Western Air
Express Boeing 40-B-4 NC843M
(c/n 1169)
In 1930,
after Western Air Express had lost just about everything through its
shotgun marriage to
TWA it
still retained the San Diego to Salt Lake City route. During
these disastrous times two
(possibly more) Boeing 40-B-4s
were purchased from Boeing Air Transport to provide a modicum
of passenger
service and to still carry mails over CAM 4. The four
passengers carried by
a 40-B-4
were
actually quite comfortable, having been provided with
lights, heat, soundproofing and
ventilation.
The pilot wasn't quite so
pampered and had to endure
the rigors of the weather in his open
cockpit.