Pan American Airways Boeing 307 Stratoliner   NC19903    (c/n   2003)

                               

                                     Originally developed by TWA as a high altitude, pressurized airliner, three of these B-17
                                     derivatives were purchased by Pan American in 1939.  It tuned out that the aircraft did not
                                     have the range for transatlantic operations and they were transferred, instead, to Pan Am's
                                     Latin American Division.  They were used for a while on both the L.A. - Mexico City and
                                     Miami - Rio de Janeiro services and also in the Alaska Division.    Although received from
                                     Pan Am, the shot above is clearly a manufacturer's image, since ALL Boeing products have
                                     their picture taken above Mt. Ranier!   The shot below is interesting in that it shows all three
                                     of Pan Am's machines together.  These were NC19902, NC19903 and NC19910.

                              


                              Footnote on N19903:                      

                                  C/n 2003 was restored to original condition in Seattle in 2001 with full Pan American livery and carrying
                                  the name "Clipper Flying Cloud",  On 28 March 2002 the aircraft departed Boeing Field at approximately
                                  12;30 hrs for a local flight.  The number 3 engine (the one that controls the hydraulics for the undercarriage)
                                  lost fuel pressure, and the prop was feathered.  This was quickly followed by failure of the other three
                                  engines. The aircraft was ditched into Elliott Bay and subsequently towed to shallow water by the Seattle
                                  Police Department.   It was salvaged and restored again and now reposes in the National Air and Space
                                  Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center at Washington Dulles International Airport.  The official cause
                                  of the crash was listed as fuel exhaustion resulting from the flight crew's failure to accurately determine the
                                  onboard fuel during the pre-flight inspection. Translation:  They ran out of gas.   For a photograph of the
                                  machine in the water go to:  http://www.airdisaster.com/photos/n19903/photo.shtml  and for the "real" story
                                 on this unfortunate accident go to:  http://www.strangedangers.com/content/item/4777.html