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When Pan American Airways decided to introduce transpacific airline service, it needed an airplane with a high cruising speed
and long-range capability. Both the Sikorsky S-42 and the Glenn L. Martin 130 were tested for this service. With its
3,800-mile range, the Martin 130 was poised to fulfill all of Pan American's expectations.
These flying boats were a big hit with the American public. One was nicknamed the China Clipper after the 19th-century sailing
ships that traded between New England and China.
Image (at left):
Clipper airplane flying over lower Manhattan, New York City
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Image (at left):
Sideview of the Clipper airplane
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Image (at left):
Loading mail into the Clipper.
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Image (at left):
Stamp issued in honor of the Clipper's inauguration of the first trans-Pacific airmail service on November 22,
1935 with 111,000 letters on board. The flight was from San Francisco to Manila, Philippines.
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Image (at left):
The Clipper returned from Manila to San Francisco on December 6, 1935.
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