously, expectantly. Island living continued at its normal pace. Andrew Flying Service at John Rodgers Airport advertised flights at one cent a pound carried. On November 8, Honolulu received the terrible news that popular Australian air hero, the first user of the springboard, Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith was missing over Malacca Strait on his England to Australia flight attempt. That same day the CHINA CLIPPER flew from Miami to Acapulco, Mexico, leaving at 7:25 the following morning on its 1,500 mile jaunt to San Diego.

Less than eight months after construction of the airway was begun, on November 22, 1935, Postmaster General James A. Farley and Mr. Juan Trippe ordered Pilot Musick, commanding the Martin M-130 CHINA CLIPPER, to take off on the first airmail flight, by way of Hawaii and the other islands, on to its Manila destination. Farley stated in his speech that day that this marked the beginning of “the greatest and most significant achievement in the marvelous, fascinating development of air transportation.” Twenty thousand spectators were on hand to watch festivities at Alameda, all eyes on the immense silver airplane. They saw an estimated 110,000 pieces of mail weighing nearly two tons being stowed on board. The band struck up the tune, Star Spangled Banner, as the engines were put to the test and the big flying boat began to respond to Musick’s expert commands. Heavily but efficiently the proud plane knifed through the water. Aboard was the veteran crew plus new comers George King and Chan Wright. An anxious throng breathed a sigh of relief as the pride of aviation suddenly escaped from the clutching surface. As it steadily made headway over the unfinished Golden Gate Bridge, a gentleman pensively watched from the University Club in San Francisco. Emory Bronte was brought back in time eight years to the period in 1927 when his flight across the same route was made, with Ernie Smith, the first civilians to do so.

Back in Hawaii, news of the scheduled take-off was heralded with expectation, for this was the beginning of the biggest development for the Islands since the first commercial ship inaugurated its services to Hawaii many years prior. News of the CHINA CLIPPER added color to droll local events. That day (November 22) on the Big Island (Hawaii) the active volcano,

Mokuaweoweo staged a second big eruption, overflowing and releasing a lava river seeping mercilessly toward Kohala and the principal city of Hilo. One witness called the terrible sight “like a Niagara Falls of fire.” It moved relentlessly at a rate of five miles each day and Hilo looked to be on the verge of destruction. The Army responded with yet another aspect of air-ability, by sending aircraft to the area on surveillance flights. Flows were reported to be a few miles below the summit of the mountain. At the 10,000 foot level there burst three fountains of molten rock, their fiery glow reflecting on the clouds, even becoming visible in Honolulu 200 miles away. One of the Air Corps officers flying on surveillance was Lieutenant Karl Truesdell Jr., who brought his Boeing P-12 over the summit crater and watched great fountains of lava, propelled by exploding gases, reach heights of 200 feet. In the weeks that followed, the lava flow continued under surveillance and the Army eventually concluded that it threatened destruction of the city of Hilo. At this point, large B-4 bombers were sent to the area loaded with live bombs. Under direction of Dr. Thomas A. Jagger Jr., the government volcanologist, the aircraft bombed the lava flow. Within one day, the deadly lava was diverted and Hilo was saved. However, tragedy marred the event when two of the big bombers cracked up on landing at Luke Field and caught fire, killing several Army flyers. Comments from residents included some from the superstitious to the effect that the ancient fire goddess, PELE, caused the crackups for having been disturbed.

In Miami, a second PAA clipper plane took off, departing at 6:18 a.m. for Alameda by way of Acapulco.

The huge CHINA CLIPPER was joined by a great mass of clouds, even before it left the Bay. By nightfall, the plane was completely encased by a ceiling of clouds above and below. Because this was the ninth crossing for all but two of the crew, no one was ruffled. In eight hours, 1,200 miles had been covered in the Pacific Ocean. They were in radio communication with the U.S. Coast Guard cutter ITASCA first, and then spoke to the Norwegian motor ship ROSEVILLE, followed by the USS WRIGHT 900 miles west. Throughout the night seven celestial sightings had been obtained, and 41 radio directive bearings received.

Flying at 10,300 feet, the crew sighted Molokai 200 miles away, then a great mantle of smoke from the erupting crater on the Big Island.

Triumphantly boring their way toward Diamond Head at last, Musick and his expert crew were joined by 60 planes form Oahu’s Army and Navy air forces in spectacular, sky-filling escort. (It was a fitting escort, for had not the military shown the way?). Majestically, and once again alone, the CHINA CLIPPER ended 21 hours and 20 minutes of flying with a gentle landing on Pearl Harbor’s placid waters. The time was 10:19 a.m., the day November 23, 1935. Nosing into the floating buoy a few yards off shore from the new PAA base on the Pearl City peninsula—Pan American Airways Ocean Air Base Number One—the plane was greeted by 3,000 people who began to applaud. Musick was an hour behind schedule because of strong headwinds for half of the journey, but otherwise the flight had been uneventful. Mrs. Stanley C. Kennedy, wife of Hawaii’s commercial aviation leader, was first to greet the flyers as they stepped onto the floating wharf. Gay festivities followed for the crew of seven. The feeling in Hawaii was most aptly put by a local newspaper, “Aloha, gallant clipper of the skies!”

Two tons of cargo went into the big holds of the CHINA CLIPPER on the morning of November 24, Sunday, in preparation for the 8,000 mile race with the sun across the Pacific with the first air mail for the Philippines and the Orient. Hand trucks brought 21 crates of fresh vegetables for PAA island air bases to the west, nine crates of oranges and lemons, 12 crates of turkeys for the first Thanksgiving dinners in the history of those colonies on Midway and Wake, and cartons of cranberries, sweet potatoes and mince meat. Also crated were office and utility supplies, oil lamp wicks, sports equipment, electric light bulbs, spare parts, and a barber’s outfit. Also loaded were 16,000 letters (weight 265 lbs), giving a total air mail cargo of 6,653 lbs. bound for Guam and Manila. Next came 14 passengers, two complete air base staff replacements for Midway and Wake.

At 4:50 p.m., all being ready, the crew cast off from the float. Captain Sullivan pointed the 25-ton craft’s nose into the north wind towards Midway, 1,380 miles away, as the CHINA CLIPPER became airborne at 7:05 p.m. They passed Kauai Peak, Niihau and found clear weather facing them. At this point, their course was set directly for Midway. In order, the flying boat passed over Necker Island; to the port, the French Frigate Shoals, Gardner Pinnacles, Marco Reef, then Midway, where at 2:01 p.m. (Midway time) a landing was made.

On November 25, the shortest hop (1,252 miles) was started for a tiny point on the map, Wake Island. Averaging 148.7 mph enroute, the plane settled onto Wake Lagoon after an uneventful flight.

At 7:04 p.m., November 27, the plane’s keel knifed through the waters and into the air under a 2,000-foot ceiling. At 10:21 p.m., the CHINA CLIPPER overtook the USS CHESTER, eastbound out of Manila. At 3:05 p.m. (Guam time), Guam’s Apra Harbor accepted the big seaplane. On Friday, November 29, the crew bid adieu to Guam and soon found the best weather of the journey. They climbed to 6,000 feet, much farther away from the whitecaps and ocean spray.

As the rugged hills of the Philippines came to view, the CHINA CLIPPER’s crew, up to then too preoccupied with the innumerable tasks of the job, began to realize the significance of this achievement in American aviation. They were pleased that America’s air service, American

aircraft and American personnel should be the first to accomplish scheduled air transport service over the world’s greatest ocean. At 3:32 p.m. (Manila time), the CHINA CLIPPER came to a landing in Manila Harbor—on schedule, 59 hours and 48 minutes of flying time since leaving California.

Thus came into reality the dreams of many over the tumultuous aviation years. For Hawaii, too, this meant the reaching of a fond dream. Millions had been invested in a venture which would produce millions in increased business. Foreseeable next was the most active water-bound aerial port in the world with huge airliners halting in Hawaii for a few hours or less enroute to the South Seas, Antipodes, and around the world. The local press described the airplane as the newest and one of the most vital forces in the advancement of civilization. It was expected that Hawaii was to be the hub of trans-Pacific flying, military and civilian.

During this period, landing rights at Auckland were granted by the New Zealand government with PAA service to begin December 31, 1936. PAA’s attention had turned to the development of a South Pacific route to Australia and New Zealand via Kingman Reef and Pago Pago. Plans were hastened to put the new service into operation, but the lack of adequate facilities along the route forced PAA to apply for an extension of the inaugural date.

During the period of Musick’s grand entrance to and beyond Hawaii, Billy Mitchell talked with President of the United States, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, about his Pacific area defense survey finds of 1924. Mitchell urged decisive action in view of military buildups in Japan, as well as Germany and Italy. Talking about this experience after his meeting with the Chief Executive, Mitchell stated that Japan had designs on Hawaii militarily and intended to attack the islands from the air with no advance warning or formal declaration of war. He stated that the blow would be made on Pearl Harbor on a quiet Sunday morning when it would be full of ships. In February, 1936, the great air leader died. (Four years later, Roosevelt ordered the production of 50,000 airplanes per year. One year later, Mitchell’s predictions were to come to reality. America was better prepared to respond than expected.)