Part 29 of Wonders of World Aviation was published on Tuesday 20th September 1938, price 7d.
This part included a central photogravure supplement further illustrating the article on Pan American Airways.
The Cover
This week’s cover shows the British balloon Elsie, which took part in the Gordon Bennett Balloon Race in 1925. The Elsie crashed during the race, which was won by Belgium. Up to 1937 Great Britain, though a persistent competitor, had never won the Gordon Bennett Aeronautic Cup. The present cup is the third in the series. The first cup was won outright by Belgium, in 1922, 1923 and 1924. A similar run of victories - in 1926, 1927 and 1928 - gave the second cup to the United States.
THE AERODROME AT MIAMI is the starting point for many of the extensive routes of Pan American Airways. At Miami the internal air lines of the United States link up with those of Pan American Airways. A large number of clippers are based at Miami, which is probably the world’s most busy marine airport.
Pan American Airways: Photogravure Supplement - 2
ONE OF THE FIRST CLIPPERS to operate on the transpacific service of Pan American Airways was the China Clipper. This type of aircraft is known as the Martin 130. The four two-row fourteeen-cylinder Pratt and Whitney radial engines were of the Wasp type developing 830 horse-power each.
Pan American Airways:
Photogravure Supplement - 3
LAUNCH OF AMERICA’S LARGEST AEROPLANE, the new Boeing 314 clipper. The cradle on which the flying boat was run down into the water weighed fifteen tons and was provided with floatation tanks to bring it to the surface of the water. During flight the four engines are accessible through passageways in the wings.
