X-ABHA  Lockheed 9 Orion                                     (c/n 181)

                                  

                                     Lineas Aereas Occidentales (Western Airlines) was formed in 1934 by Walter Varney who had
                                     successful routes from San Francisco to Los Angeles..  When the Air Mail scandal erupted
                                     Varney decided to undertake a Mexican air mail contract from Los Angeles to Mexico City
                                     using the west coast route.  Varney was a bit of a speed nut and used fast Lockheed mono-
                                     planes, one of which is seen above in this Lockheed Aircraft photo at Burbank.  In all five
                                     Orions went on the Mexican register, and these were augmented by two Vegas  With this
                                     modest fleet Varney managed three weekly flights to Mexico City  and the service was later
                                     extended to Tapachula on the Guatemalan border.   Pan America couldn't puit up with this
                                     upstart and basically ran Varney out of business.  Occidentales was only flying for nine months
                                     and disbanded early in 1935.   X-ABHA was the former NC12223 of Varney Speed Lines.