The Air Express was a parasol-winged development of the Vega. The eighth and last example was built for a transatlantic flight by Laura Ingalls. She used it for a voyage through South America instead. Photo likely taken before she changed to a Lockheed 9D Orion, NC14222, late in 1934. The Air Express became NC974Y, see other photo. Photo from: Nationaal Archief (Netherlands)

Built for transatlantic flight by Laura Ingalls but Amelia Earhart became the first female to solo across the Atlantic instead in 1932. Ingalls then flew the aircraft around South America and over the Andes in 1934. It was NR974Y then and had the cabin windows faired over. It passed to other operators and is reported destroyed in a wind storm in Nevada in 1942. Ingalls, meanwhile, had developed outspoken Nazi sympathies and was arrested as a German agent. Photo from: Browning Studio / New-York Historical Society

This aircraft was flown by 'Colonel' Roscoe Turner with his lion cub, named Gilmore. Turner left Vancouver on the photo date to land in Mexico nine hours later. Vancouver's temporary airport then was Lansdowne Field in Richmond, on Lulu Island. Photo from: City of Vancouver Archives

This aircraft was the second of seven Air Expresses to be built. It carried four or five passengers and mails. Later to NC7955. Obtained from Lockheed 60 years ago.