Star Airlines  Bellanca CH-300 Pacemaker  NC251M    (c/n  154)

                                    
                              
                                           Another of Star Airlines "bush" aircraft.  The balloon tires on this Bellanca evidently gave enough
                                           traction through the snow, although the tail has a skid.  This photograph comes from the archives
                                           of the Museum of Alaska Transportation and Industry  is presented here courtesy of the Lars
                                           Opland collection.  This machine is, I believe, still flying, owned by John Pike.  The two shots
                                           below, also from Lars, were taken from a publication and show a Pacemaker on floats and one
                                           on skis.  The bottom one shows the first livery of the aircraft, with the large "Star" titling whilst the
                                           company was still trading as "Star Air Service".  .  The center one illustrates the markings used by
                                           the airline in the mid to late 1930s.  The star is reminiscent of later contemporary military insignia,
                                           although as Lars points out, in those days the national insignia had a red centre.  (That, plus it was
                                           only carried on the wings).   By the time the Army Air Corps had eliminated the red dot early in
                                           WW II, Star Airlines had "winged" their star as seen in the top photograph, (circa 1940).   The
                                           following two images both depict NC259M.    Finally, for a color shot, scroll down to the shot
                                           on the bottom of this entry which is shown here courtesy of the Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum
                                           archives.

                                          Bellanca CH-300 Pacemaker   NC259M     (c/n   161)

                                       

                                        

                                            Bellanca CH-300  NC168N        (c/n  175)