Pan American Airways Lockheed L-049 Constellation   NC88836    (c/n  2036)

                                       

                                           Here's a nostalgic shot taken at Burbank in 1946 of one of Pan American's first Constellations prior
                                           to delivery. It was a true L-049, and not a converted C-69.  Just why it was temporarily registered
                                           NX I am not sure, but probably for testing.   It went on to become "Clipper Mayflower" and was
                                           used on the transatlantic route from New York to London via Gander and Shannon.  The trip took
                                           an elapsed time of some 18 hours.  Even so, that was a vast improvement over the schedule met
                                           by ex-military types such as the Avro Lancastrian and Consolidated Liberator, in addition to which
                                           the Connie was pressurized.   In the early 1950s the airline adopted the then in vogue white cabin
                                           top treatment as seen in the shot below from the Mike Sparkman collection.  N88861 was originally
                                           'Clipper Atlantic' but had been renamed 'Clipper Winged Arrow' by the time this photograph was
                                           taken.  It went on the become CU-T-532 for Cubana in 1953 before moving on to El Al in 1955 as
                                           4X-AKE. 

                                        Lockheed L-049 Constellation N88861        (c/n  2061)