Pan American Airways  Fokker F.10   X-ABCT                 ( c/n  1052)

                                    

                                           In January 1929, having been unable to secure operating rights in Mexico, Pan American
                                           purchased the entire stock of Compania Mexicana de Aviacion outright.  (Even in those
                                          days the Mexican government made the path for doing business in that country difficult for
                                           U.S. businesses - they still do, NAFTA notwithstanding).   This Fokker was previously 
                                           NC813H and was "sold" to CMA ("seconded" might be a better verb) later in 1929.  This
                                           allowed through plane service from the United States to the rest of the Pan American
                                           system on the Guatemalan border, necessary for the fulfilment of Foreign Air Mail Route
                                           (FAM) 5 which went from Brownsville to the Panama Canal Zone.  In fact, Pan American
                                           was succesful and bidding for, and acquiring all the Latin American FAM contracts.  No
                                           doubt about it, Juan Trippe had clout.






NC813H