Reportedly named Mainliner Eugene. Impressed by USAAF as 42-56091 in 1942. Back to United in 1945. Later regs N98C and N5631V. Photo by: Carl Mydans / Life

Douglas Sleeper Transport delivered on 6 August 1937 and reportedly named State of Utah. Impressed as a C-48B, 42-56099, in 1942. Written off after a taxiing accident on 9 February 1943 at Del Valle Army Air Base near Austin, Texas, shortly before that was renamed Bergstrom Field. Photo by: Carl Mydans / Life

Wears 'Flight Research' titles. Used to test radio equipment and safety features. Later painted white and red. Ended up in Mexico. Photo by: Carl Mydans / Life

In flight over San Francisco. The 1939-1940 Golden Gate International Expo is under construction on Treasure Island, with the Pan Am flying boat terminal on the right side. As N16070 this DC-3 is preserved in the Evergreen museum in McMinnville, Oregon. Photo by: Carl Mydans / Life

Built in 1936. Name reported to be Mainliner Sacramento. N16062 served with Northeast Airlines from 1953. To North Cay Airways of Puerto Rico as N16060. Deregistered as 'destroyed' in 2009. Photo by: Carl Mydans / Life

NZ104 (with code B5) crashed into Lake Ellesmere on June 6, 1939 and was destroyed. The location of this photo is given as Birdlings Flat, which was an aerodrome adjoining the Lake Ellesmere bombing range. It opened in 1939. To have been repaired and given a new code in under six months seems unlikely. In July 1938 NZ104 was damaged in a forced landing "at Cape Campbell". The background in the photo is similar to that at Lake Grassmere which is near Cape Campbell. It is highly likely this is that accident. Photo from: RNZAF/Air Force Museum of New Zealand

KLMs Douglas DC-2 "Haan" operating the schedule from Schiphol via Doncaster (request stop) and on to Liverpool's Speke airport for the night. Taken in July 1938 from the rooftop observation balcony on the newly opened terminal. To SE-AKE of ABA and DC-1 and DO-1 of the Finnish AF.

IoMAS Rapide parked in front of Ringway's 1938-built terminal with roof-top viewing area on 26 September. G-AEBW served the airline from October 1937 until being abandoned at Bordeaux in June 1940 because of fuel shortage during the evacuation of France.

Operated by IoMAS from October 1937 until May 1945. Ringway's 1938 Terminal is in the background with the spectator terrace above.