Bought by the British Purchasing Commission during World War II but was refused British civil certification. Ended up in Africa as a C-32A with PAA-Africa with the USAAF serial 42-53529. Photo from: Denver City Library Special Collection

The B in BNA is for Berry Field. The airport was built in 1936 for the 105th Observation Squadron as well as commercial use. The source gives 3 May 1940 as the photo date but the early B-17s on the left suggest that this may be the airport's June 1937 opening instead. Built in 1934, the DC-2 was sold to the Royal Air Force in late 1940 as DG470. The reg was reused by two DC-3s, c/n 6313 and c/n 19667. Photo from: Tennessee State Library and Archives

'Unloading of airmail' - this may have been staged. The source is confused about the date but the photo may have been taken when Canadian Colonial Airways bought this DC-2 as CF-BPP in 1939. Another frame shows a RCMP DH.90 Dragon, CF-MPB, dating the scene after May 1937. Photo from: Post Office Department / Library and Archives Canada

Photo: McDonnell Douglas Corporation.

Acquired by the British Purchasing Commission in 1941 and delivered to the Indian government as VT-AOV. Delta Air Lines' publicity photo. Photo from: Civil Aviation Historical Society, Melbourne, Victoria