Photo dated circa 1958 by the source, though there's another picture of N1026V in front of SFO's new Central Passenger Terminal taken in 1954. N1026V served with Pan Am until 1961, by then renamed Clipper Malay. The Coast Guard HO4S helicopter is 1305 which saved many lives in 1955. Photo from: SFO Museum

Refuelling stop at Shannon. Aircraft modified to L-749A. To Air France in December 1949 as F-BAZV. Photo by: Nat Farbman / Life

Delivered to Pan American World Airways on 18 April 1953. Involved in an accident at Schiphol on 1st February 1958 and subsequently converted to a freighter. Sold as N7344 to Liberty Air in May 1965 and became G-ATOB with Trans World Leasing February 1966. Leased to Trans Meridian London in 1966/67 and became VR-BCT with ARCO Bermuda in July 1968. Reported to have been briefly registered as TI-1065P in October 1968, still with ARCO, before reverting to VR-BCT. Written off in a belly landing at Abidjan, Ivory Coast on 26th July 1970.

News photo focussing on the Thai prime minister, Marshal Phibunsongkhram. The Constellation served as Eisenhower's presidential aircraft, 48-610 Columbine II, from November 1952 until November 1954. The USAF loaned it to Pan Am for just two months in 1955, apparently specifically for the Thai leader's 'long trip abroad' to the United States and Europe. Aircraft under restoration as N8610 as of 2020. Photo by: Daan Noske / Nationaal Archief (Netherlands)

Very rare photo of ex USAAF 42-72334, which was converted by Douglas to C54B-DC, and delivered to Pan Am as NX88892 in August 1946. For some reason the aircraft was registered with the NX prefix, denoting "experimental". It was reportedly never taken in service and remained unnamed (note it only carries the word "Clipper", without an actual name). Instead it went to Avianca Colombia as C-114 in September 1946, but on February 15, 1947 the aircraft crashed into Mount El Tablazo en-route from Barranquilla to Bogotá, killing all 53 people on board - which at the time, was the worst commercial airline crash in history.

Undated negative from FNG archive. Built 1944 as 42-72350 for USAAF. Converted to C54B-DC (DC-4 standard) by Douglas in 1946 (conversion #38) as NC88903 for Pan American. Leased to Avianca as CP-142 1947, returned 1950 and used for many years on internal German services. T.A. Mirfeni LV-HJC 1962, Aerovias Halcon 1964, Southern Cross 1969. Reimported to US as N88903 1971 for Basler Flight Services but its ultimate fate seems unknown. KLM CV-440 PH-CGB is parked on the right.

Ex USAAF C-54B 42-72399, converted by Douglas to civil C54B-DC in 1946 (conversion #14) and delivered to Pan Am in August 1946. Crashed in Honduras on 12 September 1959.

Ex USAAF C-54E 44-9121, converted by Douglas to civil C54E-DC in 1945 (conversion #15) and delivered to Pan Am in December 1945. To Spanish Air Force as T.4-7 in 1962. Photo from: Whites Aviation Collection/Alexander Turnbull Library

Kanton (or Canton) Island was a refuelling stop on the long leg between Hawaii and ports such Fiji and American Samoa. That ceased in November 1965 when Pan Am withdrew DC-7Cs from the New Zealand route. The airport continued to be used by the US military and space agency as a space program tracking base until 1976. The airport remains as an emergency landing ground only. Kanton Island has a population of about 20 people. Photo from: Whites Aviation Collection/Alexander Turnbull Library

Released by the USAAF at the end of World War II to help American airlines re-establish air services. Ex USAAF C-54G 45-534, converted by Douglas to civil C54G-DC in 1947 (conversion #80) and delivered to Pan Am in May 1947. Returned to the USAF in 1953 as 45-534. Photo from: Whites Aviation Collection/Alexander Turnbull Library

Ex USAAF C-54E 44-9085, converted by Douglas to civil C54E-DC in 1945 (conversion #2) and delivered to Pan Am in September 1945. Sold in Lebanon in 1961 as OD-ADW. Photo from: Whites Aviation Collection/Alexander Turnbull Library

Ex USAAF C-54A 42-72169, converted by Douglas to civil C54A-DC in 1946 (conversion #38) and delivered to Pan Am in April 1947. Sold in Argentina as LV-GJV in 1960. Photo from: Whites Aviation Collection/Alexander Kennedy Library

One of the C-54Gs released by the USAAF for airline use at the end of World War II. It is ex C-54G 45-484, converted by Douglas to civil C54G-DC in 1947 (conversion #78) and delivered to Pan Am in April 1947. It was returned to the USAF in January 1954 as 45-484 and converted to VC-54G. Photo from: Whites Aviation Collection/Alexander Turnbull Library

One of the C-54s released by the USAAF to help re-establish air services after World War II. Ex USAAF C-54G 45-616, converted by Douglas to civil C54G-DC in early 1947 (conversion #71) and delivered to Pan Am in January 1947. It passed to Transocean as N9938F in 1951, before returning the USAF in 1953 as 45-616. Photo from: Whites Aviation Collection/Alexander Turnbull Library .

Leased by Pan Am in 1947, this L-749 made the 'first commercial flight around the world' - New York to San Francisco via Europe and Asia. It completed the circumnavigation as a ferry flight because Pan Am was not allowed to fly domestic services. PAA could carry passengers between foreign cities on the route, however, and it was in the timetable as PA flight 1 and 2 for many years. The Constellation became F-BAZR and F-ZVMV and survives with the Musée the l'Air. Photo from: University of Miami

A USAF aircraft diverted for postwar use by Pan American. Ex USAAF C-54G 45-545, converted by Douglas to civil C54G-DC in early 1947 (conversion #74) and delivered to Pan Am in March 1947. In 1954 it was returned to the USAF as 45-545. Photo from: Whites Aviation Collection/Alexander Turnbull Library

A Pan Am 'Strato Clipper' over the Hawaiian islands with Diamond Head, Oahu in the background. Aircraft inherited from American Overseas Airlines. Renamed Clipper Mandarin at some point. Withdrawn from use in 1960. To Israel in 1962. Preserved at Hatzerim. Photo from: SFO Museum

300,000 people reportedly turned out for the three-day 'flight festival' around the dedication of the new terminal at SFO. Photo from: SFO Museum

Pan American's Stratocruisers plied the route to Australia until replaced by the Boeing 707s. And a little beyond. For a short time Stratocruisers continued to operate to Sydney via Auckland due to airport limitations in New Zealand. The Auckland-Sydney leg was dropped and DC-7Cs replaced the Strats until a new Auckland airport was completed. N1023V was written off at Manila on June 2, 1958. Photo from: State Library of New South Wales

Ex USAAF C-54G 45-606, converted by Douglas to civil C54G-DC in 1947 (conversion #79) and delivered to Pan Am in May 1947. Returned to the USAF in 1954 as 45-606. Broken up at Davis-Monthan in 1973. Photo from: State Library of New South Wales