New York, Rio & Buenos Aires Line (NYRBA) Consolidated Commodore  NC659M     (c/n  3)

                                 

                                     While Pan American's Juan Trippe was developing routes along the west coast of South America
                                     his counterpart (more like rival), Capt Ralph O'Neill was pushing to establish service on the east
                                     coast of that continent.  A former Boeing salesman for South America, he founded the NYRBA
                                     Line in New York City on 17 March 1929.  One of his financial backers (he had many, including
                                     the Ford Motor Company) was Consolidated Aircraft in San Diego. A fleet of 12 new Commodores
                                     was delivered to the company in 1930 and service commenced from Miami to Santiago, Chile, via
                                     the east coast to Buenos Aires.   From there the flights were continued on to Santiagi in Ford Trii-
                                     Motors.   Photos of NYRBA Line Commodores are difficult to glean.       Above is NC658M
                                     "Havana' while below, sent to me by Richard Wheeler, is NC658M "Rio de Janeiro' (c/n 2).