Difficult times, and not just because of a severe winter. Wearing neutrality markings, PH-ALE is seen departing for Lisbon via Shoreham. She was based in Portugal to provide logistic support for KLM's DC-3 fleet on the East Indies line, which had Napels in Italy as its European terminus after the outbreak of WWII. PH-ALE was the only DC-2 to join the KLM operation in England, as G-AGBH. Having survived the war, she was sold to Southampton Air Services, only to crash at Malta - Luqa in October 1946. Photo by: Harry Sagers / Nationaal Archief (Netherlands)

This DC-2 crashed just west of Halle, Belgium after take-off from Brussels - Haren on a KLM service to Paris on 28 July 1937. All fifteen people on board were killed. The cause of the crash was never established. The photo is thought to have been taken at Schiphol with part of the 1928 terminal in the background. This picture completes KLM's DC-2 fleet in our database. Photo from: Nationaal Archief (Netherlands)

More spectators than passengers at Schiphol in the 1930s. You could go on a 'rondleiding' (guided tour). When WWII came to Holland in May 1940, Edelvalk (lanner falcon) was based in Portugal, apparently to provide support for the DC-3s serving KLM's Far East route, of which the European terminus was then Naples. She was the only DC-2 to join the KLM operation in England, becoming G-AGBH. Photo from: Amsterdam City Archives

KLM's Djalak, in service from 1936 until 1940, on display during some sort of open day apparently. Photo from: Amsterdam City Archives