Pan Am DC-2

We received the following from the Seattle Muserum of Flight:

October 5, 2005

To: Board of Directors of Pan Am Historical Foundation

The Museum of Flight, Seattle, Washington has acquired a DC-2, which was originally purchased by Pan American from the Douglas Company. According to my research, this aircraft was allocated to Mexicana Airlines and entered service in 1940. The museum informed me that # NC 14296 is the only DC-2 in flyable condition in Western Hemisphere or maybe the world!

The Museum of Flight acquired this aircraft from the Douglas Historical Foundation in a deteriorated state. The Museum’s magazine "Aloft" reported that the DC-2 is now in Long Beach, California. Last year’s, plans to ferry it to Seattle were canceled because of engine safety concerns. The subsequent months have been spent in an intensive search for parts for the unusual Wright R-1820-51 Cyclone engines and their even more unusual Holley carburetors. Finally after Labor Day, 2005, a Museum team left to reinstall the overhauled engines by Precision Engines, Everett, Washington. After FAA paperwork and flight testing completion and if all goes well, it will be flown from Southern California to Seattle by Clay Lacy, Museum trustee. The Museum’s total investment will be over $160,000. The Museum has decided that the aircraft will either be painted in TWA or Douglas colors before being placed on permanent display.

The Seattle World Wings Chapter, former Pan Am pilots, ground and administration personnel have written and made requests to the Museum to have this aircraft repainted in company livery. The Museum is receptive to this suggestion, but estimates they will need an additional $100,000 for painting, transportation, and exhibition cost.

This is a wonderful opportunity to further ensure that the legacy of Pan Am will be shared with future generations. The Museum of Flight is the largest non-governmental air and space museum in the United States visited by over 500,000 people each year and operating educational programs in science, technology, and the humanities for an additional 80,000 students annually. It has over 125 air and space craft on display. The Museum’s collection includes military, sport, experimental, civilian planes. It maintains the largest collection of commercial air transportation vehicles of any similar museum but has no aircraft painted in Pan Am livery.

I felt the Pan American Historical Foundation would be interested and would offer some input as how this could be accomplished. Thank you and I am looking forward to hearing form you shortly.

Warm Regards,
Don Cooper
Capt, Pan Am, Ret.
PO Box 65339
Port Ludlow, WA
Phone 206 437 2300
Email coop@cablespeed.com

We thought we would pass this along to our fellow Pan Am'ers and visitors.

Editorial Opinion:
I'm not exactly sure what to make of this. First, since the records apparently show the aircraft was originally Pan Am/Mexicana, I'm not sure why a museum, seemingly dedicated to the accurate preservation of aviation history, would even consider painting it in TWA livery. Secondly, painting it in any livery is going to cost money so I'm not sure why painting it for Pan Am/Mexicana would cost any more than painting it for TWA or Douglas.

It is certainly a real 'find' to discover a flyable DC-2 at this point in time and well worth preserving --- accurately. As to the money, make of this what you will.

John Steele