The photo shows that the Fleetster prototype was delivered to NYRBA Line as a floatplane. It had an accident in Miami on 16 March 1930, a week after this picture was taken. Photo from: San Diego Air & Space Museum

NYRBA started flying the Commodore flying boat on its main Buenos Aires - Miami route in February 1930. This did not last long as the company was taken over by Pan Am in August 1930. Photo from: Dan Shumaker collection

The Fleetster was designed for use within South America by NYRBA Line, a forgotten competitor to Pan Am in which Consolidated's Reuben Fleet held an interest. The Fleetster would fly through the night with evening mail to catch up with the diurnal NYRBA flying boat at its night stop. Pan Am's powerful backers deprived NYRBA of a US Post Office contract. NYRBA could not survive and NC657M was returned to the factory. The factory airfield was north of Buffalo. Photo from: Consolidated / Gerald Balzer collection